Rolex Know-How
Rolex Reference Numbers
The reference number tells you which model you have. Here are the most important numbers for every model line, plus the material codes.
Where's the reference number?
Every Rolex model carries a reference number that identifies it exactly. It's engraved into the case between the lugs at 12 o'clock, and you have to take the bracelet off to read it. It's also on the warranty card. On a new watch you'll also find it on a green or clear sticker on the case back, and sometimes on a small sticker on the outer box.
The last digit tells you the material
For references with five or more digits, the last digit tells you the material. On the four-digit references Rolex added one more digit after a slash, for example 5513/0 for a steel Submariner. The same code applies to bracelet reference numbers.
| Ziffer | Material |
|---|---|
| 0 | Steel |
| 1 | Solid yellow gold |
| 2 | Solid white gold, or steel with platinum |
| 3 | Steel and yellow gold |
| 4 | Steel and white gold |
| 5 | Gold plated, or 18k rose gold |
| 6 | Platinum |
| 7 | 14k yellow gold |
| 8 | 18k yellow gold |
| 9 | 18k white gold |
The letters after the number
The letters after a number, on the GMT-Master II for example, usually describe the bezel and sometimes the crystal. In other words, they're a bezel or color code.
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| LN | Lunette Noire: black bezel, for example Submariner Date or Daytona |
| LV | Lunette Verte: green bezel, for example Submariner "Kermit" or "Starbucks" |
| LB | Lunette Bleue: blue bezel, for example on certain gold Submariner models |
| BLRO | Bleu/Rouge: blue and red bezel, for example GMT-Master II "Pepsi" |
| BLNR | Bleu/Noir: blue and black bezel, for example GMT-Master II "Batman" or "Batgirl" |
| CHNR | Chocolat/Noir: brown and black bezel, for example GMT-Master II "Root Beer" |
| VTNR | Vert/Noir: green and black bezel, for example GMT-Master II "Sprite" (a lefty model) |
| GRNR | Gris/Noir: gray and black Cerachrom ceramic bezel of the GMT-Master II |
| RBR | Rillé Brillants: diamond-set bezel |
| SARU | Saphirs Rubis: bezel with sapphires, rubies and baguette-cut diamonds |
| SA | Saphirs: bezel with sapphires and baguette-cut diamonds |
| SANR | Saphirs Noirs: bezel with black sapphires and baguette-cut diamonds |
| SACO | Saphirs Cognac: bezel with cognac-colored sapphires, for example on the Daytona "Leopard" with 36 baguette-cut sapphires |
| SABLV | Saphirs Bleu Vert: bezel with blue and green sapphires, for example on the Pearlmaster 86348SABLV |
| RBOW | Rainbow: bezel with sapphires in graded rainbow colors, for example on special Daytona versions |
| GV | Glace Verte: green sapphire crystal, for example on the Milgauss |
Reference numbers by model line
The list is updated regularly. If a number is missing or something looks wrong, I'd be glad to hear about it. As of October 2026
19083 numbers↑ Model lines
- 52506
- 52508
- 52509
Air-King18 numbers↑ Model lines
- 4365
- 4925
- 5500
- 5501
