Reference Numbers
Decoding the reference number: every Rolex carries a 4-6 digit reference number, engraved between the lugs at 12 o'clock. To the trained eye, it tells the full story of the watch: model family, bezel configuration, and case material. Take reference 16234: broken into 162 | 3 | 4, the first segment identifies it as a Datejust, the second confirms a fluted bezel, and the third places it in stainless steel with an 18k white gold accent.
| Rolex Type | |
|---|---|
| Submariner (No Date) | 55 & 140 |
| Submariner | 16, 166 & 168 |
| Sea-Dweller | 16 & 166 |
| GMT-Master | 16, 65, 167 |
| GMT-Master II | 167, 1167 |
| Day-Date (President) | 65, 66, 18, 180, 182 & 183 |
| Datejust | 16 & 162 |
| Daytona Manual Wind | 62 |
| Daytona Cosmograph | 165, 1165 |
| Explorer II | 165 |
| Oyster Perpetual | 10, 140, 142 |
| Air-King | 55 & 140 |
| Date | 15 & 150 |
| Oysterquartz Datejust | 170 |
| Oysterquartz Day-Date | 190 |
| Yacht-Master | 166, 686 & 696 |
| Midsize Oyster Perpetual Datejust | 68, 682 |
| Ladies Oyster Perpetual | 67, 671, 672 |
| Ladies Date | 65, 69, 691 & 692 |
| Ladies Datejust | 65, 69, 691 & 692 |
| Material | |
|---|---|
| Stainless | 0 |
| Yellow Gold Filled | 1 |
| White Gold Filled | 2 |
| Stainless & Yellow Gold | 3 |
| Stainless w/ 18k White Gold | 4 |
| Gold Shell | 5 |
| Platinum | 6 |
| 14k Yellow Gold | 7 |
| 18k Yellow Gold | 8 |
| Bezel | |
|---|---|
| Polished | 0 |
| Engine Turned | 1 |
| Bark Finish | 2 |
| Fluted | 3 |
| Hand-Crafted | 4 |
| Pyramid | 5 |
| Rotating Bezel | 6 |
Clasp Codes
Inside every Rolex clasp hinge sits a small but telling stamp. One or two letters followed by a number: the letter denotes the year of manufacture, and the number denotes the month. A clasp stamped G4, for example, was produced in April 1982. Service replacement bracelets carry an additional "S" alongside the year code.
| Bracelet Code | Year |
|---|---|
| A or VA | 1976 |
| B or VB | 1977 |
| C or VC | 1978 |
| D or VD | 1979 |
| E or VE | 1980 |
| F or VF | 1981 |
| G | 1982 |
| H | 1983 |
| I | 1984 |
| J | 1985 |
| K | 1986 |
| L | 1987 |
| M | 1988 |
| N | 1989 |
| O | 1990 |
| P | 1991 |
| Q | 1992 |
| R | 1993 |
| S | 1994 |
| T or W | 1995 |
| V | 1996 |
| Z | 1997 |
| U | 1998 |
| X | 1999 |
| AB | 2000 |
| DE | 2001 |
| DT | 2002 |
| AD | 2003 |
| CL | 2004 |
| MA | 2005 |
| OP | 2006 |
| EO | 2007 |
| PJ | 2008 |
| LT | 2009 |
| RS | 2010 |
| Random | 2010+ |
Country Codes
Rolex Guarantee Certificates issued outside the United States carry a three-digit country code in the upper left corner. This detail confirms where a watch was originally sold. Watches destined for the American market bear no country code, nor do most examples produced before 1980.
| Code | Country |
|---|---|
| 010 | Switzerland |
| 012 | Switzerland |
| 013 | Switzerland |
| 014 | Switzerland |
| 015 | Switzerland |
| 021 | Switzerland |
| 025 | Switzerland |
| 026 | Switzerland |
| 033 | Switzerland |
| 045 | Switzerland |
| 100 | Germany |
| 110 | France |
| 113 | France |
| 120 | Austria |
| 121 | Austria |
| 123 | Austria |
| 126 | Austria |
| 128 | Austria |
| 130 | Belgium / Luxembourg |
| 133 | Netherlands |
| 134 | Netherlands |
| 135 | Netherlands |
| 137 | Netherlands |
| 138 | Netherlands |
| 150 | Spain |
| 160 | England |
| 170 | Italy |
| 200 | Greece |
| 201 | Malta |
| 202 | Turkey |
| 208 | Greece |
| 213 | Portugal |
| 217 | Portugal |
| 226 | Denmark |
| 228 | Denmark |
| 233 | Denmark |
| 237 | Iceland |
| 265 | Sweden |
| 267 | Sweden |
| 270 | Sweden |
| 271 | Sweden |
| 283 | Finland |
| 321 | Czech Republic |
| 400 | Hong Kong |
| Code | Country |
|---|---|
| 413 | Korea |
| 430 | Singapore / Brunei |
| 431 | Malaysia |
| 440 | Taiwan |
| 500 | India |
| 505 | Pakistan |
| 527 | Middle East |
| 532 | Saudi Arabia |
| 536 | Abu Dhabi |
| 537 | Dubai |
| 538 | Oman |
| 542 | Iran |
| 548 | Israel |
| 680 | South Africa |
| 700 | Canada |
| 710 | USA |
| 720 | Mexico |
| 741 | Bahamas |
| 742 | Bermuda |
| 752 | Jamaica |
| 758 | Virgin Islands |
| 761 | Netherlands Antilles |
| Code | Country |
|---|---|
| 762 | Aruba |
| 765 | Antigua |
| 766 | Saint Martin |
| 767 | Grand Cayman |
| 768 | Panama |
| 770 | Venezuela |
| 780 | Brazil |
| 781 | Chile |
| 783 | Peru |
| 790 | Argentina |
| 810 | Australia |
| 818 | Philippines |
| 828 | China |
| 842 | New Zealand |
| 871 | Hawaii |
| 872 | Alaska |
| 873 | Guam |
| 888 | Hong Kong |
| 900 | Japan |
| 906 | NATO Exchange, German NATO Air Base |








