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The Rolex Daytona and the Zenith El Primero caliber 400
by admin

DayZe:kal4030(1)

After having trusted the hand winding Valjoux caliber 72, and some variations of this caliber (read the article: ‘Valjoux 72: the start of the Daytona’), for a long time Rolex in 1987 decided to go and use a Zenith caliber to make the Daytona tick. Zenith had started the production of their El Primero caliber 400 in 1969 and, after being off the market for several years, from 1986 it was available again. The most interesting feature of the Zenith caliber 400 was that it oscillated with a frequency of 36.000 beats per our, where 18.000, 21.600 or 28.800 bph were common. This higher frequency made the watch more accurate.

The caliber 400 made by Zenith was the only chronograph watch with automatic winding that complied with the very high quality standard that Rolex employed. However, it was not that Zenith sent Rolex the calibers 400 and that they placed them untouched into the case. Far from that, Rolex made several adjustments to the 400 as listed below:

- A new escapement with a much bigger, free moving balance and a balance coil with Breguet overcoil; a Rolex preferred and more expensive configuration that leads to a higher accuracy
- The oscillation frequency was lowered from 36.000 to 28.800 bph; this to lower the need for regular maintenance.
- The date function was removed from the watch

With all the adjustments made Rolex had modulated circa 80% of the original Zenith caliber. The new Rolex caliber 4030 was born.
DayZe:kal4030
The Daytona with caliber 4030 had reference number 16520. Ref. 16520 differed from earlier versions of the Daytona in having sapphire glass and a couple of esthetic changes. Influenced by other Rolex sports watches from that era, for instance the Submariner, the diameter of the case had grown from 37 to 40 mm. The surface of the dials were now lacquered and shiny versus matte (black) or metallic (silver). The dial had metal hour indexes, laid in with radiant material. The sub dials had a thin scale with an opposite colour and a metal bezel.

Rolex made the ref 16520 from 1987 until 2000. In 2000 they started with their first chronograph driven by a manufacture watch.
As can be seen in the list below the era 1987-2000 can be divided into six periods in which slide changes were made to the Daytona. The most interesting are the following three:

- 1987(late)-1988: ‘floating’ Cosmograph, ‘Cosmograph’ stands alone in the middle of the dial
- 1989-1990(early): 4 lines, ‘officially certified’ is missing on the dial
- 1990(early)-1993(early): ‘inverted’ 6, the ‘6’ on the sub dial at 6 o’clock is inverted and looks like a ‘9’

The complete list of the production of the Rolex Daytona ref 16520 in the period 1987-2000:

DayZe:chart88-00

DayZe:88:3;4wp
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
DayZe:88:wp(1)

Pic.: 1988

DayZe:89:detail wp
DayZe:89:wp

Pic.: 1989

DayZe:91:wp

Pic.: 1991

DayZe:92:wp

Pic.: 1992

DayZe:95:wp
DayZe:95:horloge+pap

Pic.: 1995

DayZe:99:3;4wp
DayZe:99:wp

Pic.: 1999

Jaap Bakker

July 21st

5:40
Uncategorized

Reference and serial numbers of Rolex watches
by admin

The reference and serial numbers of a Rolex watch are stamped between the lugs on the case. Until in the 1960s many models had not only the year of production written on the inside of the case but also in which quarter of the year it was manufactured, for instance ‘IV 62’.

Jaar Nr. Jaar Nr. Jaar Nr.
1927 20190 1956 139400 1985 8624000
1928 23969 1957 216821 1986 9290000
1929 28290 1958 353343 1987 9863279
1930 29312 1959 399000 1987 / 1988 R
1931 1960 511687 1988 / 1989 L
1932 29312 1961 646900 1989 / 1990 L
1933 29933 1962 763663 1990 / 1991 E
1934 30823 1963 950000 1991 / 1992 X/N (va nov.)
1935 34336 1964 997436 1992 / 1993 C
1936 36856 1965 1193000 1993 / 1994 S
1937 40920 1966 1289727 1994 / 1995 W
1938 43793 1967 1554000 1995 / 1996 W
1939 71224 1968 1720977 1996 / 1997 T
1940 99775 1969 2060000 1997 / 1998 U (va aug.)
1941 106047 1970 2504211 1998 / 1999 A (va nov.)
1942 143509 1971 2728000 1999 / 2000 A
1943 230878 1972 3050000 2000 / 2001 P (va jan.)
1944 269561 1973 3523678 2001 / 2002 K (va sept.)
1945 302459 1974 3761535 2002 / 2003 Y (va sept.)
1946 367946 1975 3886050 2003 / 2004 F (va sept.)
1947 529163 1976 4155863 2004 / 2005 F
1948 628840 1977 5008000 2005 / 2006 D (va apr.)
1949 1978 5238376 2006 / 2007 Z (va mei)
1950 1979 5952834 2007 / 2008 M (va aug.)
1951 709249 1980 6434000 2008 / 2009 V
1952 726639 1981 6594000
1953 793930 1982 7129351
1954 976195 1983 7862000
1955 30634 1984 8338000

