Like many products, watches are furnished with serial numbers and reference numbers. Serial numbers are unique to each watch and can sometimes be used to date the production period. On the other hand, reference numbers (also known as model numbers) denote the specific model, and in some cases, they can also reveal other details such as material, size, color, bracelet type, and so on.
When shopping for high-end watches, it’s important to have a basic understanding of serial numbers and reference numbers. This is especially vital when purchasing pre-owned luxury watches to ensure that what you’re buying is indeed correct. Every brand has a unique system, so here’s a comprehensive guide to understanding Audemars Piguet serial numbers and reference numbers.
Audemars Piguet
Case Numbers
Do you ask yourself, what year is my Audemars Piguet Watch?
Every watch produced by Audemars Piguet features unique case and movement numbers, and the brand keeps a record of these numbers. In fact, you can order an Audemars Piguet Extract of the Archives with the watch’s serial number.
The movement number is engraved on the mainplate of the movement, which can only be seen if the watch has a transparent caseback or if the back of the watch is removed.
Conversely, the AP case number — also known as the Audemars Piguet serial number — is engraved on the outside of the caseback. Since 1972, AP serial numbers start with a letter followed by numbers. This alphanumeric engraving is unique to each Audemars Piguet watch, and letters can estimate when a watch was produced. The serial number can also be found on the warranty certificate or warranty card.
Series Lettering Year of Production
- 1972 to 1975
- A Series
- 1976 to 1979
- B Series
- 1980 to 1986
- C Series
- 1987 to 1994
- D Series
- 1994 to 2000
- E Series
- 2001 to 2007
- F Series
- 2008 to 2010
- G Series
- 2011 to 2012
- H Series
- 2013 to 2015
- I Series
- 2016 to…
- J Series
Audemars Piguet Serial numbers
- 1892
- 4341 – 4505
- 1893
- 4506 – 5196
- 1894
- 5197 – 5436
- 1895
- 5437 – 5620
- 1896
- 5621 – 5773
- 1897
- 5774 – 5990
- 1898
- 5991 – 6104
- 1899
- 6105 – 6294
- 1900
- 6295 – 6724
- 1901
- 6725 – 6933
- 1902
- 6934 – 7892
- 1903
- 7893 – 8717
- 1904
- 8718 – 9511
- 1905
- 9512 – 10219
- 1906
- 10220 – 11575
- 1907
- 11576 – 11825
- 1908
- 11826 – 12630
- 1909
- 12631 – 12851
- 1910
- 12852 – 13762
- 1911
- 13763 – 14735
- 1912
- 14736 – 15589
- 1913
- 15590 – 16675
- 1914
- 16676 – 16930
- 1915
- 16931 – 17725
- 1916
- 17726 – 19524
- 1917
- 19525 – 20915
- 1918
- 20916 – 22925
- 1919
- 22926 – 24804
- 1920
- 24805 – 27584
- 1921
- 27585 – 28820
- 1922
- 28821 – 29704
- 1923
- 29705 – 30673
- 1924
- 30674 – 32713
- 1925
- 32714 – 34505
- 1926
- 34506 – 36849
- 1927
- 36850 – 38576
- 1928
- 38577 – 39844
- 1929
- 39845 – 41577
- 1930
- 41578 – 42531
- 1931
- 42532 – 42585
- 1932
- 42586 – 42587
- 1933
- 42588 – 42626
- 1934
- 42627 – 42659
- 1935
- 42660 – 42776
- 1936
- 42777 – 42874
- 1937
- 42875 – 43785
- 1938
- 43786 – 43950
- 1939
- 43951 – 44647
- 1940
- 44648 – 44935
- 1941
- 44936 – 45655
- 1942
- 45656 – 46551
- 1943
- 46552 – 47541
- 1944
- 47542 – 47949
- 1945
- 47950 – 49595
- 1946
- 49596 – 51613
- 1947
- 51614 – 53517
- 1948
- 53518 – 55550
- 1949
- 55551 – 56704
- 1950
-
- 56705 – 56716
- 56758 – 56811
- 56842 – 56877
- 56889 – 56906
- 56925 – 57014
- 9/10 RS L.E.P.
