Audemars Piguet Serial Numbers Guide

Serial numbers are used on every single luxury timepiece. The serial number is unique and only used for one watch by the manufacturer. Think of the serial number as a social security number for watches.

The serial number has numerous purposes on a watch. The first is to help the manufacturer keep track of its watches during production. The other is to make it easier when selling them, as it makes it possible to know exactly which timepiece was sold. Another usage area includes being able to identify a watch if it is stolen or lost. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly in this case, on some watches from some manufacturers, the serial number can be used to identify exactly when a watch was manufactured. And that is exactly what we are going to focus on in this article.

All watch manufacturers have different ways that they use and structure their serial numbers. 

In recent times, more and more watch manufacturers have moved from a serial number system where it is possible to identify when the watch was manufactured, to a system that doesn’t reveal anything (normally so-called random serial numbers). 

Between 1892 and 1975, you can use the serial number of an Audemars Piguet to date when it was manufactured. In this article, you can identify your watch’s serial number format and find the year that matches your watch. If you have a newer, modern watch, it is not possible to look at the serial number and date it. What you can do, however, is go to Audemars Piguet’s website and type in your serial number there. Today, AP uses an electronically activated warranty card, and on the warranty card are instructions on how to activate (or check the activation date) on your warranty. That way, you will be able to know when it was sold, but not when it was manufactured. In some cases, it is difficult to know exactly when an Audemars Piguet was made, but generally, it is possible using the serial numbers blow.

Worth noting about older serial numbers is that the years of production and date of sale can be several years apart.

About AP serial numbers

Audemars Piguet manufactures about 40,000 watches per year. As you will see on the caseback of an AP timepiece, there will be lettering that is used apart from the numbers in the case/serial number. This letter is a so-called sequential number. Each letter is switched after 100,000 watches have been produced. Factoring in AP’s yearly production numbers, it will take about two and a half to three years for the sequential number to change.

Since the Audemars Piguet serial numbers have not been officially released by Audemars Piguet, the information about the years of manufacture for the different letterings can vary. 

This is why you should take the AP series number with a pinch of salt.

Where to find Audemars Piguet serial number

Each Audemars Piguet timepiece has a movement number that is engraved on the manipulate, usually next to the balance wheel. Of course, if the watch has a see-through caseback, it makes things easy, but if it doesn’t and you want to know the caliber number, the caseback needs to be opened.

Furthermore, the watches also have a case number engraved on the outside of the case-back. This is what is also known as the serial number.

Audemars Piguet serial numbers

In the serial number of Audemars Piguet watches is a letter. These letters refer to a particular manufacturing series and also help us date Audemars Piguet watches that are newer than 1975.

Below are the series lettering, as originally posted on Rolexforums:

• A Series – 1972 to 1975
• B Series – 1976 to 1979
• C Series – 1980 to 1986
• D Series – 1987 to 1994
• E Series – 1994 to 2000
• F Series – 2001 to 2007
• G Series – 2008 to 2010
• H Series – 2011 To ~2012
• I Series – ~2013 to ~2015
• J Series – ~2016 to…

 

• 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 – 57014

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

How to authenticate your Audemars Piguet?

The best way to authenticate your Audemars Piguet timepiece is to have it examined by Audemars Piguet. 

Audemars Piguet clearly states on their website that they are not able to authenticate a watch only by looking at pictures, case numbers, references, etc.

If you have your watch examined by AP, they can issue a certificate of authenticity for your timepiece. To do so, you are advised to drop off your timepiece at an Audemars Piguet boutique, repair center or any authorized retailer who will transfer your watch to their office in Le Brassus.

Any other way to authenticate an AP timepiece is not 100% surefire unless you yourself have the required expertise and knowledge to tell a fake AP watch. 

One thing that can help you authenticate your watch is through the warranty card and APs online warranty site. On their website, you can type in your watch’s serial number if it has the electronically activated warranty, and be able to see all the information about your timepiece. If the correct information comes up, it is probably an indication that your watch is authentic. The reason we say probably is that counterfeiters can steal serial/case numbers online and use them for their counterfeit watches. If they find the serial number of an authentic watch, they can manufacture the same model, which thus makes it appear as authentic when searching for it in the AP warranty database.

Note: This article is not meant to be extensive or exhaustive. We try to keep this article as up-to-date as possible. If you find any information that you think is incorrect or outdated, please contact us. Credit to Rolexforums, “Audemars Piguet: Masterpieces of Classical Watchmaking”, Brunner, 1993 & Steltzcowatches for parts of the data.