This section is particularly important for those who wish to establish the authenticity of a Rolex watch before making their final purchase decision. As the counterfeit Rolex watch industry is growing rapidly, many Rolex enthusiasts are worried about the genuineness of the watch they purchase. However, an individual can distinguish a genuine Rolex from a counterfeit without much difficulty and with the proper guidance. Model Reference Number or Case Reference Number can help identify an authentic Rolex watch as most replicas of these watches either do not carry any reference number or, if they do, in most cases have an incorrect reference number.
The Case/Model Reference Number of a genuine Rolex watch is located between the lugs at the 12 o'clock position and is printed on the certificate issued by Rolex to all individual watches that are offered for sale. The inside of the case back is also engraved with the Model or Case Reference Number. However, in the case of Oysterquartz models, the Case Reference Number is located on the back side of the case lugs.
The early Rolex models bear a 4-digit reference number, while the watches produced between the mid 1980s and 2000 carry a 5-digit reference number. All currently produced watches since 2000 are engraved with a 6-digit reference number. The difference between the 5-digit and 6-digit Case Reference Numbers is that the latter, so far, consists of an extra "1" before the previous 5-digit number.
The table below carries the Model Reference Number (not a comprehensive list) for most popular Rolex models:
| Watch Type | Case Reference Number or Model Reference Number |
|---|---|
| Air-King | 1002, 1400, 1401, 4365, 4925, 5502, 5520, 6500, 6552, 7784, 14000, 14000M, 14010, 14010M |
| Air-King (Date) | 5700, 5701 |
| Bubbleback | 1852, 1858, 1873, 2240, 2490, 2764, 2765, 2784, 2945, 3009, 3019, 3065, 3130, 3131, 3132, 3133, 3134, 3135, 3347, 3348, 3353, 3358, 3372, 3458, 3548, 3549, 3595, 3598, 3599, 3696, 3725, 3767, 3795, 3796, 3801, 3940, 3951, 4392, 4777, 4919, 4939, 4961, 5001, 5002, 5003, 5006, 5007, 5009, 5010, 5011, 5013, 5015, 5026, 5028, 5045, 5048, 5050, 5051, 5052, 5055, 5087, 5105, 5173, 5488, 6006, 6007, 6011, 6015, 6016, 6048, 6052, 6064, 6065, 6076, 6087, 6106, 6428, 8050, 8052 |
| Big Bubbleback | 4467, 6031, 6074, 6075 |
| Chronograph | 1074, 1223, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2057, 2226, 2303, 2507, 2508, 2705, 2737, 2811, 2917, 2918, 2920, 3036, 3055, 3082, 3085, 3181, 3233, 3330, 3333, 3335, 3346, 3462, 3481, 3484, 3525, 3529, 3635, 3642, 3668, 3695, 3735, 3827, 3834, 3835, 3997, 4048, 4062, 4099, 4100, 4113, 4311, 4313, 4332, 4352, 4500, 4537, 4767, 4768, 5034, 5036, 6032, 6034, 6036, 6232, 6234, 6236, 6238, 6270, 7131, 7132, 7159, 7169, 8180, 8206, 9162 |
| Chronograph “Moon Phase” | 6062, 8171, 8237 |
| Cosmograph “Daytona” | 1650, 1651, 1652, 1656, 1658, 1659, 6239, 6240, 6241, 6239, 6240, 6241, 6262, 6263, 6264, 6265, 6240, 6241, 16518, 16519, 16520, 16523, 16528, 116509, 116518, 116519, 116520, 116523, 116528, 116589, 116598, 116599 |