- 5506
- 5520
- 6500
- 6552
- 7784
- 14000
- 14000M
- 14010
- 14010M
- 114200
- 114210
- 114234
- 116900
- 126900
Air-King-Date2 numbers↑ Model lines
- 5700
- 5701
Bubble Back68 numbers↑ Model lines
- 1858
- 2704
- 2725
- 2760
- 2764
- 2768
- 2940
- 3042
- 3064
- 3065
- 3130
- 3131
- 3133
- 3134
- 3135
- 3159
- 3353
- 3372
- 3458
- 3496
- 3536
- 3548
- 3595
- 3599
- 3696
- 3716
- 3772
- 3794
- 4362
- 4392
- 4467
- 4643
- 4777
- 4846
- 4857
- 4961
- 4984
- 5006
- 5009
- 5010
- 5011
- 5015
- 5018
- 5028
- 5029
- 5050
- 5054
- 5055
- 5084
- 5284
- 6011
- 6015
- 6022
- 6029
- 6050
- 6075
- 6084
- 6085
- 6092
- 6098
- 6102
- 6105
- 6106
- 6108
- 6206
- 6298
- 6334
- 6352
Datejust56 numbers↑ Model lines
- 1600
- 1601
- 1603
- 1607
- 1625
- 1630
- 6305
- 6518
- 6604
- 6605
- 6827
- 16013
- 16014
- 16018
- 16030
- 16078
- 16200
- 16203
- 16220
- 16233
- 16234
- 16238
- 16248
- 16258
- 16263
- 16364
- 116135
- 116138
- 116139
- 116185
- 116188
- 116189
- 116199
- 116200
- 116201
- 116203
- 116208
- 116231
- 116233
- 116234
- 116238
- 116243
- 116244
- 116261
- 116263
- 116264
- 116285
- 126200
- 126201
- 126203
- 126231
- 126233
- 126234
- 126281
- 126283
- 126284
Datejust 39 mm Pearlmaster6 numbers↑ Model lines
- 86285
- 86289
- 86348
- 86349
- 86405
- 86409
Datejust II3 numbers↑ Model lines
- 116300
- 116333
- 116334
Datejust 416 numbers↑ Model lines
- 126300
- 126301
- 126303
- 126331
- 126333
- 126334
Datejust Medium81 numbers↑ Model lines
- 6824
- 6827
- 68158
- 68159
- 68238
- 68240
- 68243
- 68246
- 68248
- 68258
- 68266
- 68268
- 68273
- 68274
- 68278
- 68279
- 68286
- 68288
- 68289
- 77014
- 77080
- 77438
- 77518
- 78240
- 78243
- 78246
- 78248
- 78266
- 78273
- 78274
- 78278
- 78279
- 78286
- 78288
- 81158
- 81159
- 81208
- 81209
- 81285
- 81298
- 81299
- 81308
- 81318
- 81319
- 81338
- 81339
- 81348
- 81349
- 178158
- 178159
- 178238
- 178239
- 178240
- 178241
- 178243
- 178245
- 178246
- 178248
- 178269
- 178271
- 178274
- 178275
- 178278
- 178279
- 178286
- 178288
- 178313
- 178341
- 178343
- 178344
- 178383
- 178384
- 278240
- 278241
- 278245
- 278274
- 278285
- 278288
- 278289
- 278344
- 278384
Day-Date86 numbers↑ Model lines
- 1802
- 1803
- 1804
- 1806
- 1807
- 1808
- 1809
- 1810
- 1811
- 1812
- 1813
- 1814
- 1815
- 1831
- 6511
- 6611
- 18018
- 18026
- 18028
- 18029
- 18038
- 18039
- 18046
- 18048
- 18049
- 18078
- 18079
- 18108
- 18129
- 18138
- 18148
- 18206
- 18208
- 18238
- 18239
- 18248
- 18249
- 18296
- 18308
- 18338
- 18346
- 18348
- 18349
- 18366
- 18368
- 18378
- 18388
- 18389
- 18946
- 18948
- 18956
- 18958
- 118135
- 118138
- 118139
- 118205
- 118206
- 118208
- 118209
- 118235
- 118238
- 118239
- 118296
- 118338
- 118339
- 118346
- 118348
- 118366
- 118388
- 118389
- 118395
- 118398
- 118399
- 128145
- 128148
- 128149
- 128235
- 128236
- 128238
- 128239
- 128345
- 128348
- 128349
- 128396
- 128398
- 128399
Day-Date II10 numbers↑ Model lines
- 216396
- 218206
- 218235
- 218238
- 218239
- 218345
- 218348
- 218349
- 218398
- 218399
Day-Date 4011 numbers↑ Model lines
