When was your watch produced & then sold?

[rw16610]

Just curious but wanted to find out when the watches you currently own or had in the past were "approximately" produced vs the date the warranty paperwork was filled out by the AD. My Explorer II is a D Serial watch (2005) that has the clasp code MA10 (2005,October) and the booklets are also dated 2005. The warranty paperwork was not filled out until September 2007 by Jared's in Tampa though. Could this be because the watches get stored somewhere waiting to be shipped out to the AD or due to the fact that it's not one of the faster moving pieces like a Submariner for example?

Here is an excellent Serial number chart from oysterinfo.de that seems to be as accurate as they come considering the fact that no one truly knows but Rolex:

1987 / 1988 R
1988 / 1989 L
1989 / 1990 L
1990 / 1991 E
1991 / 1992 X/N (from Nov.)
1992 / 1993 C
1993 / 1994 S
1994 / 1995 W
1995 / 1996 W
1996 / 1997 T
1997 / 1998 U (from Aug.)
1998 / 1999 A (from Nov.)
1999 / 2000 A
2000 / 2001 P (from Jan.)
2001 / 2002 K (from Sept.)
2002 / 2003 Y (from Sept.)
2003 / 2004 F (from Sept.)
2004 / 2005 F
2005 / 2006 D (from Apr.)
2006 / 2007 Z (from May)
2006 / 2007
2007 / 2008


Now here is the clasp code chart from the same website:

Year Code
1976 A*
1977 B
1978 C*
1979 D
1980 E
1981 F
1982 G
1983 H*
1984 I*
1985 J*
1986 K*
1987 L*
1988 M*
1989 N*
1990 O
1991 P
1992 Q*
1993 R
1994 S
1995 T or W
1996 V
1997 Z
1998 Z or W
1999 X
2000 AB
2001 DE
2002 DT
2003 AD
2004 CL
2005 MA
2006 OP
2007 EO


Just thought it would be neat to hear from you all about the gap between approximate production date vs the date of original sale 

[CHIP]

I've never bought a new Rolex so I'm clueless as to when the original sale date would have been.


Sent from my Moto X using ProBoards.

[rw16610]

Pre owned is the best way to buy in my books. Mine was purchased pre owned as well but has the original paperwork thankfully is how I was able to find that out. Even on eBay now, there's so few results for the Explorer II compared to the Submariner or Daytona, of course. I wonder if (or would assume) Rolex produces these pieces according to the demand. Like over all if they would make 1.5 - 2 times the amount of Submariners for example compared to Explorer's. The Datejust's seem to be their bread and butter as well for sales volume, or so I've heard.

[aquajoe]

My submariner is a v serial that arrived at the AD the first part of 2008. He said got three LVs in. This one he did not put in display but took it across the street and put it in his safe deposit box at the bank. I bought it in June 2012. So, it sat untouched for about 4 1/2 years according the owner of the jewelry store.

[rw16610]

Oh wow, that is pretty cool. It actually seems more common as I dig through the internet. When the DSSD and other new models came out people (AD's) were selling new old stock for a while it seemed. Also, the fact that SO many Anchor's intended to be sold with one of two watches ended up being kept and sold online, I guess they got extras. Not to mention the Sea-Dweller tool kits that also seemed to ship separately or something.

[CHIP]

Now that's something I'd like to have. An anchor.

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[rw16610]

Yeah, they're actually quite cool considering the history behind them. The way they started out as hang tags for display to show it was a divers watch and the depth ratings. For any reading who would like to know more about all of that this website has a pretty good summary of the history behind them and how to identify them by era etc:

www.rnoud.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=40&showall=1

[Jamie]

Mine is a Z-serial with an EO clasp code, sold to me in July of 2007, so it was brand spanking new when I got it. Interestingly enough,it had no papers but a warranty card, and no hologram. The one I looked at a mere week before had the hologram (darn it).

[rw16610]

Oh cool! I find that sometimes Rolex USA did things a bit differently (or at different times) to other countries. Some of the modern watches (Z, M, V) sold in Asia seem to come with the leather warranty holders even with the paperwork instead of the card.

I love the last paperwork that was issued with my watch and the ones right before yours. For me next though it would be nice to have the warranty card as they stand the test of time much better and I already have those lovely papers. One thing I miss from the newer watches is the fact the booklets for the Submariner, GMT Master II etc no longer have those vivid images on the front but just a green sheet of paper with the watch silhouette.