An Audemars Piguet serial number, which AP officially calls the case number, identifies the individual watch, while a separate movement number identifies the caliber inside. Unlike some brands, Audemars Piguet has never published a public serial-to-year chart, and since 2017 both numbers are randomised, so a serial alone will not give you a production year. What it does do is identify the watch, confirm the case and movement belong together, and open the door to the one definitive record: AP’s Extract of the Archives. Enter a number below to see what you are looking at, then read on to decode reference numbers, materials and models. Every Audemars Piguet that Goldbro Timepieces sells is authenticated in house before it changes hands.
Enter a case (serial) number, a movement number, or a full reference number. The tool tells you which one it is and what it reveals.
On this page
- The two numbers on an AP: case and movement
- Where to find the numbers
- Can you date an AP by its serial number?
- Decode the reference number
- Material codes
- Model index by reference
- The Extract of the Archives
- Serial numbers and authenticity
- Frequently asked questions
The two numbers on an Audemars Piguet: case and movement
Every Audemars Piguet carries two engraved numbers, and understanding the difference is the foundation of reading any AP. The case number is what AP officially calls the serial; the movement number identifies the caliber. On a genuine watch the two are recorded together in AP’s archive, so they must be period-correct relative to each other.
| Number | What it identifies | Where it is |
|---|---|---|
| Case number (serial) | The individual watch case | Caseback, or between the lugs at 6 o’clock, depending on era and model |
| Movement number | The caliber inside | On the movement baseplate or a bridge; needs a display caseback or the case opened |
| Reference number | The model, materials and dial | Paperwork, caseback, or between the lugs |
A point of AP history worth knowing: for the brand’s first 75 years, until about 1951, the case number and movement number were identical, because each movement was made for one specific case. From 1951 AP separated the case number, starting it again at 101, while movement numbers continued their long sequence from 2000 in 1882.
Where to find the numbers on your AP
The location of the case number depends on the model and the era, which is itself a dating clue. This table covers the common cases.
| Model | Era | Case number location |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Oak | Before 2002 | Caseback |
| Royal Oak | 2002 onward | Side of the case at 6 o’clock |
| Royal Oak Offshore | Before 2008 | Caseback |
| Royal Oak Offshore | 2008 onward | Side of the case at 6 o’clock |
| Millenary | All years | Caseback |
| Jules Audemars | All years | Caseback |
| Code 11.59 | All years | Caseback / between lugs |
The movement number sits on the caliber itself. On the many AP models with a sapphire display caseback you can read it directly; on a closed caseback it is visible only with the case opened, which is a job for a watchmaker and is normally done at service or authentication. If a case number is placed where it should not be for the claimed era, for example an exterior serial on a watch presented as a mid-1980s Royal Oak, that inconsistency is a warning sign.
Can you date an Audemars Piguet by its serial number?
Not from a public chart, and not at all for watches made from 2017 onward. Audemars Piguet has never released production records to the public the way some brands’ collector communities have reconstructed serial charts, and AP produces relatively few watches, roughly 40,000 a year, so no reliable public serial-to-year table exists. From 2017, AP randomised both case and movement numbers specifically so that no outside party can generate or read a plausible number, which also means they encode no date.
What this means in practice: for any AP, the reliable ways to establish the year are the warranty card and papers, the reference’s known production window, and above all the Extract of the Archives, which is covered below. Goldbro reads all of these together when dating and authenticating a watch.
How to decode an Audemars Piguet reference number
An AP reference number looks complex but each part carries meaning. Take the Royal Oak 15202ST.OO.1240ST.01. It breaks into four parts:
- 15202 — the model code (Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin, 39mm)
- ST — the case material (stainless steel)
- OO — a fixed separator AP uses in the reference
- 1240ST — the bracelet or strap reference, with ST marking a steel bracelet
- 01 — the dial variation (here, the classic blue dial)
The first two digits of the model code place the collection: 15xxx is Royal Oak Selfwinding and time-and-date, 26xxx is Royal Oak Offshore and chronographs, and newer families such as Code 11.59 use their own ranges. For integrated-bracelet models the bracelet material code usually matches the case material.
