For some, wearing a Rolex watch made in the same year that they were born is a special thing. Think of it as the horology equivalent of “This Year in History.” Treating oneself to (or buying a loved one) a birth year Rolex on a milestone birthday (such as turning 21, 30, 40, 50, etc.) – or as a graduation gift to celebrate their accomplishment can be a particularly meaningful present.
So, how exactly do you find a birth year Rolex? Since Rolex does not divulge official production numbers, it can be a little bit tricky; however, it’s certainly not impossible. Here are some of our favorite strategies to find the correct birth year Rolex.
Click here for our Ultimate Buying Guide on the best luxury watches to give as graduation gifts.
Step #1: Decide On What Model You Want for Your Birth Year Rolex
First things first, you have to decide which Rolex model you want. A classic Datejust? A lavish Rolex Day-Date President? A sporty Daytona chronograph? A Rolex Submariner or Sea-Dweller dive watch? A GMT-Master pilot watch? First decide on which specific model fits your personal taste, lifestyle, and budget best, and then you can continue hunting down that perfect birth year Rolex.
But remember, you first have to make sure that the Rolex model you have in mind was already in production by the year that you were born.
– Datejust: 1945
– Explorer: 1953
– Submariner: 1953
– GMT-Master: 1955
– Day-Date: 1956
– Milgauss: 1956
– Daytona (Manual): 1963
– Sea-Dweller: 1967
– Submariner Date: 1968
– Explorer II: 1971
– Oysterquartz: 1977
– GMT-Master II: 1983
– Daytona (Automatic): 1988
– Pearlmaster: 1992
– Yacht-Master: 1992
– Yacht-Master II: 2007
– Deepsea: 2008
– Sky-Dweller: 2012
Step #2: Research Rolex Reference Production Years
Now that you’ve decided on the specific Rolex model (and verified that it was in fact in production the year you were born), it’s time to figure out the correct Rolex reference number that corresponds to your birth year.
We can break down the reference number where the first digits indicate the approximate time frame of production and the last digits tell us the material and bezel style of the watch. For instance, the Datejust ref. 162xx family of watches made its debut in 1988 and the specific 16200 reference number tells us it’s a steel model with a smooth bezel.
Here are some quick reference tables to help you find your birth year Rolex.
Datejust
– Ref. 162xx = 1988 – 2005
– Ref. 160xx = 1977 – 1988
– Ref. 16xx = 1960 – 1977
– Ref. 66xx = 1955 – 1960
– Ref. 63xx/ Ref. 61xx/ Ref. 60xx/ Ref. 50xx/ Ref. 44xx = Pre 1955
Explorer & Explorer II
– Ref. 114270 = 2000 – 2010
– Ref. 16570 = 1989 – 2011
– Ref. 14270 = 1989 – 2000
– Ref. 16550 = 1985 – 1989
– Ref. 1016 = 1963 – 1989
– Ref. 1655 = 1971– 1985
– Ref. 6610 = 1956 – 1963
– Ref. 6150 = 1954 – 1959
– Ref. 6350 = 1953 – 1954
Submariner & Submariner Date
– Ref. 1661x = 1988 – 2010
– Ref. 14060/14060M = 1990 – 1998/1998 – 2012
– Ref. 168000 = 1988 – 1989
– Ref. 1680x = 1979 – 1988
– Ref. 1680/x = 1967 – 1979
– Ref. 5514 = 1972 – 1978
– Ref. 5513 = 1962 – 1989
– Ref. 5512 = 1959 – 1978
– Ref. 5510 = 1958 – 1959
– Ref. 5508 = 1958 – 1962
– Ref. 6536/1 = 1955 – 1959
– Ref. 6536 = 1955
– Ref. 6538 = 1954 – 1959
– Ref. 6200 = 1954
– Ref. 6205 = 1954 – 1955
– Ref. 6204 = 1953
GMT-Master & GMT-Master II
– Ref. 1671x = 1989 – 2007
– Ref. 16760 = 1983 – 1988
– Ref. 16700 = 1988 – 1999
– Ref. 1675x = 1981 – 1988
– Ref. 1675/x = 1959 – 1980
– Ref. 6542 = 1955 – 1959
Day-Date
– Ref. 118xxx = 2000 – 2019
– Ref. 182xx = 1988 – 2000
– Ref. 180xx = 1977 – 1988
– Ref. 18xx = 1959 – 1977
– Ref. 661x = 1957 – 1959
– Ref. 651x = 1956 – 1957
Milgauss
– Ref. 1019 = 1960 – 1988
– Ref. 6541 = 1956 – 1960
– Ref. 6543 (prototype) = 1954 – 1956
Cosmograph Daytona
– Ref. 11652x = 2000 – present
– Ref. 1652x = 1988 – 2000
– Ref. 6265 = 1971 – 1988
– Ref. 6263 = 1971 – 1988
– Ref. 6264 = 1969 – 1972
– Ref. 6262 = 1969 – 1970
– Ref. 6240 = 1965 – 1969
– Ref. 6241 = 1965 – 1969
– Ref. 6239 = 1963 – 1969
Sea-Dweller
– Ref. 16600 = 1989 – 2009
– Ref. 16660 = 1978 – 1989
– Ref. 1665 “Great White” = 1977 – 1983
– Ref. 1665 “Double Red” = 1967 – 1977
Oysterquartz
– Ref. 190xx (Day-Date) = 1977 – 2003
– Ref. 170xx (Datejust) = 1977 – 2003
Yacht-Master
– Ref. 16622 = 1999 – 2012
– Ref. 16628 = 1999 – 2012
Step #3: Look Into Rolex Serial Numbers To Zero In On Specific Production Year
Once you’ve decided on which Rolex model reference family you’d like to get, you’ll have to dig deep into serial numbers to figure the exact year of production. Again, because Rolex does not publish manufacture numbers and/or serial numbers, comparing serial numbers with crowd-sourced production date charts is not an exact science by any means.
However, we do have a handy Rolex Serial Number Lookup Tool here at Bob’s Watches that can help you in your search. In case you forgot, (prior to the mid-2000s) serial numbers on Rolex watches can be found between the lugs on the 6 o’clock side of the case.
Lastly, it’s important to note that starting around 2010/2011, Rolex began using random serial numbers so it’s impossible to date those ones to an exact year. But since we’re assuming you’re older than nine years old, this shouldn’t impact your search for the perfect birth year Rolex!