| Day Date (President) | 1800, 1802, 1803, 1804, 1805, 1806, 1807, 1808, 1809, 1810, 1811, 1812, 1813, 1814, 1815, 1816, 1817, 1820, 1823, 1824, 1829, 1830, 1831, 1833, 1834, 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839, 6511, 6611, 6612, 6613, 18000, 18026, 18028, 18029, 18038, 18039, 18046, 18048, 18049, 18078, 18079, 18178, 18206, 18206B, 18208, 18238, 18239, 18248, 18249, 18308, 18346, 18348, 18349, 18368, 18369, 18388, 18389, 18946, 18948, 18956, 18958, 118205, 118206, 118208, 118209, 118235, 118238, 118239, 118296, 118338, 118339, 118346, 118348, 118366, 118398, 118399 |
| Explorer | 1016, 1427, 5506, 6098, 6150, 6298, 6299, 6350, 6610, 8044, 8045, 14270, 114270 |
| Explorer Air-King | 5500, 5501, 5504, 5701 |
| Explorer II | 1655, 1657, 16550, 16570 |
| GMT Master | 1670, 1675, 6542, 16700, 16750, 16753, 16758 |
| GMT Master II | 1671, 1676, 16710, 16713, 16718, 16760, |
| Master Day Date | 1894, 1895 |
| Milgauss | 1019, 6541 |
| Oyster “Manual-Wind” | 1069, 1070, 1147, 1237, 1387, 1573, 1880, 1921, 1925, 1936, 2005, 2081, 2136, 2280, 2318, 2319, 2331, 2416, 2420, 2496, 2518, 2574, 2593, 2595, 2701, 2849, 2891, 2942, 2949, 2984, 3059, 3078, 3096, 3116, 3121, 3136, 3139, 3140, 3270, 3351, 3359, 3492, 3511, 3540, 3640, 3646, 3765, 3868, 3882, 3978, 4052, 4068, 4070, 4119, 4125, 4127, 4181, 4219, 4220, 4222, 4271, 4330, 4361, 4365, 4437, 4444, 4448, 4461, 4476, 4483, 4499, 4547, 4556, 4626, 4647, 5000, 5004, 5020, 5025, 5056, 6020, 6021, 6022, 6044, 6066, 6144, 6244, 6246, 6266, 6363, 6418, 6420, 6421, 6422, 6423, 6424, 6425, 6426, 6427, 6429, 6430, 6431, 6432, 6444, 6466, 6480, 6494, 6664, 6694, 7535A, 8011, 8012, 8015, 8023, 8027, 8389, 9659 |
| Oyster Perpetual (Time Only) | 1003, 1004, 1005, 1006, 1007, 1008, 1009, 1010, 1011, 1012, 1013, 1014, 1022, 1023, 1024, 1025, 1026, 1027, 1028, 1029, 1030, 1031, 1035, 1036, 1038, 1039, 1420, 1423, 3172, 3202, 3272, 3323, 3352, 3370, 3483, 3490, 3495, 3496, 3497, 3505, 3536, 3538, 3593, 3594, 3596, 3597, 3627, 3639, 3645, 3685, 3686, 3708, 3724, 3772, 3778, 3785, 3869, 3885, 3886, 3887, 3888, 3926, 3938, 3967, 4013, 4021, 4024, 4025, 4027, 4055, 4130, 4134, 4163, 4164, 4165, 4166, 4167, 4168, 4171, 4172, 4185, 4186, 4187, 4190, 4203, 4214, 4242, 4255, 4302, 4306, 4337, 4350, 4362, 4408, 4436, 4449, 4480, 4486, 4487, 4528, 4534, 4672, 4686, 4804, 4846, 4857, 4937, 5023, 5065, 5080, 5552, 6018, 6023, 6050, 6082, 6084, 6085, 6088, 6092, 6099, 6100, 6101, 6102, 6103, 6107, 6119, 6284, 6285, 6286, 6290, 6301, 6303, 6332, 6334, 6502, 6503, 6504, 6507, 6508, 6509, 6532, 6539, 6540, 6543, 6544, 6545, 6546, 6548, 6549, 6551, 6552, 6553, 6554, 6558, 6559, 6560, 6564, 6565, 6566, 6567, 6569, 6580, 6583, 6584, 6585, 6586, 6587, 6590, 6592, 6594, 6598, 6599, 6614, 6618, 6619, 6621, 6623, 6634, 6706, 6707, 6710, 6711, 6712, 6713, 6715, 6717, 6718, 6719, 6720, 6721, 6723, 6724, 6744, 6745, 6747, 6748, 6749, 6751, 6753, 6754, 6757, 6771, 7575A, 7603, 7605, 7608, 7609, 7614, 7618, 7619, 7623, 7624, 7701, 7708, 7748, 7751, 7806, 7807, 7811, 9210, 9211, 9220, 9221, 14203, 14208, 14233, 14238, 67180, 67183, 67187, 67188, 67193, 67194, 67197, 67198, 67230, 67243, 67480, 67483, 67488, 67513, 67514, 67518 |