Audemars Piguet material codes
The two letters after the model code tell you the case metal. This is the full set AP uses.
| Code | Material |
|---|---|
| ST | Stainless steel |
| TI | Titanium |
| BA | Yellow gold |
| BC | White gold |
| OR | Rose gold (pink gold) |
| PT | Platinum |
| SA | Steel and yellow gold |
| SR | Steel and rose gold |
| SO | Steel and ceramic |
| CB | White ceramic |
| CE | Black ceramic |
| CD | Blue ceramic |
| CM | Brown ceramic |
| RO | Rose gold and ceramic |
| IO | Titanium and ceramic |
| SG | Sand gold |
Audemars Piguet model index by reference
Match a model code to the model, size and era. This index covers the references collectors search most across the Royal Oak, Royal Oak Offshore and Code 11.59 families. Goldbro sources and stocks across these lines; browse the Audemars Piguet collection or have a specific reference sourced.
Royal Oak
| Model code | Model | Era |
|---|---|---|
| 5402 | Royal Oak “A-Series”, the original 39mm Jumbo | 1972 onward |
| 14790 | Royal Oak 36mm | 1992–2005 |
| 15202 | Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin, 39mm | 2012–2022 |
| 16202 | Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin, 39mm, 50th-anniversary | 2022 onward |
| 15300 | Royal Oak Selfwinding, 39mm | 2005–2012 |
| 15400 | Royal Oak Selfwinding, 41mm | 2012–2017 |
| 15500 | Royal Oak Selfwinding, 41mm | 2019–2022 |
| 15510 | Royal Oak Selfwinding, 41mm (current) | 2022 onward |
| 15450 | Royal Oak Selfwinding, 37mm | 2013–2021 |
| 15550 | Royal Oak Selfwinding, 37mm (current) | 2021 onward |
| 77350 / 77450 | Royal Oak Selfwinding, 34mm | Current |
| 26240 / 26331 | Royal Oak Chronograph, 41mm / 38mm | Current and recent |
Royal Oak Offshore
| Model code | Model | Era |
|---|---|---|
| 25721 | Royal Oak Offshore “The Beast”, the original 1993 Offshore | 1993 onward |
| 26470 | Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph, 42mm | 2014–2021 |
| 26420 | Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph, 43mm | Current |
| 15710 | Royal Oak Offshore Diver, 42mm | 2010–2021 |
| 15720 | Royal Oak Offshore Diver, 42mm (current) | 2021 onward |
| 26237 | Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph, 43mm | Recent |
Code 11.59
| Model code | Model | Era |
|---|---|---|
| 15210 | Code 11.59 Selfwinding, 41mm | 2019 onward |
| 26393 | Code 11.59 Selfwinding Chronograph, 41mm | 2019 onward |
| 15212 | Code 11.59 Selfwinding, 41mm (current generation) | Recent |
Model references current to the 2026 catalogue and recent discontinuations. AP revises the range regularly, so treat the newest entries as a snapshot. See what Goldbro has in stock.
The Extract of the Archives: AP’s definitive record
Because no public chart can date an Audemars Piguet, the authoritative source is the brand itself. An Extract of the Archives is an official document that Audemars Piguet issues against a specific case and movement number, drawn from the production registers AP has kept since 1882. It confirms the production year, the reference, the caliber and the original configuration, and it is the strongest piece of provenance an AP can carry short of its original papers.
The Extract is requested from Audemars Piguet using the case and movement numbers together, which is one more reason both numbers matter. For a watch being bought, sold or valued, an Extract removes doubt about date and originality. Goldbro can guide you through requesting one and reads it alongside the watch during authentication. Arrange a private appointment.
Serial numbers and authenticity on an Audemars Piguet
A serial number alone cannot authenticate an Audemars Piguet, because a number can be copied. What authenticates an AP is the whole watch read together, and the serial is where that reading starts. These are the markers that matter.