- 56717 – 56734
- 56747 – 56756
- 568121 – 56841
- 56883 – 56888
- 9/10″ RSQ L.E.P.
- 56735 – 56746
- 7″ RBG
- 56757
- 56878 – 56882
- 56907 – 56924
- 1951
-
- 9″ ML
- 57015 – 57050
- 57093 – 57188
- 57289 – 57408
- 9/10″ RS
- 57051 – 57092
- VZ SSE VALJOUX
- 57189 – 57288
- 6/7″ R L.E.P.
- 1952
-
- 13″ VZSS VALJOUX
- 57457 – 57534
- VZSSC
- 57535 – 57556
- VALJOUX
- 61000 – 61099
- 9/10″ RS
- 57557 – 57616
- 57641 – 57700
- 57754 – 57813
- 57874 – 57909
- 61155 – 61187
- 9″ ML
- 57617 – 57640
- 57701 – 57722
- 57724 – 57753
- 57814 – 57873
- 57916 – 57963
- 57982 – 57999
- 61101 – 61154
- 61188 – 61247
- 8″ MN 15/12 LeC
- 57723
- 17 JVEB LeC
- 57910 – 57915
- 61249 – 61254
- GHSMD LeC
- 61248
- 61256 – 61263
- 6/7
- 57964 – 57981
- 7JNN LeC
- 61100
- 7, 5/12 Ch. P.
- 61255
- 10 TS LEP
- 61264 – 61343
- 6/7
- 61344 – 61395
- 1953
-
- 2001 LeC
- 58000 – 58699
- 2002 LeC
- 59500 – 59699
- 2003 LeC
- 60000 – 61149
- 2499 LeC
- 61396 – 61595
- 9″ ML
- 61896 – 61955
- 62456 – 62485
- 62616 – 62645
- 62747 – 62776
- 62842 – 62931
- 63083 – 63112
- 63213 – 63242
- 63247 – 63276
- 17″ JVEB
- 63243 – 63246
- 2498 LeC
- 61956 – 62055
- 13″ VZSS
- 62486 – 62615
- 63277 – 63376
- VZSSC
- 62932 – 63081
- 62647 – 62746
- 10″ TS
- 62777 – 62841
- 18″ LEP
- 63549 – 63552
- 7″ JNN
- 62646
- 8/9 JN
- 63082
- 1954
-
- 2001 LeC
- 58700 – 59199
- 2003 LeC
- 60150 – 60649
- 2005 LeC
- 63113 – 63212
- 9 ML
- 63489 – 63548
- VZSSC
- 63553 – 63652
- 6/7 LEP
- 63747 – 63800
- 9″ L 406
- 63703 – 63712
- 1955
-
- 2001 LeC
- 59200 – 59499
- 64811 – 64910
- 65011 – 65110
- 2002 LeC
- 59700 – 59799
- 2003 LeC
- 60650 – 60999
- 63801 – 64400
- 2499 LeC
- 61596 – 61695
- 2498 LeC
- 62056 – 62155
- JVEB
- 65811 – 65822
- VZSS
- 66138 – 66184
- JVB
- 65823 – 65834
- VZSSQP
- 66135 – 66137
- VZSSC
- 66185 – 66234
- JVEB
- 64805 – 64810
- 1956
-
- 2002 LeC
- 53800 – 59899
- 2499 LeC
- 61696 – 61795
- 2498 LeC
- 62156 – 62255
- 2003
- 64401 – 64800
- 66241 – 67240
- 2001
- 64911 – 65010
- 65111 – 65320
- 2005
- 65835 – 65934
- ISMCCR VQ
- 66235 – 66236
- 16″ JVB
- 67241 – 67246
- 67347 – 67350
- VZSS
- 67247 – 67346
- 7 R LeC
- 69151 – 69250
- VZSSC
- 69251 – 69350
- JVEB LeC
- 69351 – 69360
- 1957
-
- 2002 LeC
- 59900 – 59999
- 69361 – 69460
- 2499 LeC
- 61796 – 61895
- 2498 LeC
- 62256 – 62355
- 2001 LeC
- 65321 – 65410
- 71871 – 71970
- 65411 – 65810
- 2005 LeC
- 65935 – 66134
- 2003 LeC
- 67351 – 68350
- 69861 – 70260
- 2499
- 68651 – 68750
- VZSS
