Rolex warranty guide

Rolex produced a variety of "Garantie" papers throughout the decades, also known as "Guarantee" papers or simply as "Papers." Many collectors like to have the original papers that accompanied the watch at the time of purchase along with whatever bits and pieces that may have come with the watch. Punched papers a prized by collectors as they offer a level of confidence as to the authenticity and date sale and or certification date.

Full sets, as they are sometimes called, are miniature time capsules from eras gone by. They are much rarer than loose watches because paperwork and accessories tended to get lost or separated through moves and changes in ownership.

However, it's Important to keep in mind that Rolex Authorized Dealers in different geographic regions may not have used the same Papers concurrently and watches were sold years after their manufacture, depending local markets. Therefore, all dates herein are all approximations based on date codes and anecdotal information.

Bureaux Suisse Chronometer Certificates

Bureaux Suisses (Swiss Institutes for official Chronometre adjustment tests), a laboratory that was established with help from the Swiss Watch Industry to test and certify watch movements. More commonly known by the French acronym COSC (Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres). The Chronometer certificates that are issued are more also called "COSC Certificates."

The Bureaux Suisses chronometer certificate has three important numbers in the top right corner:

1) Reference number,

2) Case Number, and

3) Movement number (underneath).

Bureaux Suisses Chronometer Certificates (Punched) 4x6 font dimension

Rolex Chronometer Certificate

When first introduced, Submariners were priced lower and considered utilitarian "Tool Watches," and therefore did not warrant the additional effort and expense of getting a Chronometer rating. Movements intended for use in Submariners were rarely submitted for Bureaux Suisses certification. The relatively few that received Chronometer certification were sold at comparatively higher prices. In order to differentiate them from their lower-cost brethren, Rolex printed "Officially Certified Chronometer" on the dial. These are also known as "OCC dials" or "Four Liners." These dial variants are quite difficult to find, but finding one accompanied by its original Chronometer certificate is that much more challenging. Because of their rarity, today, they command a premium to other Submariners in similar condition from the same period.

Rolex changed the wording from "OCC" to "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified," also known as "SCOC Dials" around 1960. Some of the earliest Submariner ref. 5512 and GMT Master ref. 1675 models produced still used the "OCC" nomenclature and are very rare and prized by collectors. By 1963, all Submariner reference 5512 watches had the Chronometer certified 1530 caliber movement and "Four Liner" dials. That same year, Rolex introduced the Submariner reference 5513 with the caliber 1520 movement without the Chronometer certification as a less expensive alternative.

Rolex Daytona references 62xx were not Chronometer certified until the 1970s.

Due to the increasing number of Rolex movements that were being produced, the Bureaux Suisses certificate was replaced with Rolex's own version of the Chronometer certificate circa 1970. The newer certificates allowed Rolex greater productivity by eliminating the cumbersome older handwritten forms.

Punch style 4x6 French certificates

Punch style 4x5 certificates

The Chronometer certificate was accompanied by a separate booklet with the owner's "Guarantee," as discussed in the Guarantees section. By the early 1970s, Rolex replaced the warranty booklets with a larger certificate that combined the "One Year Warranty" or "Garantie" with the "Official Chronometer Certification," further streamlining the paperwork for its watches.

1950 - 1955

1955 - 1966 approx.

Circa 1965 Rolex started using perforating machines to punch holes in the Chronometer Certificates as well as the Guarantee Booklets.

Region-specific Guarantee Papers were also produced for various markets. For example, in the UK, a 36-page booklet was printed in England throughout the 1960s and early 1970s with small variations. The booklet featured the Bexley Rolex Service Center and a Guarantee page to be completed at the dealer inside the cover

1967 - 1970

In 1967, Rolex introduced a 36 page "Guarantee Booklet" that included an 8-panel fold-out form in the center. Per the cover title, this booklet was intended to accompany "Your Rolex Oyster," which applied to all Rolex Sport models except the Daytona references 6239/6241, which did not have an Oyster case at the time. The booklet was mostly used for Chronometer rated watches that were also accompanied by the Bureaux Suisses certificates and the Red Seal hang tag.

Most but not all the booklets were punched with a perforating machine as well as the Chronometer certificates.

