Rolex Serial Number Check & Lookup
Enter your Rolex serial number to estimate its production year. This number — 6 to 8 digits, preceded by a letter after 1987 — is engraved on the case flank between the lugs, visible once the bracelet is removed.
Free PDF dating certificate: Date your watch, then download a dating bulletin: estimated year, serial number and a historical anecdote from your watch’s birth year. Free, instant, no sign-up — and made with love! No other online tool offers this.
How to date a Rolex from its serial number
Every Rolex carries a unique serial number assigned when it left the manufacture. By checking it against the production registers compiled over decades by collectors and dealers, you can estimate the production year of your Rolex to within one or two years. It is the first check to make before buying or selling a pre-owned Rolex.
Where to find your Rolex serial number
On the case flank, between the lugs at 6 o’clock: the bracelet must be removed to read it. Since around 2005, Rolex has also engraved the number on the inner bezel (rehaut), visible through the crystal at the 6 o’clock position. Don’t confuse it with the reference number, engraved between the lugs at 12 o’clock — to identify that one, use our Rolex reference decoder.
A useful complement: your bracelet clasp also carries a production code. Our Rolex bracelet & clasp codes tool dates it and lets you check that the bracelet is period-correct — a criterion that weighs on a watch’s value.
Serial № between the lugs
Vintage: dating by serialWatches photographed at Heure Miroir — every piece we sell is opened, inspected and authenticated.
Rolex serial number letters: year by prefix (1987–2010)
From 1987 to around 2010, Rolex serial numbers began with a letter that identifies the production era. Find your prefix below — or simply enter the full number in the tool above. Before 1987, serials are numeric only (see the tool); after 2010, they are random.
| Serial letter | Approx. years |
|---|---|
| R | 1987–1988 |
| L | 1988–1990 |
| E | 1989–1991 |
| X | 1990–1991 |
| N | 1991–1992 |
| C | 1992–1993 |
| S | 1993–1994 |
| W | 1994–1995 |
| T | 1995–1996 |
| U | 1996–1997 |
| Serial letter | Approx. years |
|---|---|
| A | 1997–1998 |
| P | 1998–2000 |
| K | 1999–2001 |
| Y | 2000–2002 |
| F | 2001–2003 |
| D | 2002–2005 |
| Z | 2003–2006 |
| M | 2004–2007 |
| V | 2005–2008 |
| G | 2006–2010 |
Letters I, O and Q were never used (too close to digits). Ranges overlap because Rolex produced and stocked cases in batches.
Checking a Rolex serial number before you buy
Dating your watch also means verifying it. The year estimated by the tool must be consistent with the model’s known production window — cross-check with our reference decoder and the bracelet & clasp codes — and remember that a number engraved after 2010 is random: only Rolex can link it to a date.
They trust us
★★★★★“Very happy with my Cartier Santos, bought with box and papers. Jules shared the history of the model, and shipping was fast and secure.”
★★★★★“Perfect. Excellent exchange with the seller. Item exactly as described, parcel very well packed.”
Your PDF dating certificate — a Heure Miroir exclusive
Once your watch is dated, download your free dating certificate: an elegant A4 PDF with the estimated production year, your Rolex’s serial number and a historical anecdote from its birth year. Perfect alongside a for-sale listing, an insurance file, or simply to document your collection. No other online dating tool offers a downloadable certificate — free, no sign-up, generated instantly in your browser: your serial number never leaves your device. As soon as a year is displayed, the « Download the dating certificate (PDF) » button appears under the result.
Frequently asked questions
Why can’t my recent Rolex be dated?
Since 2010–2011, Rolex has used random 8-character serial numbers, precisely to prevent dating. Only the warranty card or a Rolex archive extract can link the number to a date.
Does the serial number prove authenticity?
No. A consistent number is a good sign, but counterfeits copy existing numbers. Only a full expert inspection (movement, engravings, finishing) authenticates a watch — that’s our craft at Heure Miroir.
The estimated date doesn’t match my papers — is that normal?
Yes, a 1–2 year gap is common: cases were produced and then stocked before being fitted and sold. The warranty date can therefore be later than the serial’s year.
What is my vintage Rolex worth?
The production year strongly influences market value. Have your Rolex valued free of charge within 24 h by our experts, with no obligation.
Jules Laluc-Ruisseaux, founder of Heure Miroir. Every watch that enters our stock is opened, inspected and authenticated — movement, engravings, finishing — before it is offered for sale. A serial number is a first clue; our job is everything that comes after.
Have your Rolex checked and valued — free, within 24 h →