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Why this guide
Rolex makes fewer than twenty collections, but hundreds of references within them, and most buying mistakes start with a reference number nobody explained. This guide is our working reference: how the numbers are built, how each collection has changed over the decades, which movement sits inside, and what each current model costs at an authorised Rolex retailer in India.
Each collection then gets its own in-depth page — generations, calibres, materials and what to check before you buy. We start with the Submariner; the other collections follow.
Reading a Rolex reference
A modern Rolex reference such as 126610LN is read in three parts. The leading digits identify the collection and its generation (1266 is the current Submariner Date). The last digit identifies the case metal (0 is Oystersteel). Letters at the end describe the bezel (LN is a black bezel). The number after the dash on Rolex’s site, such as -0001, is the dial variant.
The rules are a guide, not a law: Rolex has not applied them identically to every model in every era, and bracelets carry their own separate part numbers. Always read the reference together with the watch itself.
Decode a Rolex
Type a reference to see the model, movement, case metal and current India price, or a serial to see roughly when it was made.
| Number style | Roughly | Example | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Four digits | Before the late 1980s | 5513, 1675, 1601 | Vintage references; acrylic crystals on most |
| Five digits | Late 1970s to 2000s | 16610, 16710, 16234 | Sapphire crystals, quickset date movements |
| Six digits starting 11 | 2000s to 2010s | 116610LN, 116710BLNR | Ceramic bezels, solid end links, newer bracelets |
| Six digits starting 12 (and later) | 2015 onward | 126610LN, 126710GRNR, 127334 | Current calibres with about 70 hours of power reserve |
| Last digit | Case metal | Current example |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Oystersteel | 124060 Submariner |
| 1 | Everose Rolesor (steel and Everose gold) | 126711CHNR GMT-Master II |
| 2 | Rolesium (steel and platinum) | 126622 Yacht-Master 40 |
| 3 | Yellow Rolesor (steel and yellow gold) | 126613LB Submariner Date |
| 4 | White Rolesor (steel and white gold) | 126334 Datejust 41 |
| 5 | 18 ct Everose gold | 126505 Cosmograph Daytona |
| 6 | 950 platinum | 228236 Day-Date 40 |
| 7 | RLX titanium | 126067 Deepsea Challenge |
| 8 | 18 ct yellow gold | 228238 Day-Date 40 |
| 9 | 18 ct white gold | 126729VTNR GMT-Master II |
| Letters | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| LN | Black bezel (lunette noire) | 126610LN |
| LV | Green bezel (lunette verte) | 126610LV |
| LB | Blue bezel (lunette bleue) | 126613LB |
| BLNR | Blue and black bezel | 126710BLNR |
| GRNR | Grey and black bezel | 126710GRNR |
| VTNR | Green and black bezel | 126720VTNR |
| CHNR | Brown and black bezel | 126711CHNR |
| RBR, TBR | Gem-set versions | 128349RBR, 127386TBR |
| Collection | Since | Sizes | Calibre | India price, 8 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1908 | 2023 | 39 mm | 7140 | ₹28,13,000 – ₹39,87,000 |
| Air-King | 1945 | 40 mm | 3230 | ₹7,93,500 |
| Cosmograph Daytona | 1963 | 40 mm | 4131 | ₹16,40,000 – ₹1,56,84,000 |
| Datejust | 1945 | 31, 36, 41 mm | 2236, 3235 | ₹7,50,000 – ₹56,37,000 |
| Day-Date | 1956 | 36, 40 mm | 3255 | ₹44,69,000 – ₹1,39,69,000 |
| Deepsea | 2008 | 44, 50 mm | 3230, 3235 | ₹15,11,000 – ₹66,29,000 |
| Explorer | 1953 | 36, 40 mm | 3230 | ₹7,71,500 – ₹14,20,000 |
| Explorer II | 1971 | 42 mm | 3285 | ₹10,34,500 |
| GMT-Master II | 1955 | 40 mm | 3285 | ₹11,47,000 – ₹56,05,000 |
| Lady-Datejust | 1957 | 28 mm | 2236 | ₹7,39,000 – ₹61,41,000 |
| Land-Dweller | 2025 | 36, 40 mm | 7135 | ₹14,95,000 – ₹1,22,50,000 |
| Oyster Perpetual | 1931 | 28, 31, 34, 36, 41 mm | 2232, 3230 | ₹6,00,100 – ₹44,58,500 |
| Sea-Dweller | 1967 | 43 mm | 3235 | ₹14,14,000 – ₹21,86,000 |
| Sky-Dweller | 2012 | 42 mm | 9002 | ₹17,25,000 – ₹63,23,000 |
| Submariner | 1953 | 41 mm | 3230, 3235 | ₹9,81,000 – ₹49,62,000 |
| Yacht-Master | 1992 | 37, 40, 42 mm | 2236, 3235 | ₹12,11,000 – ₹38,95,000 |
| Yacht-Master II | 2007 | 44 mm | 4162 | ₹19,72,000 – ₹59,10,000 |
A reference number is a summary. The watch in front of you still has to agree with it.
The Fallen Archive Authentication Team| Calibre | Type | Found in | Power reserve |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2232 | Automatic, time only (small sizes) | Oyster Perpetual | About 55 h |
| 2236 | Automatic, date (small sizes) | Datejust, Lady-Datejust, Yacht-Master | About 55 h |
| 3230 | Automatic, time only | Air-King, Deepsea, Explorer, Oyster Perpetual, Submariner | About 70 h |
| 3235 | Automatic, date | Datejust, Deepsea, Sea-Dweller, Submariner, Yacht-Master | About 70 h |
| 3255 | Automatic, day and date | Day-Date | About 70 h |
| 3285 | Automatic, GMT (second time zone) | GMT-Master II, Explorer II | About 70 h |
| 4131 | Automatic chronograph | Cosmograph Daytona | About 72 h |
| 4162 | Automatic regatta chronograph | Yacht-Master II | About 72 h |
| 7135 | Automatic, 5 Hz Dynapulse escapement | Land-Dweller | About 66 h |
| 7140 | Automatic, time only, display back | 1908 | About 66 h |
| 9002 | Automatic, annual calendar and GMT | Sky-Dweller | About 72 h |
About the prices
Prices are the retail prices Rolex lists for India on rolex.com, including taxes, as read on 8 October 2026. Where a reference comes with several dials or bracelets we show the range. Rolex revises its prices from time to time, and a listed price is not a promise of availability: many steel sports models have long waiting lists at authorised retailers.
Pre-owned prices are a separate market. Some references trade well above retail, others below; condition, papers and service history move the number more than the reference alone.
Frequently asked questions
On most modern references it is the case metal: 0 is Oystersteel, 8 yellow gold, 9 white gold, 6 platinum, and so on.
They describe the bezel: LN black, LV green, LB blue, and pairs such as BLNR for blue and black.
Rolex changes the reference when it changes the generation, case metal or bezel, so one model name can cover many references.
They are Rolex’s listed India retail prices on the date above. Authorised retailers set availability, and pre-owned prices are a separate market.