- 228206
- 228235
- 228236
- 228238
- 228239
- 228245
- 228345
- 228348
- 228349
- 228396
- 228398
Daytona49 numbers↑ Model lines
- 6239
- 6240
- 6241
- 6262
- 6263
- 6264
- 6265
- 16518
- 16519
- 16520
- 16523
- 16528
- 16568
- 116500
- 116503
- 116505
- 116506
- 116509
- 116515
- 116518
- 116519
- 116520
- 116523
- 116528
- 116568
- 116576
- 116589
- 116595
- 116598
- 116599
- 126500
- 126502
- 126503
- 126505
- 126506
- 126508
- 126509
- 126515
- 126518
- 126519
- 126528
- 126529
- 126535
- 126538
- 126539
- 126579
- 126589
- 126595
- 126598
Explorer17 numbers↑ Model lines
- 1016
- 1038
- 5500
- 5501
- 5504
- 6098
- 6150
- 6298
- 6305
- 6350
- 6610
- 14270
- 114270
- 124270
- 124273
- 214270
- 224270
Explorer II5 numbers↑ Model lines
- 1655
- 16550
- 16570
- 216570
- 226570
GMT-Master7 numbers↑ Model lines
- 1675
- 6542
- 16700
- 16713
- 16750
- 16753
- 16758
GMT-Master II20 numbers↑ Model lines
- 16710
- 16713
- 16718
- 16760
- 116710
- 116713
- 116718
- 116719
- 116758
- 116759
- 126710
- 126711
- 126713
- 126715
- 126718
- 126719
- 126720
- 126729
- 126755
- 126759
Land-Dweller10 numbers↑ Model lines
- 127234
- 127235
- 127236
- 127285
- 127286
- 127334
- 127335
- 127336
- 127385
- 127386
Milgauss3 numbers↑ Model lines
- 1019
- 6541
- 116400
Oyster Perpetual71 numbers↑ Model lines
- 1002
- 1004
- 1005
- 1006
- 1007
- 1008
- 1010
- 1014
- 1018
- 1023
- 1024
- 1025
- 1030
- 1038
- 1500
- 1501
- 1565
- 5500
- 6085
- 6103
- 6177
- 6202
- 6284
- 6518
- 6532
- 6546
- 6548
- 6549
- 6551
- 6552
- 6556
- 6564
- 6565
- 6567
- 6569
- 6580
- 6582
- 6584
- 6590
- 6605
- 6623
- 6634
- 14203
- 14203M
- 14208
- 14208M
- 14233
- 14238
- 65718
- 114300
- 116000
- 116034
- 124200
- 124205
- 124208
- 124245
- 124248
- 124300
- 126000
- 126003
- 134300
- 134303
- 177200
- 177210
- 177234
- 276200
- 276205
- 276208
- 276245
- 276248
- 277200
Oyster Perpetual Date30 numbers↑ Model lines
- 1500
- 1501
- 1503
- 1505
- 1530
- 1550
- 1560
- 1603
- 1625
- 5075
- 6075
- 6335
- 6518
- 6534
- 6605
- 6627
- 15000
- 15010
- 15037
- 15038
- 15053
- 15200
- 15203
- 15210
- 15223
- 15238
- 15505
- 115200
- 115210
- 115234
Oyster Perpetual Lady27 numbers↑ Model lines
- 6718
- 6719
- 6723
- 6724
- 67180
- 67183
- 67188
- 67193
- 67194
- 67197
- 67198
- 67230
- 67233
- 67243
- 76030
- 76080
- 76094
- 76180
- 76183
- 76188
- 76193
- 76198
- 76243
- 77518
- 176200
- 176210
- 176234
Oyster Perpetual Lady Date14 numbers↑ Model lines
- 6516
- 6517
- 6519
- 6916
- 6917
- 6919
- 69160
- 69163
- 69173
- 69190
- 69240
- 79160
- 79190
- 79240
Oyster Perpetual Lady Datejust116 numbers↑ Model lines
- 6916
- 6917
- 6927
- 68188
- 69068
- 69069
- 69078
- 69079
- 69088
- 69089
- 69126
- 69128
- 69136
- 69138
- 69139
- 69158
- 69159
- 69163
- 69166
- 69168
- 69173
- 69174
- 69178
- 69179
- 69198
- 69238
- 69258
- 69268
- 69278
- 69279
- 69288
- 69298
- 69299
- 69308
- 69318
- 69359
- 79068
- 79078
- 79079
- 79088
- 79089
- 79126
- 79136
- 79138
- 79158
- 79159
- 79163
- 79166
- 79168
- 79173
- 79174
- 79178
- 79179