- 72971 – 73010
- 73017 – 73020
- VZSSQP
- 73011 – 73016
- 1958
-
- 2498 LeC
- 62356 – 62405
- 62416 – 62455
- TOURBILLON
- 64803
- 13-JMV
- 64804
- 6/7 LeC
- 64801 – 64802
- 2005 LeC
- 68351 – 68550
- 2499 LeC
- 68751 – 68850
- 2002 LeC
- 69461 – 69560
- 2003 LeC
- 70261 – 71970
- 73671 – 73770
- 2001 LeC
- 71971 – 72370
- 7″ 2420 C
- 72871 – 72970
- VZSSE
- 73571 – 73670
- 1959
-
- JVEB LeC
- 66237 – 66240
- 2005 LeC
- 68551 – 68650
- 2001 LeC
- 72371 – 72770
- 2003 LeC
- 73771 – 74670
- 75671 – 76370
- 2070 LeC
- 74671 – 74770
- 2071 LeC
- 75171 – 75270
- VZSSC
- 80071 – 80170
- 1960
-
- 2002 LeC
- 69561 – 69760
- 2001 LeC
- 72771 – 72870
- 2071 LeC
- 75271 – 75470
- 2003 LeC
- 76371 – 76670
- 76671 – 78670
- 78971 – 79670
- 2001 LeC
- 76671 – 77270
- 2005 LeC
- 78671 – 78770
- 2426 LeC
- 79971 – 80070
- 1961
-
- 2002 LeC
- 69761 – 69860
- 2070 LeC
- 74771 – 74810
- 2071 LeC
- 75471 – 75670
- 2001 LeC
- 77271 – 77670
- 2005 LeC
- 78771 – 78970
- 2003 LeC
- 79671 – 79970
- 81401 – 82300
- 80171 – 81170
- 2001 LeC
- 82401 – 82700
- 2426 LeC
- 85101 – 85200
- 81301 – 81400
- 2072 LeC
- 85701 – 85800
- 2071 LeC
- 85801 – 85900
- 2050 LeC
- 81101 – 81300
- 1962
-
- 2003 LeC
- 82301 – 82400
- 83801 – 84800
- 86901 – 88500
- 2001 LeC
- 82701 – 83300
- 2005 LeC
- 84801 – 85000
- 2002 LeC
- 85201 – 85300
- 2050 LeC
- 86601 – 86900
- 88901 – 89000
- 2426 LeC
- 91401 – 91500
- 1963
-
- 2001
- 83301 – 83400
- 93701 – 94100
- 93501 – 93600
- 2005
- 85001 – 85100
- 2071
- 85901 – 86000
- 2072
- 86311 – 86500
- 2003
- 88501 – 88900
- 90201 – 91100
- 89401 – 89900
- 2050 LeC
- 89001 – 89100
- JVEB
- 73081 – 73083
- 1964
-
- 2072
- 86501 – 86600
- 94801 – 95100
- 2050
- 89101 – 89400
- 2003
- 89901 – 90200
- 91101 – 91400
- 91501 – 91700
- 91801 – 92700
- 2001
- 93601 – 93700
- 94101 – 94400
- 2005
- 94501 – 94700
- 2050
- 95601 – 95700
- 18/12 LEP
- 73084
- 1965
-
- 2071
- 86001 – 86100
- 2003
- 91701 – 91800
- 96711 – 97510
- 92701 – 93500
- 2001
- 94401 – 94500
- 2005
- 94701 – 94800
- 2001
- 95101 – 95400
- 2050
- 95701 – 96100
- 98711 – 98910
- 2005
- 96401 – 96600
- 2072
- 96101 – 96200
- JSMCCRVQ
- 99211
- 1966
-
- 2002
- 85301 – 85400
- 2001
- 95401 – 95600
- 99621 – 99920
- 2005
- 96601 – 96700
- 99221 – 99420
- 2003
- 97511 – 98710
- 100621 – 101320
- 2050
- 98911 – 99210
- 100121 – 100520
- JSMCCRVQ
- 99212
- 17″‘ IW
- 102621 – 102640
- 1967
-
- 2072
- 96201 – 96400
- 2005
- 99421 – 99620
- 2001
- 99921 – 100120
