How to Find the Age of Your Rolex Watch
Are you looking to date and find the age of your Rolex watch? Unlike cheap watches, Rolex watches are not something that you wear until they start looking a little rough or break. Instead, Rolex watches will last for generations with proper care.
So if you have an older Rolex watch, it can be interesting to know when it is from. But how do you date a Rolex watch and know when it is from?
There are several ways to find the age of your Rolex watch. Some are estimates and others are more accurate. Let’s look at how you can find the age of your Rolex watch.
Find the age of your Rolex watch
These are the ways that you can use to get an idea of your watch’s age:
- Look at the certificate
- Look at the model
- Look at the serial number
Look at the certificate
If you have the original certificate to go with your watch, you can look at that to get an idea of your watch’s age. The issue, however, is that the older a watch gets, the less chance that the box and other accessories are still around as they can get lost or thrown away over the years.
When a Rolex watch is sold, it comes with a certificate. On older Rolex watches, this certificate is a paper. On modern Rolex watches, it is a plastic card.
Regardless, at the time of purchase of a Rolex watch, the authorized retailer dates the warranty. It is from this time that the warranty starts. The catch, however, to doing this, is that it is the date of sale and not the date of manufacturing. In some cases, watches can sit in the store unsold for years, but it still gives you a rough estimation of when your watch was made.
Look at the model
Another way you can find the age of your Rolex watch is by looking at the model. Different models are produced at different times, and by learning during what period the watch was in production, you can get an estimation of how old it is.
Start by identifying the Rolex model you have. Then find out when it was in production. The catch to this, however, is if your watch has been in production for a long time, you will get a rather big time span. You can find the model number (reference number) engraved behind the bracelet on the case at the 12 o’clock position.
Look at the serial number
The best way to find the age of your Rolex watch is by looking at the serial number. The problem with this is that it is only possible to do with watches up until about 2010. In around 2010, Rolex introduced the so-called ”random serial numbers”. Unlike the previous serial number format, it is not possible to use them to date Rolex watches.
Rolex’s serial number is sequential from 1926 through the middle of 1987. For these watches, you will be able to date them very easily by looking at the chart below. From the middle of 1987, Rolex uses a date code with letterings, which can also be used to date a Rolex watch. Below, you can find a chart that you can use to date your Rolex.
You will find your watch’s serial number either behind the bracelet on the case of the watch, at the 6 o’clock side, or if you have a more modern watch, it will be engraved on the inner ring between the dial and crystal. Again, note that if you have a modern Rolex watch that has a random serial number, it will not be possible to date it using the serial number. The only way to date a modern Rolex watch is by looking at the date of the warranty card or identifying which model you have and learn the span of its production.
Below you can find a Rolex serial number chart to find the age of your Rolex. A complete guide to Rolex serial numbers can also be found here.
- 2009 – V
- 2008 – Z, M, V
- 2007 – Z, M
- 2006 – F, D, Z
- 2005 – D,F
- 2004 – F, Y
- 2003 – Y
- 2002 – K, Y
- 2001 – P, K
- 2000 – A, P
- 1999 – A
- 1998 – A
- 1997 – U
- 1996 – T
- 1995 – W
- 1994 – S
- 1993 – S
- 1992 – C, X
- 1991 – N, E, X
- 1990 – E, L
- 1989 – L
- 1988 – R
Rolex Serial numbers from 1987 (non letters)
- 1987- 9,760.000
- 1986 – 9,290.000
- 1985 – 8,600.000
- 1984 – 8,300.000
- 1983 – 7,800.000
- 1982 – 7,800.000
- 1981 – 6,900.000
- 1980 – 6,400.000
- 1979 – 5,900.000
- 1978 – 5,400.000
- 1977 – 5,000.000
- 1976 – 4,530.000
- 1975 – 4,280.000
- 1974 – 4,000.000
- 1973 – 3,740.000
- 1972 – 3,470.000
- 1971 – 3,210.000
- 1970 – 2,950.000
- 1969 – 2,680.000
- 1968 – 2,420.000
- 1967 -2,160.000
- 1966 – 1,870,000
- 1965 – 1,791,000
- 1964 – 1,713,000
- 1963 – 1,635,000
- 1962 – 1,557,000
- 1961 – 1,485,000
- 1960 – 1,401,000
- 1959 – 1,323,000
- 1958 – 1,245,000
- 1958 – 1,245,000
- 1957 – 1,167,000
- 1956 – 1,095,000
- 1955 – 1,010,000
- 1954 – 935,000
- 1953 – 869,000
- 1953 – 869,000
- 1952 – 804,000
- 1951 – 738,700
- 1950 – 673,600
- 1949 – 608,500
- 1948 – 543,400
- 1947 – 478,300
- 1946 – 413,200
- 1945 – 348,000
- 1944 – 283,000
- 1943 – 253,000
- 1942 – 224,000
- 1941 – 194,000
- 1940 – 164,600
- 1939 – 135,000
- 1938 – 117,000
- 1937 – 99,000
- 1936 – 81,000
- 1935 – 63,000