In the year 1954, after having passed the million, Rolex turned back the numbers en from 1987, after 10 million, they started using A, B, C etc in combination with the serial numbers.

Codes of the locks on the bracelets:

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

Rolex Landcodes:

10=Switzerland; 012=Switzerland; 013=Switzerland; 014=Switzerland; 015=Switzerland; 017=Switzerland; 021=Switzerland; 022=Switzerland; 023=Switzerland; 024=Switzerland; 025=Switzerland; 026=Switzerland; 028=Switzerland; 032=Switzerland; 033=Switzerland; 036=Liechtenstein; 037=Switzerland; 039=Switzerland; 044=Switzerland; 045=Switzerland; 061=Switzerland; 062=Switzerland; 100=Germany; 110=France; 112=France; 113=France; 119=France (COMEX); 120=Austria; 121=Austria; 122=Austria; 123=Austria; 124=Austria; 125=Austria; 126=Austria; 127=Austria; 128=Austria; 130=Belgium/Luxemburg; 133=Netherlands; 134=Netherlands; 135=Netherlands; 136=Netherlands; 137=Netherlands; 138=Netherlands; 150=Spain; 160=Great Britain; 170=Italy; 181=Italy; 200=Greece; 204=Italy; 201=Malta; 202=Turkey; 205=Cyprus; 207=Corfu; 208=Greece; 210=Portugal; 212=Portugal; 213=Portugal; 215=Portugal; 216=Portugal; 217=Portugal; 218=Portugal; 226=Denmark; 228=Denmark; 231=Denmark; 233=Denmark; 235=Denmark; 237=Iceland; 241=Norway; 242=Norway; 246=Sweden; 265=Sweden; 267=Sweden; 268=Sweden; 270=Sweden; 271=Sweden; 273=Sweden; 283=Finnland; 284=Norway; 286=Finnland; 291=Finnland; 298=Finnland; 311=Poland; 312=Poland; 317=Bulgaria; 318=Slovakia; 320=Czech Republic; 321=Czech Republic; 322=Hungary; 323=Slovenia; 325=Serbia Montenegro; 330=Russia; 381=Turkey; 400=Hong Kong; 402=Guam; 408=Seoul; 410=Japan; 413=Korea; 430=Singapore/Brunai/Indonesia; 431=Malaysia/Thailand; 440=Taiwan; 500=India ;501=India; 507=India; 505=Pakistan; 513=Kathmandu; 514=Bangladesh; 526=Bahrain; 527=Middle East; 529=Saudi Arabia; 531=Saudi Arabia; 532=Saudi Arabia; 533=Kuwait; 535=Katar; 536=Abu Dhabi; 537=Dubai; 538=Oman; 539=Oman; 542=Iran; 548=Israel; 551=Yemen; 573=India; 605=Tunisia; 612=Egypt; 634=Congo; 668=Kenya; 680=South Afrika; 700=Canada; 710=USA; 720=Mexico; 722=Mexico; 733=Honduras; 737=Costa Rica; 741=Bahamas; 742=Bermuda; 752=Jamaica; 756=Dominican Republic; 757=Caribbean Islands; 758=Virgin Islands; 759=Turks Islands; 760=Barbados; 761=Netherlands Antilles/Aruba; 762=Aruba; 764=Guadeloupe; 765=Antigua; 766=Saint Martin; 767=Cayman Islands; 768=Panama; 770=Venezuela; 780=Brazil; 781=Chile; 786=Bolivia; 790=Argentina; 810=Australia/New Zealand; 818=Philippines; 828=Taiwan; 838=China; 842=New Zealand; 871=Hawaii; 872=Alaska; 874=Hong Kong; 873=Guam; 888=Hong Kong; 900=Japan; 902=AAFES, Germany; 906=Natex Retail, German NATO Airbase; 907=Rheindalen, German NATO Headquarter;