- 103641 – 103740
- 2050
- 100521 – 100620
- 104141 – 104740
- 2003
- 101321 – 102620
- 105171 – 105570
- 17″‘
- 102621 – 102600
- 2120
- 102641 – 103540
- 107271 – 107370
- 17″‘
- 105141 – 105170
- 1968
-
- 2002
- 85401 – 85500
- 2001
- 103741 – 104040
- 2050
- 104741 – 105140
- 108671 – 109070
- 2003
- 105571 – 107070
- 2423
- 107171 – 107270
- 2120
- 107371 – 108670
- 109671 – 109870
- 2005
- 110201 – 110300
- 1969
-
- 2002
- 85501 – 85700
- 2001
- 104041 – 104140
- 111501 – 111800
- 2003
- 107071 – 107170
- 110501 – 111500
- 113001 – 114000
- 2050
- 109071 – 109670
- 115301 – 116000
- 2120
- 109871 – 110170
- 112001 – 112500
- 116501 – 116700
- 2005
- 110301 – 110400
- 116301 – 116400
- 1970
-
- 2001
- 130901 – 131100
- 111801 – 112000
- 120502 – 120800
- 124581 – 124680
- 2120
- 112501 – 113000
- 115701 – 117200
- 122881 – 123080
- 125601 – 125700
- 2003
- 114001 – 114900
- 118201 – 118700
- 120001 – 120200
- 120826 – 120875
- 2050
- 116001 – 116300
- 117201 – 118200
- 123281 – 123380
- 123781 – 123880
- 2430
- 112401 – 116500
- 2002
- 120201 – 120400
- 2121
- 120801 – 120812
- 120881 – 121780
- 127001 – 127100
- 13″‘ 77
- 120821 – 120825
- 8/9 JN
- 125081 – 125180
- JSMCCRVQ
- 120876 – 120878
- 1971
-
- 2001
- 131101 – 131400
- 124481 – 124580
- 124681 – 125080
- 2003
- 118701 – 120000
- 128901 – 129300
- 2002
- 120401 – 120500
- 2121
- 121781 – 122880
- 126901 – 127000
- 127101 – 127200
- 2120
- 123081 – 123280
- 125301 – 125600
- 125701 – 126100
- 2050
- 123381 – 123780
- 123881 – 124080
- 17″‘ 5017
- 125181 – 125212
- 2430
- 126301 – 126600
- 126601 – 126800
- JSMCCRVQ
- 120879 – 120880
- 1972
-
- 8/9 JN
- 110171 – 110172
- 2003
- 129906 – 130900
- 2001
- 131401 – 131500
- 2050
- 131501 – 131600
- 2001
- 132501 – 133100
- 2120
- 1331012 – 133600
- 2002
- 134201 – 134400
- 5017
- 134401 – 134500
- 2003
- 134501 – 134600
- 2001
- 134601 – 135600
- 2120
- 135601 – 136100
- 2001
- 139101 – 139400
- 2050
- 124081 – 124280
- 2120
- 126101 – 126300
- 2121
- 127201 – 128400
- 2003
- 129300 – 130900
- 17″‘ JSMCCRVQ
- 120816 – 120817
- 17″‘ JSMV
- 120824 – 120825
- 1973
-
- 2050
- 131601 – 132500
- 2003
- 135101 – 137200
- 2001
- 137201 – 138100
- 2120
- 138101 – 138600
- 2121
- 138601 – 139100
- 2001
- 139401 – 141100
- 2121
- 141101 – 142700
- 2002
- 142701 – 142800
- 2001
- 142801 – 143300
- 2002
- 144101 – 144200
- 2050
- 144201 – 144300
- 2121
- 145301 – 145500
- 2120
- 147901 – 148000
- 2003
- 154101 – 154200