| Oyster Perpetual (Date) | 1102, 1500, 1501, 1502, 1503, 1503g, 1504, 1505, 1506, 1507, 1508, 1509, 1510, 1511, 1512, 1513, 1514, 1520, 1521, 1522, 1523, 1530, 1550, 6530, 6534, 6535, 6537, 1500, 1501, 1503, 1505, 1550, 1560, 1603, 1625, 5075, 6547, 6625, 6627, 6740, 6924, 6944, 7576A, 7600A, 7606, 7916, 7919, 7924, 7972, 15000, 15003, 15007, 15008, 15010, 15017, 15018, 15037, 15038, 15053, 15148, 15200, 15203, 15210, 15223, 15238, 15505, 69160A, 69190A, 69240 |
| Oyster Perpetual Datejust | 1600, 1601, 1602, 1603, 1604, 1605, 1607, 1610, 1611, 1620, 1622, 1623, 1624, 1626, 1630, 5030, 5031, 6104, 6105, 6155, 6251, 6516, 6517, 6602, 6604, 6605, 6624, 6627, 6800, 6815, 6823, 6824, 6825, 6826, 6827, 6828, 6829, 6830, 6831, 6832, 6833, 6835, 6839, 6900, 6901, 6902, 6903, 6905, 6906, 6907, 6908, 6909, 6910, 6911, 6912, 6913, 6914, 6915, 6916, 6917, 6918, 6919, 6923, 6925, 6926, 6927, 6928, 7815, 7823, 7824, 7825, 7826, 7827, 7828, 7906, 7907, 7908, 7912, 7913, 7915, 7916, 7917, 7918, 7919, 7923, 7924, 7925, 7926, 7927, 7928, 8030, 8031, 8032, 8035, 8065, 8066, 8067, 16000, 16003, 16008, 16009, 16013, 16014, 16018, 16019, 16030, 16058, 16078, 16200, 16203, 16220, 16233, 16234, 16238, 16248, 16250, 16258, 16263, 16264, 68158, 68159, 68240, 68243, 68248, 68258, 68273, 68274, 68278, 68279, 68288, 68289, 69008, 69008A, 69018, 69018A, 69038R, 69038S, 69068, 69068A, 69069, 69069A, 69078, 69078A, 69079, 69079A, 69088, 69088A, 69089, 69089A, 69098, 69108, 69108A, 69118A, 69128, 69128A, 69136, 69138, 69138A, 69139, 69139A, 69148, 69148A, 69158, 69159, 69163, 69163A, 69166, 69168, 69168A, 69169, 69169A, 69173, 69173A, 69174, 69174A, 69178, 69178A, 69179, 69179A, 69188, 69198E, 69198R, 69198S, 69258, 69268, 69278, 69279, 69279A, 69288, 79068, 79078, 79079, 79088, 79089, 79126, 79136, 79138, 79158, 79159, 79163, 79166, 79168, 79173, 79174, 79178, 79179, 79238, 79288, 80298, 80299, 80309, 80318, 80319, 80328, 80329, 80359, 116138, 116139, 116203, 116208, 116233, 116238, 179136, 179138, 179158, 179159, 179165, 179166, 179168, 179173, 179175, 179178, 179179, 179239, 179298, 179368, 179459 |
| Oyster Perpetual Mid-Sized Datejust |
6824, 6827, 68240, 68243, 68248, 68273, 68274, 68278, 77080, 77014, 77438, 77518, 78240, 78243, 78246, 78248, 78266, 78273, 78274, 78278, 78279, 78286, 78288, 81158, 81208, 81209, 81308, 81338, 81339, 178158, 178159, 178238, 178239, 178245, 178246, 178248, 178269, 178275, 178278, 178279, 178286, 178288 |
| Oysterquartz Datejust | 17000, 17013, 17014 |
| Oysterquartz Day Date | 19018, 19019, 19028, 19038, 19048, 19049, 19058, 19068, 19078, 19148, 19168 |
| Prince | 1343, 1541, 1768, 1855, 2730, 2771, 2996, 3361, 4402 |
| Prince (“¼ Century”) | 1490, 3937 |
| Prince (“Railway”) | 1862 |
| Prince (“Sporting”) | 1564, 1599, 1871 |
| Sea-Dweller | 1660, 1665, 1666, 16600, 16650, 16660 |
| Submariner | 1406, 5508, 5510, 5512, 5513, 5514, 6200, 6204, 6205, 6536, 6538, 14060 |
| Submariner Date | 1661, 1680, 16610, 16613, 16618, 16800, 16803, 16808 |
| Turn-O-Graph Datejust (“Thunderbird”) |
1625, 6202, 6309, 6609, 16253 |
| Tru-Beat | 1020, 6556 |
| Yacht Master | 16622, 16628, 68623, 68628, 168622, 168623, 168628, 169623, 169628 |