Engraving quality
Genuine AP case and movement engravings are clean, sharp and evenly cut. Counterfeit engravings often look shallow, smudged, uneven or slightly soft. A serial that is poorly struck is an immediate warning sign on a brand finished to this level.
Case and movement numbers agree
Because AP records the case and movement numbers together, a genuine watch has two numbers that are period-correct relative to each other. A movement number that belongs to a different era than the case, or a serial located where it should not be for the model’s production years, points to a replaced part or a put-together watch.
Finishing is the real tell
Audemars Piguet is defined by its hand finishing: the alternating brushed and polished surfaces of a Royal Oak case and bracelet, the black-polished AP logo on the dial that catches the light from certain angles, and the decoration of the movement seen through the caseback. Counterfeits rarely reproduce this finishing convincingly. When the numbers check out but the finishing looks flat or imprecise, the finishing is the more reliable signal.
The complete check reads the serial, reference, case finishing, dial execution, movement and documentation as one. That is what Goldbro does in house before buying, selling or valuing any Audemars Piguet.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the serial number on an Audemars Piguet?
AP calls the serial the case number. On a Royal Oak made from 2002 it is on the side of the case at 6 o’clock; on earlier Royal Oaks and on models such as the Millenary and Jules Audemars it is on the caseback. A separate movement number is engraved on the caliber itself.
Can I date my Audemars Piguet from its serial number?
Not from a public chart. AP has never released production records publicly, and from 2017 the numbers are randomised. The reliable ways to date an AP are the warranty card, the reference’s production window, and an official Extract of the Archives.
What is the difference between the case number and the movement number?
The case number, which AP calls the serial, identifies the individual watch case. The movement number identifies the caliber inside. AP records both together, so on a genuine watch they must be period-correct relative to each other.
What is an Extract of the Archives?
It is an official document issued by Audemars Piguet, based on its production registers, that confirms a watch’s production year, reference, caliber and original configuration against its case and movement numbers. It is the definitive record for dating and provenance.
How do I read an Audemars Piguet reference number?
A reference such as 15202ST.OO.1240ST.01 breaks down as model code (15202), case material (ST, steel), a fixed OO separator, bracelet reference and material (1240ST), and dial variation (01). The first two digits of the model code identify the collection.
What does ST mean on an Audemars Piguet?
ST is the material code for stainless steel. Other common codes include OR for rose gold, BC for white gold, PT for platinum, TI for titanium and CE for black ceramic. The full list is in the material-codes table above.
Can a serial number prove my AP is genuine?
No. A number can be copied, so a serial alone cannot authenticate a watch. Authentication reads the serial, reference, case finishing, dial, movement and papers together. AP’s hand finishing is one of the hardest things for a counterfeit to reproduce.
Why are modern AP serial numbers randomised?
From 2017, Audemars Piguet randomised case and movement numbers so that no outside party can generate a plausible-looking number, which makes counterfeiting harder. The trade-off is that the numbers no longer encode a production date.
Have an Audemars Piguet identified, authenticated or valued
Goldbro Timepieces authenticates, identifies and values Audemars Piguet watches for collectors in Las Vegas, NV and nationwide, by private appointment. Send the case and movement numbers for a starting read, bring a piece in for a full in-house assessment, or tell us the reference you are hunting and we will source it. If you are selling, send the reference, condition and papers for a real figure. Sell or trade an Audemars Piguet · Source a watch · Browse the AP collection · Arrange a private viewing.
Goldbro Timepieces is an independent curator and reseller of Swiss watches, based in Las Vegas, NV, working with collectors by private appointment. We are not an authorized dealer for Audemars Piguet or any brand we carry. Audemars Piguet, Royal Oak, Royal Oak Offshore and Code 11.59 are trademarks of Audemars Piguet, used here for identification and reference only. Production details on this page are compiled from published collector references and are not official Audemars Piguet data; the definitive record for any watch is AP’s Extract of the Archives.