- 2121
- 128401 – 128900
- 17″‘ JSMCCRVQ
- 120818
- 1974
-
- 2001
- 143301 – 144100
- 2050
- 144301 – 145300
- 2121
- 145501 – 147900
- 2120
- 148001 – 149400
- 2001
- 149401 – 151300
- 2510
- 153501 – 153565
- 153581 – 153600
- 5017
- 154001 – 154100
- 2003
- 154201 – 156200
- 2120
- 156201 – 156700
- 2121
- 158001 – 158100
- 159301 – 159600
- 2003
- 160301 – 161000
- 5017
- 164401 – 164500
- 2050
- 164501 – 164900
- 1975
-
- 2001
- 151301 – 153300
- 2002
- 153301 – 153500
- 2510
- 153567 – 153578
- 153601 – 153750
- 2120
- 156701 – 157800
- 2121
- 158101 – 159300
- 159601 – 160100
- 2003
- 161001 – 163300
- 2050
- 164901 – 165100
- 2052
- 165101 – 165800
- 2001
- 166601 – 167600
- 2003
- 170801 – 170900
- 2430
- 126801 – 126900
- 5017
- 175401 – 175416
- 175481 – 175500
Audemars Piguet Reference Numbers
The complete reference number of an AP watch not only tells you the specific model (for example a Royal Oak or a Millenary) but also includes material, collection, and dial codes.
An Audemars Piguet reference number is typically structured like this: #####XX.XX.####XX.## where # represents a number and X represents a letter. For example, 15400ST.OO.1220ST.02.
The first numbers are the model number followed by letters that denote the case material. The most common letters you’ll find in Audemars Piguet reference numbers are as follows:
- BA – Yellow Gold
- BC – White Gold
- CB – White Ceramic
- CE – Black Ceramic
- IO – Titanium and Ceramic
- OR – Rose Gold
- PT – Platinum
- RO – Rose Gold and Ceramic
- SA – Steel and Yellow Gold
- SO – Steel and Ceramic
- SR – Steel and Rose Gold
- ST – Stainless Steel
- TI – Titanium
The next pair of letters in the AP reference number is the bezel code. The most common bezel codes in Audemars Piguet reference numbers are as follows:
- OO – Smooth Bezel
- ZZ – Diamond-Set Bezel
- YG/YY – Colored Gemstone-Set Bezel
- GG – Frosted (Hammered) Gold Bezel
- CA – Rubber Strap
- CR – Leather Strap
- KB – Rubber-Coated Strap
- VE – Calfskin Strap
Finally, the last two numbers in an Audemars Piguet reference number is a dial code, which is different for each model.
While the entire AP reference number is composed of 17 digits, each model is often referred to only by the first set of alphanumeric codes. For example, ref. 15400ST, ref. 26420SO, and ref. 15210BC.
Audemars Piguet reference numbers are not engraved on the watch, but you can usually find them on the watch’s accompanying paperwork.