Jaap Bakker

July 20th

11:09
Uncategorized

Reference numbers and dates of introduction of Rolex watches
by admin

The following list gives you the reference numbers per model:

Air-King
4365, 4925, 5500, 5501, 5506, 5520, 6500, 6552, 7784,
14000, 14000M, 14010, 14010M, 114200, 114210, 114234

Air-King-Date
5700, 5701

Bubble Back
1858, 2704, 2725, 2760, 2764, 2768, 2940, 3042, 3064, 3065,

3130, 3131, 3133, 3134, 3135, 3159, 3353, 3372, 3458, 3496,

3536, 3548, 3595, 3599, 3696, 3716, 3772, 3794, 4362, 4392,

4467, 4643, 4777, 4846, 4857, 4984, 4961, 5006, 5009, 5010,

5011, 5015, 5018, 5028, 5029, 5050, 5054, 5055, 5084, 5284,

6011, 6015, 6022, 6029, 6050, 6075, 6084, 6085, 6092, 6098,

6102, 6105, 6106, 6108, 6206, 6298, 6334, 6352

Datejust
1600, 1601, 1603, 1607, 1625, 1630, 6305, 6518, 6604,
6605, 6827, 16013, 16014, 16018, 16030, 16078, 16200,
16203, 16220, 16233, 16234, 16238, 16248, 16263, 16364,
116135, 116138, 116139, 116185, 116188, 116189, 116199,
116200, 116201, 116203, 116208, 116231, 116233, 116234,
116238, 116243, 116244, 116261, 116263, 116264, 116285

Datejust II
116300, 116333, 116334

Datejust Medium
6824, 6827, 68158, 68159, 68238, 68240, 68243, 68246, 68248,
68258, 68266, 68268, 68273, 68274, 68278, 68279, 68286, 68288,
68289, 77080, 77014, 77438,77518, 78240, 78243, 78246, 78248,
78266, 78273, 78274, 78278, 78279, 78286, 78288, 81158, 81159,
81208, 81209, 81298, 81299, 81308, 81318, 81319, 81338, 81339,
178158, 178159, 178238, 178239, 178240, 178241, 178243, 178245,
178246, 178248, 178269, 178271, 178274, 178275, 178278, 178279,
178286, 178288, 178313, 178341, 178343, 178344,178383, 178384

The following list gives you the reference numbers per model:

Air-King
4365, 4925, 5500, 5501, 5506, 5520, 6500, 6552, 7784,
14000, 14000M, 14010, 14010M, 114200, 114210, 114234

Air-King-Date
5700, 5701

Bubble Back
1858, 2704, 2725, 2760, 2764, 2768, 2940, 3042, 3064, 3065,

3130, 3131, 3133, 3134, 3135, 3159, 3353, 3372, 3458, 3496,

3536, 3548, 3595, 3599, 3696, 3716, 3772, 3794, 4362, 4392,

4467, 4643, 4777, 4846, 4857, 4984, 4961, 5006, 5009, 5010,

5011, 5015, 5018, 5028, 5029, 5050, 5054, 5055, 5084, 5284,

6011, 6015, 6022, 6029, 6050, 6075, 6084, 6085, 6092, 6098,

6102, 6105, 6106, 6108, 6206, 6298, 6334, 6352

Datejust
1600, 1601, 1603, 1607, 1625, 1630, 6305, 6518, 6604,
6605, 6827, 16013, 16014, 16018, 16030, 16078, 16200,
16203, 16220, 16233, 16234, 16238, 16248, 16263, 16364,
116135, 116138, 116139, 116185, 116188, 116189, 116199,
116200, 116201, 116203, 116208, 116231, 116233, 116234,
116238, 116243, 116244, 116261, 116263, 116264, 116285

