The Rolex reference encyclopedia
Rolexopedia is a reference guide to vintage and discontinued Rolex watches. Browse a family to compare generations, or open a reference number for its production history, movement, dial variants and case details.
A reference number can cover decades of changes. The articles distinguish documented variants and later replacements, with sources for further reading. The serial-number, movement and bracelet guides help compare the parts of an individual watch. About the project →
412wiki articles
12families
2,348image files
1920s onwardhistorical coverage
Browse by family
Big Crown models, the 5512 and 5513 dial changes, the Red Sub and the five-digit sapphire references.
Manual-wind Valjoux chronographs, the Paul Newman exotic dials, the Zenith automatics and the in-house 4130 generation.
From the Bakelite-bezel 6542 through the long 1675 run to the ceramic GMT-Master II.
The 6150 and 6350, the long-running 1016, and the later sapphire-crystal models.
The orange-hand 1655 Freccione, the transitional 16550 and the long-run 16570.
Single Red, Double Red and Great White 1665s, the Triple Six, the 44 mm Deepsea and later references, plus documented COMEX examples.
The President from the 1956 originals through the 1803 era, five-digit sapphire, Day-Date II and Oysterquartz.
The lightning-bolt seconds hand of the 6541, the 1019 and the green-crystal 116400GV.
Early hand-wound models, the long-running 5500 and the sapphire-crystal 14000 line.
The plain-dial Oyster: classic four-digit 1002 to 1018, five-digit and the last pre-refresh 116000 generation.
The first waterproof Oysters, the domed-caseback automatics, the Padellone, manual-wind Oyster Precision models such as the 6022 and 6082, and later Oysterdate Precision references such as the 6094. The documented 5052 appears in both pink gold and steel. A separate round dress watch, ref. 3540, is catalogued as a manual-wind Rolex Precision.
Rectangular Art-Deco chronometers: Classic 1343, Brancard 971, Railway and Tigre variants.
From the archive
GMT-Master
The 1675 is a GMT-Master with crown guards, an acrylic crystal and an aluminium 24-hour bezel insert. Its long production run includes gilt and matte dials, different crown-guard shapes and several case metals. The article separates those configurations and explains the limits of dial dating.
Reference guides
Numeric and letter-prefix year ranges, hallmark dating for early watches, and the limits of randomized serials.
Rivet, folded and solid Oyster, Jubilee and President bracelets, end-link numbers and the clasp date-code key.
From the early manual-wind Oyster calibers through the 1500 and 3000 series to the Zenith and in-house chronographs.
Every reference, by era
Early two-register1930s–1940s
Round Oyster chronographsfrom c.1950
Gem-set six-digitfrom c.2006
Ceramic 116xxx2005–19
Ceramic 126xxx2018–present
Current2021–present
Vintage Freccione1971–1984
Transitional1985–1989
Modern 40mm1989–2010
Single Red to Great White1967–1983
44 mm DeepseaIntroduced 2008
Ceramic bezel2014–2017
First automatic1953–57
Mid-centuryMostly 1950s catalogue dates; case 994893 has conflicting 1964 and 1954 estimates
Classic four-digit1950s–1988 catalogue examples; limits vary by reference
Mid-size gold time-onlycatalogue examples circa 1974
Mid-size time-onlyCatalogue examples circa 1972–1981; factory span unknown
Mid-size Oyster PerpetualCatalogue examples circa 1973–1980; factory span unknown; one date-display attribution remains unresolved
Four-digit Date Oyster PerpetualCatalogue estimates circa 1960–1980; production limits unknown
Five-digit Date Oyster PerpetualCatalogue examples circa 1981–1988; production limits unknown
Datejust 36
Five-digit, quickset-date generationCal. 3035 introduced in 1977; end dates vary by reference
Five-digit Turn-O-GraphCal. 3035; auction examples dated 1978–c.1987
Six-digit Yellow RolesorExamples dated 2005–c.2017
Datejust 41
White RolesorIntroduced 2017; listed by Rolex in 2026
Everose RolesorDocumented at the 2016 launch; listed by Rolex in 2026
Late Bubblebacksselected catalogue estimates circa 1940–1955; dates do not set production spans
Square Perpetual1940s–1953 catalogue dates
Later Bubbleback examplesCatalogue estimates span circa 1945–60; 4919 has a disputed 1930s outlier
Large no-date Oyster Perpetualcatalogue estimates c.1946–58; production span unsettled
Oysterdate Precision
Other vintage references
Manual-wind, small secondscatalogued 1929–1940s
Manual-wind pocket watchtwo catalogue dates conflict, circa 1930 and 1954
Manual-wind Oystercatalogued 1930s–c.1955
Oyster Speedkingcatalogued c.1952–1953
Chronometre Scientific1937 case marks; catalogued examples circa 1937
Chronometer / Precision dress watchcatalogued c.1943–50; two c.1959 estimates; model and span unsettled
Round gold Precisioncatalogued examples c.1945–1968; early date disputed
Turn-O-Graphearly rotating-bezel model; caseback examples 1953–54
Cellini
Vintage dress watchCatalogued examples dated 1967–69
Rolexopedia is an independent community reference and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Rolex SA. "Rolex" and the model names on this site are trademarks of their owners and are used only to identify the watches described. See the disclaimer.