Real or fake Rolex? Serial number, year of manufacture and the tell-tale signs

Where the serial and reference numbers are

A Rolex has two numbers. The reference number tells you which model it is; the serial number is unique to that one watch. On older Rolex watches both are found between the lugs, under the bracelet: the reference at 12 o’clock, the serial number at 6 o’clock. Reading them means removing the bracelet, which is best left to a watchmaker.

Since the mid-2000s the serial number has also been engraved on the inner ring around the dial, at 6 o’clock, among the repeated word ROLEX. You can read it with a loupe without taking anything apart.

Working out the year from the serial number

Until the late 1980s serial numbers simply ran upwards, and the year can be roughly deduced from the figure. After that a letter was added at the front, standing for a period. Since around 2010 Rolex has issued random serial numbers that no longer reveal the year.

Rolex itself offers no public serial number lookup. The tables online have been compiled by dealers and collectors and give an estimate. With a modern watch the warranty card with the date of sale is the most reliable source.

What the reference number means

The reference number tells you more than the model. The first digits stand for the model family and the generation, the last digit usually for the material: 0 for steel, 3 for steel and yellow gold, 8 for yellow gold, 9 for white gold and 6 for platinum. Letters after it often refer to the bezel, such as LN for a black ceramic bezel.

If what you see does not match the reference – a steel case with a reference that points to gold, say, or a dial that was never made in that version – something is wrong. That may be a fake, but it may also be a watch with replaced parts. Both lower the value.

Signs you can check yourself

• The seconds hand – an automatic Rolex moves in small, smooth steps; a hand that ticks once a second points to a quartz movement, which a modern Rolex does not have
• The date magnifier – the Cyclops lens over the date clearly enlarges it, and the date sits exactly in the centre
• The dial – lettering sharp and evenly printed, indices straight and free of glue residue
• The crown in the crystal – on modern models a tiny crown is etched into the sapphire crystal at 6 o’clock, visible only under raking light
• The caseback – almost all Rolex watches have a solid steel caseback; a glass back showing the movement is usually wrong
• Weight and bracelet – a genuine Rolex feels heavy and solid, and the clasp closes tightly and is neatly stamped

Why certainty only comes at the table

Today’s good fakes pass many of the checks above. They have an automatic movement, an engraved inner ring and a reasonable weight. What they almost never get right is the inside: the movement, the finishing of bridges and screws, the engravings and the numbers on the parts.

That is why our watchmaker Aaron in Eindhoven opens the case of every Rolex. He compares the calibre with what belongs to the reference and checks whether parts have been replaced. Only then do you know for sure. You watch along, and the check is free, even if you then decide not to sell.

If you want to know what your Rolex is doing in the trade, our page on selling a Rolex explains what the offer is based on.