Datejust II
116300, 116333, 116334

Datejust Medium
6824, 6827, 68158, 68159, 68238, 68240, 68243, 68246, 68248,
68258, 68266, 68268, 68273, 68274, 68278, 68279, 68286, 68288,
68289, 77080, 77014, 77438,77518, 78240, 78243, 78246, 78248,
78266, 78273, 78274, 78278, 78279, 78286, 78288, 81158, 81159,
81208, 81209, 81298, 81299, 81308, 81318, 81319, 81338, 81339,
178158, 178159, 178238, 178239, 178240, 178241, 178243, 178245,
178246, 178248, 178269, 178271, 178274, 178275, 178278, 178279,
178286, 178288, 178313, 178341, 178343, 178344,178383, 178384

Day Date
1803, 1804, 1806, 1807, 6511, 6611, 18026, 18028, 18029, 18038,
18039, 18046, 18049, 18078, 18079, 18206, 18208, 18238,18239, 18248, 18249, 18296, 18308, 18338, 18346, 18348,
18349, 18366, 18368, 18378, 18388, 18389, 18946, 18948,
18956, 18958, 118205, 118206, 118208, 118209, 118235,
118238, 118239, 118296, 118338, 118339, 118346, 118348,
118366, 118388, 118389, 118398, 118399

Day Date II
218206, 218235, 218238, 218239, 218348, 218349, 218398, 218399

Daytona
6239, 6240, 6241, 6239, 62,40, 6241, 6262, 6263, 6264, 6265,
6240, 6241, 16518, 16519, 16520, 16523, 16528, 16568, 116505,
116509, 116515. 116518, 116519, 116520, 116523, 116528, 116568,
116589, 116598, 116599

Explorer
1016, 1038, 5500, 5501, 5504, 6098, 6150, 6298, 6305,
6350, 6610, 14270, 114270, 214270

Explorer II
1655, 16550, 16570, 216570

GMT-Master
1675, 6542, 16700, 16713, 16750, 16753, 16758

GMT-Master II
16710, 16713, 16718, 16760, 116710, 116713, 116718, 116758,
116759

Milgauss
1019, 6541, 116400

Oyster Perpetual
1002, 1004, 1005, 1006, 1007, 1008, 1010, 1014, 1018,
1023, 1024,1025, 1030, 1038, 1500, 1501, 1565, 5500,
6085, 6103, 6177, 6202, 6284, 6518, 6532, 6546, 6548,
6549, 6551, 6552, 6556, 6564, 6565, 6567, 6569, 6580,
6582, 6584, 6590, 6605, 6623, 6634, 14203, 14203M,
14208, 14208M, 14233, 14238, 116000, 116034, 177200,
177210, 177234

Oyster Perpetual Date
1500, 1501, 1503, 1505, 1530, 1550, 1560, 1603, 1625, 5075,
6075, 6335, 6518, 6534, 6605, 6627, 15000, 15010, 15037,
15038, 15053, 15200, 15203, 15210, 15223, 15238, 15505,
115200, 115210, 115234

Oyster Perpetual Lady
6718, 6719, 6723, 6724, 67180, 67183, 67188, 67193, 67194,
67197, 67198, 67230, 67233, 67243, 76030, 76080, 76094, 76180, 76183, 76188, 76193, 76198, 76243, 77518, 176200,
176210, 176234

Oyster Perpetual Lady Date
6516, 6517, 6519, 6916, 6917, 6919, 69160, 69163, 69173,
69190, 69240, 79160, 79190, 79240

Oyster Perpetual Lady Datejust
6916, 6917, 6927, 69068, 69069, 69078, 69079, 69088, 69089,
69126, 69128, 69136, 69138, 69139, 69158, 69159, 69163, 69166,
69168, 69173, 69174, 69178, 69179, 68188, 69198, 69238, 69258,
69268, 69278, 69279, 69288, 69298, 69299, 69308, 69318, 69359,
79068, 79078, 79079, 79088, 79089, 79126, 79136, 79138, 79158,
79159, 79163, 79166, 79168, 79173, 79174, 79178, 79179, 79238,
79288, 80298, 80299, 80309, 80315, 80318, 80319, 80328,
80329, 80359, 179136, 179138, 179158, 179159, 179160, 179161,
179165, 179166, 179168, 179171, 179173, 179175, 179178, 179179,
179239, 179298, 179313, 179368, 179459

Oysterquarz Datejust
17000, 17013, 17014

Oysterquarz Day-Date
19018, 19019, 19028, 19048, 19049, 19149

Sea-Dweller/Deepsea
1665, 16600, 16660, 116660

Submariner
5508, 5512, 5513, 5514, 5517, 6200, 6204, 6205, 6536,
6538, 6538A, 14060, 14060M, 114060

