Explorer II

So I changed my mind. The new Explorer II, released at Baselworld 2011 and modeled after the original Explorer, has pretty much everything I've been looking for, and is amazing. I can't stop looking at it. I'm working on establishing a baseline price for it, but I can't imagine it will be available anytime soon given demand.

Yacht Master

So I've been looking at watches, and have decided that I want to know as much as possible about the Rolex Yacht-Master. As usual, blog will be the best way to keep the information handy at all times. Initial post - model numbers and serial numbers, as well as some history.

Model number: 16622 for the 40mm size. Not to be confused with the 168622, which is the 35mm size, and is for people with chicken wrists.

Serial number (credit to Melrose Jewelers)

Since 1927, Rolex has given every watch model a unique serial number that indicates the year of production of the watch. This serial number helps in distinguishing one watch from the other. Rolex generates this serial number in such a way that only Rolex's representatives can decipher the exact year of production of the watch by looking at its serial number. It is engraved at the 6 o'clock position between the lugs. However, in the case of the Rolex Oysterquartz models, it is engraved on the back side of the case lugs.

People are always interested in knowing the exact date of production of the Rolex watch that they intend to buy. There is often a time gap between the production of a model and the final sale and delivery of a particular watch. In addition, as opposed to the stainless steel models, gold models and precious stone-embedded Rolex watches may take longer to find their place on a wrist worthy of such a prime acquisition.

The table below carries the Model Reference Number (not a comprehensive list) for most popular Rolex models:

Changes in Serial Numbers Over Time

Over the years, Rolex introduced several series of numbers to indicate a watch's year of production. The changes brought about in the serial numbers can be explained as follows:

• Started in 1927, the serial numbers reached the 999,999 mark around 1953.
• Once the 999,999 mark was reached, it started from 100,001 all over again.
• Again, in the early 1960s, the 999,999 mark was reached leading to a new series by adding a 7th digit, thus continuing into the millions.
• Once the 9,999,999 mark was reached around 1987, Rolex introduced a new series of numbers, where each serial number started with a letter prefix. The letters used so far are "R", "L", "E", "X", "N", "C", "S", "W", "T", "U", "A", "P", "K, "Y", "F" and "D." The order of letters was assigned chronologically.

Around 1952, another serial number in the form of a code appeared inside the case backs of all Rolex watches. This continued until around 1970. The code consisted of a Roman numeral and two Arabic numerals. The Roman numeral was any one of the following:

• I represented the first quarter of the year
• II represented the second quarter of the year
• III represented the third quarter of the year
• IV represented the fourth quarter of the year

The two Arabic numerals represented the two digits of the year of production in the 20th Century.

Chart Containing Serial Numbers and Corresponding Years of Production

SERIAL NUMBER	PRODUCTION YEAR
28000	1926
21691	1927
24747	1928
28290	1930
29312	1932
29933	1933
30823	1934
35365	1935
99775	1940
269561	1944
710776	1951
930879	1953 (1st Quarter)
931080	1953 (2nd Quarter)
973930	1953 (3rd Quarter)
929426	1953 (4th Quarter)
1259699	1954 (1st Quarter)
282632	1955 (3rd Quarter)
2689700	1956 (1st Quarter)
3741300	1957 (2nd Quarter)
391528	1958 (3rd Quarter)
869868	1962 (4th Quarter)
2163900	1967
2689700	1969
3215500	1971
4004200	1974
6434000	1980
7862000	1983
9766000	1987
R999999	1988
L999999	1990 (2nd Quarter)
E999999	1991
X000001	1991
N000001	1991
C000001	1992
S000001	1993
W000001	1995
T000001	1995
U000001	1997
A000001	1999
P000001	2000
K000001	2001
Y000001	2002
F000001	2003
D000001	2005
Z000001	2006
M000,001	Jan 2008 - Dec 2008
V000,001	Dec 2008