- 79238
- 79288
- 80285
- 80298
- 80299
- 80309
- 80315
- 80318
- 80319
- 80328
- 80329
- 80359
- 179136
- 179138
- 179158
- 179159
- 179160
- 179161
- 179165
- 179166
- 179168
- 179171
- 179173
- 179175
- 179178
- 179179
- 179239
- 179298
- 179313
- 179368
- 179459
- 278243
- 278271
- 278273
- 278275
- 278278
- 278285
- 278288
- 278289
- 278341
- 278343
- 278381
- 278383
- 279135
- 279136
- 279138
- 279139
- 279160
- 279161
- 279163
- 279165
- 279166
- 279171
- 279173
- 279174
- 279175
- 279178
- 279381
- 279383
- 279384
- 279458
- 279459
- 279549
Oysterquartz Datejust3 numbers↑ Model lines
- 17000
- 17013
- 17014
Oysterquartz Day-Date6 numbers↑ Model lines
- 19018
- 19019
- 19028
- 19048
- 19049
- 19149
Perpetual Padellone2 numbers↑ Model lines
- 53505
- 53506
Sea-Dweller and Deepsea11 numbers↑ Model lines
- 1665
- 16600
- 16660
- 116600
- 116660
- 126067
- 126600
- 126603
- 126660
- 136660
- 136668
Sky-Dweller18 numbers↑ Model lines
- 326135
- 326138
- 326139
- 326253
- 326283
- 326933
- 326934
- 326935
- 326938
- 326939
- 336235
- 336238
- 336239
- 336933
- 336934
- 336935
- 336938
- 336939
Submariner15 numbers↑ Model lines
- 5508
- 5512
- 5513
- 5514
- 5517
- 6200
- 6204
- 6205
- 6536
- 6538
- 6538A
- 14060
- 14060M
- 114060
- 124060
Submariner Date17 numbers↑ Model lines
- 1680
- 16610
- 16610LV
- 16613
- 16618
- 16800
- 16803
- 16808
- 116610
- 116613
- 116618
- 116619
- 126610
- 126613
- 126618
- 126619
- 168000
Turn-O-Graph12 numbers↑ Model lines
- 1625
- 6202
- 6309
- 6609
- 16250
- 16253
- 16263
- 16264
- 16268
- 116261
- 116263
- 116264
Yacht-Master23 numbers↑ Model lines
- 16622
- 16623
- 16628
- 68623
- 68628
- 69623
- 69628
- 116621
- 116622
- 116655
- 126621
- 126622
- 126655
- 168622
- 168623
- 168628
- 169622
- 169623
- 169628
- 226658
- 268621
- 268622
- 268655
Yacht-Master II6 numbers↑ Model lines
- 116680
- 116681
- 116688
- 116689
- 126680
- 126688
Yacht-Master 402 numbers↑ Model lines
- 126678
- 226659
Yacht-Master 421 number↑ Model lines
- 226627
Frequently asked questions
Where's the reference number?
Between the lugs at 12 o'clock, engraved into the case. You have to take the bracelet off to read it. It's also on the warranty card. On a new watch it's on a green or clear sticker on the case back, and sometimes on the outer box.
What's the difference between the reference number and the serial number?
The reference number names the model and sits at 12 o'clock. The serial number gives you the approximate age and sits at 6 o'clock.
What does the last digit of the reference mean?
On numbers with five or more digits it's the material, for example 0 for steel, 3 for steel and yellow gold, and 8 for 18k yellow gold. On four-digit references Rolex added one digit after a slash, for example 5513/0 for steel. The full table is further up.
What do letters like LN, LV or BLNR mean?
They're mostly bezel or color codes from French. LN stands for Lunette Noire, a black bezel, LV for a green bezel, and BLNR for a blue and black bezel, as on the GMT-Master II "Batman".