The Numbers
The Rehaut
On watches made in 2005 and after Rolex started putting the Ref. and Serial Number on the inside of the bezel, known as the “rehaut” which means flange in French. This made it much easier to see them without having to remove the band, as originally they were engrave on the case behind where the end links of the bracelet meet the case. Originally engraved, it is now laser etched. Fake Rolexes have trouble doing this and the text is often misaligned and not neatly.
Serial Number
Before 2011 you could determine the date range from the serial number as they were keyed to the numbers in sequence from 1025–1987, and then in 1987 the serial number was preceded by a letter which denoted the year (or range) of production. However, in 2010, to delink the year from the serial number, Rolex started randomizing the serial numbers. Thus, the rather than year of manufacture, Rolex wanted the resale market to depend on model per the Ref. Number. This table, compiled at SwissWatchExpo.com, shows serial numbers according to production year:
| PRODUCTION YEAR | SERIAL NUMBER |
| 2010-Present | Random/Mixed |
| 2009-2010 | G000,001 |
| 2008-2009 | V000,001 |
| 2007-2009 | M000,001 |
| 2006-2008 | Z000,001 |
| 2005-2006 | D000,001 |
| 2004-2005 | F000,001 |
| 2002-2004 | Y000,001 |
| 2001-2003 | K000,001 |
| 2000-2001 | P000,004 |
| 1998-2000 | A000,002 |
| 1997-1998 | U000,001 |
| 1996-1998 | T000,001 |
| 1995-1998 | W000,001 |
| 1993 3/4 | S000,001 |
| 1992 1/4 | C000,001 |
| 1991 3/4 | N000,001 |
| 1991 1/2 | X000,001 |
| 1991 1/4 | E999,999 |
| 1990 1/2 | E000,001 |
| 1990 | L999,999 |
| 1989 | L000,001 |
| 1988 | R999,999 |
| 1987 1/2 | R000,001 |
| 1987 1/2 | 9,999,999 |
| 1987 | 9,760,000 |
| 1986 | 9,300,000 |
| 1985 | 8,814,000 |
| 1984 | 8,338,000 |
| 1983 | 7,860,000 |
| 1982 | 7,366,000 |
| 1981 | 6,910,000 |
| 1980 | 6,430,000 |
| 1979 | 5,959,000 |
| 1978 | 5,481,000 |
| 1977 | 5,005,000 |
| 1976 | 4,535,000 |
| 1975 | 4,265,000 |
| 1974 | 4,000,000 |
| 1973 | 3,741,000 |
| 1972 | 3,478,000 |
| 1971 | 3,215,000 |
| 1970 | 2,952,000 |
| 1969 | 2,689,000 |
| 1968 | 2,426,000 |
| 1967 | 2,164,000 |
| 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 |
| 1957 | 1,167,000 |
| 1956 | 1,095,000 |
| 1955 | 1,010,000 |
| 1954 | 935,000 |
| 1953 | 869,000 |
| 1952 | 804,000 |
| 1951 | 735,000 |
| 1950 | 672,000 |
| 1949 | 608,000 |
| 1948 | 543,000 |
| 1947 | 478,000 |
| 1946 | 413,000 |
| 1945 | 348,000 |
| 1944 | 284,000 |
| 1943 | 253,000 |
| 1942 | 224,000 |
| 1941 | 194,000 |
| 1940 | 165,000 |
| 1939 | 136,000 |
| 1938 | 118,000 |
| 1937 | 98,000 |
| 1936 | 82,000 |
| 1935 | 62,000 |
| 1934 | 55,000 |
| 1933 | 49,000 |
| 1932 | 43,000 |
| 1931 | 40,000 |
| 1930 | 38,000 |
| 1929 | 35,000 |
| 1928 | 33,000 |
| 1927 | 30,000 |
| 1926 | 28,000 |
| 1925 | 25,000 |
Reference Number
All Rolex watches are referred to by their Reference number, which helps distinguish the many models and styles. This is engraved on the 12:00 end of the case, behind the bracelet attachment, while each watches serial number engraved on the other side (6:00) of the case. Here’s a good Rolex Reference Guide to the The Ref. Number. The first several digits will differentiate the model. Pre-1980 the models will be the first four digits; from the 1980s through 1999 it will have 5 digits. On these models the first three digits tell you the model For Rolexes ≥2000 there will be six digits, with a the first digit being “1.” Addition prefix digits may come in future. In these watches, the fifth digit tells you the original bezel type and the 6th digit refers to the original bracelet type.
I find it useful when shopping for watches to pay attention to the last digit of the Ref. Number which denotes the material. Pictures often are not clear, and you can’t distinguish white gold from platinum from stainless steel. Here’s a Table, again, compiled by SwissWatchExpo.com:
| MATERIAL | REFERENCE NUMBER |
| 0 | Stainless Steel |
| 1 | Everose Rolesor (Stainless Steel and Everose Gold) |
| 2 | Rolesium (Stainless steel and Platinum) |
| 3 | Yellow Rolesor (Stainless Steel and 18k Yellow gold) |
| 4 | White Rolesor (Stainless Steel and 18k White gold) |
| 5 | Everose |
| 6 | Platinum |
| 8 | 18k Yellow gold |
| 9 | 18k White gold |