Submariner Date
1680, 16800, 168000, 16610, 16610LV, 16613, 16618, 16803,
16808, 116610, 116613, 116618, 116619

Turn-O-Graph
1625, 6202, 6309, 6609, 16250, 16253, 16268, 16263, 16264,
116261, 116263, 116264

Yacht Master
16622, 16623, 16628, 68623, 68628, 69623, 69628, 168622,
168623, 168628, 169622, 169623, 169628, 116622

Yacht Master II
116681, 116688, 116689

Sky-Dweller
326935, 326938, 326939

The following is a list of the years of introduction of the most important Rolex models:

1926 Oyster Case
1927 Serial Number On Oyster Case
1931 Oyster Perpetual
1938 Bubble Back
1938 Oyster Bracelet
1945 Jubilee Bracelet
1945 Datejust
1950 Mercedes Hand
1953 Submariner 100m / 330ft
1953 Turn-O-Graph
1953 Explorer
1954 GMT-Master
1954 Submariner 200m / 660ft
1954 Cyclop On Crystal
1954 Ladys Oyster Perpetual
1956 Day-Date
1956 President Bracelet
1959 Submariner gets Crown Guards and 40mm Case
1960 Deep Sea Special (Diving Record 10.916 m)
1962 Cosmograph Daytona
1967 Sea-Dweller
1969 Submariner Date
1969 Submariner Date 18 k YG
1971 Explorer II
1972 Hacking Movement
1974 Sapphire Crystal
1976 Oysterquartz
1977 Quick Set Date Feature
1978 Sea-Dweller 4000
1979 Submariner 300m / 1000ft with Sapphire Crystal
1983 GMT-Master II
1983 Submariner Rolesor
1988 Cosmograph Daytona (Zenith Movement)
1992 Yachtmaster
1994 Yachtmaster Lady & Medium
2000 Cosmograph Daytona With Inhouse Movement
2001 Laser Etched Hologram In Crystal
2003 “Green” Submariner Date
2004 Serial Number On The Inner Bezel
2004 New TOG
2004 New Datejust Case
2005 New GMT-Master YG (Cal. 3186)
2006 New GMT-Master Rolesor (Cal. 3186)
2007 New GMT-Master SS and WG (Cal. 3186)
2007 Caliber 3131
2007 Caliber 4160
2007 Yacht-Master II (YG & WG)
2007 New Milgauss in SS
2007 New Air-King in SS
2007 Submariner with COSC
2008 Sea-Dweller Deepsea2008 Day-Date II
2008 Oyster Perpetual 36mm
2008 RG Daytona
2008 Caliber 3156
2008 Submariner Date New Case YG
2009 Datejust II Rolesor & SS
2009 Submariner Date New Case Rolesor
2010 Explorer 39mm
2010 Submariner Date New Case SS
2011 Explorer II 42mm
2011 Yacht-Master II Rolesor
2011 RG Black Bezel Datona
2011 Caliber 3187
2012 Sky-Dweller
2012 Caliber 9001
2012 Submariner New Case
2012 Deepsea Challenge Prototype
2013 SS GMT-Master blue/black bezel
2013 SS Yacht-Machster II
2013 Platin Daytona
2013 “Stella Dial” Day-Date

Jaap Bakker

July 20th

10:39
Uncategorized

This is what Rolexencyclopedie.nl is about!
by admin

Although the ‘core business’ of this site is vintage Rolex watches, more and more other subjects find there way to publication. In my vision ‘planet Rolex’ has it’s own beauties and things of interest but it is also inhabited by lots of another objects that deserve a place on this site.

Just be patient now because I have to start translating all my Dutch articles so that is going to take some time. But before you know it everything will also be available in English.

Enjoy your time on Rolexencyclopedie.nl!

1969 Rolex Datejust
1940-Italian-Rolex-Reference-3055
6062
6239-1
CY:GMT II adv.
250gto:4491GT:pits
Day6239:valj
DRSD4
Eric-Clapton-BB-King-Riding-With-the-King-Rolex
HSS:FS:artDB
HSS:FS:artDB1
HSS:FS:artDB5
swatch_sistem51_1

July 19th

15:51
Uncategorized

Hello world!
by admin

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

July 19th

12:45
Uncategorized