Rolex: Serial Numbers and Country Codes

The coveted timepiece with the five-pointed emblem will undoubtedly make the hearts of watch lovers beat faster. It not only impresses with its timeless elegance and functionality, but also with its engraved history, in which collectors will recognize a real treasure trove. Because if you look more closely, you can read much more from your favorite piece than just the time. The watch tells a lot, you just have to know how to interpret its codes and abbreviations. Engraved serial numbers and country codes provide information about the age and origin of the watch - and make your Rolex even more distinctive.

The personal fingerprint of every Rolex

Rolex serial numbers are shrouded in mystery. They not only give each watch an individual name, but also tell connoisseurs which year the valuable piece was produced. For many, the guarantee certificate, the "identity card" of every Rolex, is almost as important as the watch itself. Among other things, it provides information about the origin - or more precisely, where the famous watch with the crown was first delivered. Fascinating for collectors from the very beginning, Rolex itself has never published an official list of the numbers in question. We owe our knowledge of the approximate chronological classification to the unbroken passion of collectors and experts from all over the world who have compiled their knowledge and whose information is generally considered to be correct.

This reveals the serial number

At first glance, the system of numbering seems like a jungle of numbers, as the serial numbers became longer and longer as production numbers grew. Rolex solved this problem in an unconventionally pragmatic way. Rolex serial numbers began in 1927, and over 20,000 models were produced that year. By 1954, the number had already reached one million, after which the numbering was reset to 100,000 and started again. An interesting decision - today, two watches from different years can have the same number. When the ten million mark was broken in 1987, letters were used in combination with a serial number. For watches manufactured up to 2010, you can use simple detective work to find out roughly which year your favorite piece belongs to. A quick comparison with the following list is enough:

*The current serial numbers are encrypted and can only be assigned to the production date by Rolex itself.

What is inside is written on the outside

Where can you find this number? On older models, you can read the serial number of your timepiece on the outside of the case between the lugs. So you don't have to open the watch to determine its age. In addition, up until the 1960s and 1970s, Many models also have the production year and quarter on the inside of the case back. “II 62”, for example, for the 2nd quarter of 1962. From 2007, Rolex has made it easier for the wearer to see the number: Since the introduction of the GMT Master II 116710LN, It is engraved "at 6 o'clock" on the inside of the case edge ring (rehaut) that surrounds the dial. This means that one glance at the watch is enough to be able to read the serial number straight away.

A Rolex knows no age

Timeless - classic and yet modern, that's how we know the Rolex models. Since 2010, the manufacturer has also erased the last traces of possible age determination. Serial numbers are now encrypted in a random 8-digit combination of letters and numbers. The wearer can no longer see how many times the case has actually turned around the sun. But is age even important in view of this timeless elegance? Only subtle differences can be found between individual productions, for example on the dial, a game of clue-finding for connoisseurs. Of course, the Rolex has not lost one iota of quality and importance as a result of the new numbering system.

Country codes: highly sought-after abbreviations

Until recently, Rolex owners held the guarantee certificate of their five-pointed watch to be very sacred – mainly because of the country code (LC) it was marked with. Only a few watch manufacturers use this marking. The country code indicates the country in which the watch was first delivered, more precisely which distribution it was intended for and where it was sent after production in Switzerland. Consequently, one and the same country can have several LCs. Switzerland, for example, has 23 different ones, while the USA is the only country without a code. However, one particular country code is still particularly sought after by Rolex collectors: LC 100. It stands for Germany and enjoys a high status in the Rolex universe. Watches with LC 100 also come with all papers, booklets and instructions in German – which of course makes an informative discussion much more pleasant. Otherwise, watches with different country codes are of course identical – the LC can only become an issue at customs. However, with proper declaration and customs clearance, this is not a problem.

Here is a list of the country codes:

Main thing is Swiss

In the newer electronic guarantee cards, the country code had to be moved from the front to the back, where it has been since 2015. Rolex recently abolished the LCs altogether. Has this put an end to the hype surrounding the "LC 100"? One can only guess. The watches are all manufactured in beautiful Switzerland anyway. The cryptology of the earlier guarantee certificates with their numerous numbers and stamps has also had to give way to simplicity and technological advancement in the newer cards. But despite all the changes, one thing remains certain: the timelessness and beauty of a high-quality watch from Rolex remains.