This page contains INSTRUCTIONS for using the serial number look-up tables that are found on many of our watch company history pages. The example below uses information from the American Waltham Watch Company, but that is just an example. You should consult the serial number table for the specific brand of watch movement you are trying to date by selecting a company from the menu on the left.
Instructions for using our serial number look-up tables
Cartier Serial Number Database Download
Not all vintage watches can be dated using the serial number. Some American watch brands did not use a consistent series of serial numbers, but most of the big manufacturers did. Most vintage Swiss pocket watches did NOT have serial numbers and can't be dated by this method.
Can't find YOUR exact serial number in our lookup tables?
Many watch companies made hundreds of thousands of watches, and some companies made millions of watches! It would be impractical to list the individual serial numbers of EVERY watch made... that would make some really long pages! Our serial number tables list RANGES of serial numbers. So to determine when your watch was manufactured, you will need to find where your serial number fits within the range of numbers.
Serial number look-up example:
Rings with the 52833A serial numbers and the word Love on the sides are the easy to spot fakes. That serial number is used repeatedly. You can buy them for about $20 more or less. They are probably made of titanium not gold. Check the side of the face of the watch for an engraved serial number. Cartier watches are all professionally engraved with a serial number on the side. If the engraving looks poorly done, you probably have a fake. Omega is another example of a watch that puts the watch model number inside of the case. Omega watches do have a serial on the outside of the case however, that will search in Omega’s database and correspond with a model number. This database only dates back to certain period so anything vintage or retro might not search. So to determine when your watch was manufactured, you will need to find where your serial number fits within the range of numbers. Serial number look-up example: Let's say you have a Waltham watch with serial number 21,607,210 as shown in the photo below. Note that we're using the serial number from the watch movement, not from the watch case.
Let's say you have a Waltham watch with serial number 21,607,210 as shown in the photo below. Note that we're using the serial number from the watch movement, not from the watch case. Looking at the table of Waltham serial numbers (see example below), you can see that number 20,900,000 was made in 1917 and 21,800,000 was made in 1918 (marked in red in the table below). Since your serial number falls between those two numbers, you know that your watch was made in 1917 or 1918.
Not sure which serial number to use?![]()
You must use the serial number from the MOVEMENT of the watch... the working part with the wheels and gears... not the serial number from the watch case. Cases and watches were often made by different companies and each usually has its own serial number. You usually have to take the back off the watch case to see the movement serial number which may appear anywhere on the watch movement.
Use the movement serial number. Do NOT use the case serial number!
Cartier Serial Number Database
This is an example using the Waltham serial number table. Be sure to use the table that is specific
to YOUR brand of watch when looking up your serial number. Cartier 750 Ring Serial Numbers
Be sure to use the serial number on the watch movement (the mechanism).
Do not use the serial number from the watch case. Comments are closed.
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