What Do The Numbers Mean...
Rolex model numbers currently are either four or five digits. The first two or three describes the type of watch. The second from the last describes (some exceptions) the type of bezel and the last describes the material that the watch is made from.

Type of Watch...

Oyster Perpetual - 10 & 140

Oyster Perpetual Chronometer -142

Oyster Perp Date - 15 & 150

Thunderbird Bezel DJ - 16 & 162

Daytona Cosmograph - 165

Sea Dweller - 16 & 166

Submariner OP - 55 & 140 & 6538

Oyster quartz Datejust - 170

Oyster PD (Older) - 65 & 66

Yacht Master - 166, 686 & 696

Lady Oyster Perpetual - 67 & 671

Lady OP Datejust - 65, 69, 691 & 692
Airking - 55 & 140
Oyster Perp Date Chronometer - 15 & 150
Oyster Perp Datejust - 16 & 160
Daytona Manual Wind - 62
Explorer - 165
Submariner - 16, 166 & 168
GMT Master - 167
Oyster PD - 18,180, 182 & 183
Oyster Quartz Date - 190
Midsize Oyster Perp DJ - 682
Lady OP Date - 65, 69, 691 & 692

Type of Bezel...

0 Polished

3 Fluted

5 Pyramid

1 Finely Engine Turned

4 Hand-Crafted

6 Rotating Bezel

2 Engine Turned

    

Type of Material...

0 Stainless

4 Stainless/White Gold

7 14k Yellow Gold

1 Yellow Gold Filled

5 Gold Shell

8 18k Yellow Gold

2 White Gold Filled

6 Platinum

9 18k White Gold

3 Stainless & Yellow Gold

    

Production Dates By Serial Number...

28,000- 1926

413,200 -1946

 1,792,000 -1965 8,338,000- 1984

30,430- 1927

 478,300- 1947 1,871,000- 1966 8,814,000- 1985
32,960 -1928 543,400- 1948 2,163,900 -1967 9,290,000 -1986
35,390 -1929 608,500- 1949 2,426,800- 1968 9,766,000- 1987
37,820 -1930 673,600- 1950 2,689,700- 1969 9,999,999- 1987 ½
40,250 -1931 738,700- 1951 2,952,600- 1970 R000,000 -1987 ½
42,680 -1932

803,800- 1952

3,215,500- 1971

 L000,001- 1989
45,000 -1934 950,000- 1953 3,478,400- 1972

E000,001- 1990 ½
63,000 -1935 999,999- 1954 3,741,300- 1973 X000,001- 1991 ¾
81,000 -1936 200,000- 1955 4,004,200- 1974 N000,001- 1991 ¾
99,000 -1937 400,000- 1956 4,267,100- 1975 C000,001 -1992 ¼
117,000- 1938 600,000- 1957 4,539,000- 1976 S000,001- 1993 ¾
135,000 -1939 800,000- 1958 5,006,000- 1977 W000,001 -1995
164,600 -1940 1,100,000- 1959 5,482,000- 1978 T000,001- 1995 ½
194,200 -1941 1,402,000- 1960 5,482,000- 1979 U000,001- 1997 ½
223,800 -1942

1,480,000- 1961

 5,958,000- 1980 A000,001- 1999
253,400 -1943 1,558,000- 1962 6,910,000- 1981 P000,001   2000 ½
283,000 -1944

1,636,000 -1963

 7,386,000- 1982  
348,100- 1945 1,714,000 -1964 7,862,000- 1983  
       

 

In early 1999, Rolex began using the A prefix...A000,001

* When Rolex reached the 999,999 production serial in the early 1950's...they restarted the production serial at 100,000 rather than begin a 7 digit number at 1,000,000. During this period Rolex was also putting the date code on the inside of the case backs...so confusing production serials can sometimes have their production date determined. Look for the Roman number I, II, III or IV for the quarter & two arabic digits for the year.

In the late 1950's, Rolex again reached the 999,999 production serial & they started their 7 digit numeric numbering system at 1,000,000 for production serials, this continued until the 1990's until production serials reached 9,999,999.

Rather than begin an 8 digit production serial, Rolex instead began their serials with a letter prefix such as R, then L, E & X. (ROLEX without the O) N, C, & S came out during the early to mid 1990's, W, T & U a little later. The latest letter prefixes are all running concurrently...as Rolex wishes! Only Rolex knows the exact date that any watch was actually produced.

There are no serial number charts that we know of for TUDOR watches, the Rolex chart DOES NOT APPLY TO TUDOR SERIAL NUMBERS.