1967 - 1972

Around the same time as the introduction of the Guarantee Booklet, Rolex eliminated the Green Foldouts and introduced another smaller booklet consisting of 8-pages. It was clearly intended for use with non-Oyster models such as the Daytona 6239/6241. It was usually completed by hand or typewriter. Although in some instances the case number of the watch was embossed, or even punched, depending on the equipment available to the dealer at the time. Although it has an Oyster case, this booklet was commonly used with the Submariner 5513. This booklet was produced with very minor text revisions over the years until its final version was printed in 1972.

1970

An update to the Oyster Guarantee booklet was incorporated around 1970 wherein the centerfold pages were eliminated altogether and the Guarantee was reduced to a single page in the back of the booklet.

1975-2002

The Chronometer and Garantie papers were updated with a crown border, a design that remained largely unchanged until 2002.

2002-2007

On the threshold of the new millennium, in June 2001, Rolex introduced a guarantee with a modern hologram design (with colored diamonds) where the serial numbers are not perforated but printed and where, for the first time, the name of the owner of the watch appears. With this guarantee model, the Swiss manufacturer has tried to put a further stop to counterfeiting and reconfirm the authenticity of its products.

End of 2007 - 2013

Rolex made update to the paper format to card

Rolex warranties have been activated electronically at the authorized Rolex retailer, but customers have had no way to check information about the watch and its warranty online. Only rolex themselves have access to the information.

The Rolex warranty cards include the following:

1. Name of the authorized retailer (pre-printed by Rolex)

2. Space for the date of sale

3. LC (Land code) – indicating the country of the official retailer

4. Space for the name of the purchaser

5. Reference number (model number

6. Serial number

7. And in some cases, more specific details about the watch such as the dial or bracelet type.

In recent years, Rolex has been stricter about enforcing that authorized retailers do not leave the cards blank – in particular the name. Instead, if the buyer didn’t want their name written on the card, Rolex allowed the retailer to write ”XXX” instead. But this has come to change with the most recent update to the Rolex warranty.

2013 - 2020

Bi-colour, the new Rolex warranty cards do not have:

• Land code

2020 to date

What is most interesting is that the new Rolex warranty cards do not have:

• Name of purchaser

• Name of the authorized retailer (pre-printed by Rolex)

• Land code (already removed with bi-colour model)

• Details about the watch such as the dial or bracelet type.

Rolex Country Codes List

010, 012, 013, 014, 015, 021, 022, 023, 025, 026, 033, 037, 044, 045, 061* Switzerland * 100, 109* Germany * 110, 112, 113 France 119 France/Comex 120, 121, 123, 126, 128 Austria 130 Belgium/Luxe 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138 Netherlands 150 Spain 160 Great Britain 170 Italy 200, 208 Greece 201 Malta 202 Turkey 207 Corfu 213, 217, 218 Portugal 226, 228, 233 Denmark 237 Iceland 265, 267, 270, 271 Sweden 283 Finland 321 Czech Republic 325 Serbia/Monten 400 Hong Kong 413 Korea 430 Singapore/Brunai 431 Malaysia 440 Taiwan 500 India 505 Pakistan 514 Bangladesh 527 Middle East 529, 532 Saudi Arabia 535 Katar 536 Abu Dharbi 537 Dubai 538 Oman 542 Iran 548 Israel 612 Egypt 634 Congo 668 Mombasa 680 South Africa 700 Canada 710 USA 720, 722 Mexico 733 Honduras 741 Bahamas 742 Bermuda 752 Jamaica 757 Antigua/Aruba 758 Virgin Islands 761 Netherl/Antilles 762 Aruba 765 Antigua 766 Saint Martin 767 Grand Cayman 768 Panama 770 Venezuela 780 Brazil 781 Chile 790 Argentina 810 Australia 818 Philippines 828 Taiwan 838 China 842 New Zealand 871 Hawaii 872 Alaska 873 Guam 888 Hong Kong 900 Japan 902, 906 NATO Airbase 907 NATO HQ

Beyond the Time Ltd. is intended for informational purposes only and is in no way sponsored, endorsed,or affiliated with Rolex U.S.A., Rolex S.A. or any other Rolex worldwide subsidiary.