• Watch Serial Number Lookup

Watch Serial Number Lookup

Another resource is the Pocket Watch Database, an ever-growing online listing of movement grades and serial numbers to aid in pocket watch identification.

One of the many special aspects of a Rolex watch is the unique, five to eight-digit serial number on each timepiece. Performing a Rolex serial number lookup makes it easy to discover Rolex watch values, as you can determine the exact production date. Many older Rolex serial numbers are inscribed by a machine on the side of the watch between the lugs at “6 o’ clock.” The bracelet must be detached at the “6” side of the case to view the serial number. In 2005 the brand began engraving serial numbers on the inner watch rims for aesthetic reasons. This inner rim is referred to as the “rehaut.” In 2010, Rolex began engraving its pieces using randomized, arbitrary, unique identifying numbers rather than following a sequential numbering system. So while it had been relatively easy to determine a watch’s age or production year using a concrete database, serial number randomization has resulted in a more challenging lookup process.