Authentication & Dating
Rolex Clasp Codes
The clasp code is the bracelet's birth certificate. Stamped on the inside of the clasp hinge, it tells you when the bracelet was manufactured — independent of when the case was made. On a modern Rolex it's very common for the bracelet to be a year or two older or newer than the case; that doesn't mean anything is wrong with the watch. Bracelets and cases were assembled in different places and married up at the time of sale.
Where to find it
Open the bracelet and look at the inside of the clasp hinge — the flat metal section you see when the clasp is folded out. The code is small, usually struck near a reference number. On older bracelets it sits next to the bracelet reference (e.g. 78360, 93150, 93250). On a modern Glidelock or Oysterlock clasp it's often inside the clasp cover.
How to read it
From 1976 to 2010, the code is a letter (or two letters) for the year of production followed by a single digit for the month — 1 through 9 for January through September, then 10, 11, 12 for the last quarter. A clasp marked OP9 is September 2006. G4 is April 1982. RS11 is November 2010.
Bracelet codes existed sporadically through the 1950s and 60s, then stopped in the early 1970s, then resumed in 1976 with the chart below. From 2011 onward, Rolex randomized the codes the same way they randomized serials — three characters with no decodable date.
Year-letter chart (1976 – 2010)
| Code | Year |
|---|---|
| A / VA | 1976 |
| B / VB | 1977 |
| C / VC | 1978 |
| D / VD | 1979 |
| E / VE | 1980 |
| F / VF | 1981 |
| G | 1982 |
| H | 1983 |
| I | 1984 |
| J | 1985 |
| K | 1986 |
| L | 1987 |
| M | 1988 |
| N | 1989 |
| O | 1990 |
| P | 1991 |
| Q | 1992 |
| R | 1993 |
| S | 1994 |
| W / T | 1995 |
| V | 1996 |
| Z | 1997 |
| U | 1998 |
| X | 1999 |
| AB | 2000 |
| DE | 2001 |
| DT | 2002 |
| AD | 2003 |
| CL | 2004 |
| MA | 2005 |
| OP | 2006 |
| EO | 2007 |
| PJ | 2008 |
| LT | 2009 |
| RS | 2010 |
Service replacements
If the clasp was replaced during a Rolex service, you'll often see an additional S stamped alongside the year code — Rolex's way of marking the clasp as not original. The bracelet itself may still be original; only the clasp was swapped. Service replacements aren't a defect — they're part of how Rolex maintains a watch over decades — but they affect originality and pricing on vintage pieces.
Bracelet references worth knowing
- 78350 / 78360 / 93150 — Oyster bracelets fitted to Submariners and GMTs through the 1980s and 90s.
- 62510H / 62523H / 62510D — Jubilee bracelets common to Datejust references.
- 93250 — Solid-link Oyster used on later sport models from the 2000s on.
- 97200 / 78200 — President bracelet, gold and steel respectively, fitted to Day-Date and select Datejust models.
Related
- Rolex Serial Numbers — date the case independently of the bracelet.
- Red Letters on Warranty Papers — for US watches, when Rolex USA shipped the watch to the dealer.