Swarovski serialnumbers changed (1 Viewer)

[jan van daalen]

Effective september 1 2020 the ## are starting with 10.
Just add 10 to get to the year of production.
So today an EL 10x42 with ## KD1010130A came in and AFAIK (and been told) just the two first digits count.

Jan

 

[PeterPS]

Effective september 1 2020 the ## are starting with 10.
Just add 10 to get to the year of production.
So today an EL 10x42 with ## KD1010130A came in and AFAIK (and been told) just the two first digits count.

Jan

Thanks, Jan, very useful info. I can understand why they decided to not use digits 3 and 4 for the week (they need those two digits for the serial number itself), but I am not sure why they have changed the rule for the year of production. In particular why not indicate the year directly, such as KD20xxxxxA? Btw, I seem to remember that the letter at the end of the SN has a certain meaning, do you know what it indicates?

 

[jan van daalen]

Thanks, Jan, very useful info. I can understand why they decided to not use digits 3 and 4 for the week (they need those two digits for the serial number itself), but I am not sure why they have changed the rule for the year of production. In particular why not indicate the year directly, such as KD20xxxxxA? Btw, I seem to remember that the letter at the end of the SN has a certain meaning, do you know what it indicates?

Hi Peter,

I really wouldn't know.
The ATX ocular module has HA---A, the EL10x42 KD---A and the EL8x32 has FD---A.

I'll ask around, but I'm sure our friend Down Under will have all the answers soon.

Jan

 

[John A Roberts]

Hi Jan,

Well that’s an interesting development, though not necessarily a totally unexpected one . . .

As I’ve noted before, the main form of dating that specified both the year and week of manufacture seemed to create unnecessary anxiety for some intending purchasers
And it must have on occasion been a nuisance for retailers: along the lines of ‘Hey this one’s 2 (or 4 or 6 or whatever) months old. Can’t you get me a new one?

Also, from September 1991 Swarovski used 2 forms of numbering (as explained below)

And finally, a modification - and limitation - to the consecutive numbering component was introduced in 2011 (again see below)


So revising the pattern of the numbering is an opportunity to address the above

- - - -

I’ve previously posted in detail about Swarovski’s current numbering practices - at least as they were until the the end of August 2020
So rather than going into a lot of detail, I’ll attempt to provide just enough information to make sense of the new numbering


History
Alpha-Numeric numbering (as opposed to purely numeric numbering) was:
• Introduced in 1985 on a limited basis, in various forms
• From January 1991 adopted on all product lines in the form of A+7 (one letter followed by 7 digits), and
• From September 1991 changed to A+9, and an alternative form of AA+7 was added


Previous Alpha-Numeric Components
Swarovski includes various types of information in it’s serial numbering

All A-N numbering has a minimum of 3 components:
- a product or product line identifier (a letter)
- a dating component (it always identifies the year of production, and often also the week of the year), and
- a sequential number component

Additionally, since October 2011 there’s been a 4th component:
- the use of limited number ranges depending on the product type
There were 3 different ones for binoculars and 1 each for hand held electronics, telescopes and telescopic sights
e.g. from 40,000 to 49,999 for full size roof prism binoculars and from 20,000 to 29,999 for telescopes
The ranges distinguished between different product types that had the same starting letter e.g. 'A' was used for both Habicht CF Porro binoculars and NL x42 roof prism ones

Finally, the alternate form of AA+7 was used to distinguish:
- units made in Austria but assemble by SONA/ Swarovski Optik North America (which to date have been certain lines of telscopic sights), and
- units where during servicing SONA replaced the part with the original serial number


Now after 29 years, from September 2020 there is a new form of numbering: AA+7+A


New Numbering - Examples
Jan has provided the following examples (I asked him to send me the full details of the other 2 units on hand):
• EL 10x42: KD10 10130A (vs K9007 47700: dating from February - the 7th week; of 2020 - add 1930; and being the 7,700th unit in a sequence starting from 40,000)

• EL 8x32: FD10 10121A (vs F8910 40146: with a unit sequence also starting from 40,000)

• ATX module: HA10 10198A (vs H9009 28906: with a unit sequence starting from 20,000)


Likely Construction? - ‘PTyy nnnnnL’
So taking into account what Swarovski wants to accomplish with it’s serial numbering - and on the basis of the information available at this stage -
it seems likely the numbering pattern is as follows:

P = product/ product line (the same as was previously used e.g. K for EL x42, F for EL x32, and H for X series telescope modules)

T = type of product (the use of a letter instead of a restricted number range e.g. now D for full size roof prism binoculars and A for telescopes)

yy = year of production (add 2010)

nnnnn = consecutive number (likely an unrestricted sequence from 10,000 on)

L = location of manufacture, or assembly or numbered component replacement (A for Absam/ Austria, and another letter or letters for SONA)


Things should rapidly become more certain when we see serial numbers for other products


John

 

[PeterPS]

Hi Jan,
I have seen an NL 8x42 whose serial number was A90xxxxx, so still the old rule of adding 30. Any idea why the new SN style that you mentioned was not used in this case? Maybe because the binos were produced prior to the introduction of the new rule on Sept 1st?
Peter

 

[jan van daalen]

Hi Jan,
I have seen an NL 8x42 whose serial number was A90xxxxx, so still the old rule of adding 30. Any idea why the new SN style that you mentioned was not used in this case? Maybe because the binos were produced prior to the introduction of the new rule on Sept 1st?
Peter

Hi Peter,

I think you answered your own question.

Jan

 

[John A Roberts]

And visual verification of Jan's information about the new numbering . . .

It's the first example that I've seen, and is from a current eBay listing by javp786
It shows an EL 10x42 box label for unit #KD10 10772A

- - - -

This is the revised ‘Legend’ version of the EL x42 that was introduced in conjunction with the NL x42 models
The x42 Legend has an increased minimum focus distance of 3.3 m (10.8 ft) compared to the earlier 1.5 m (4.9 ft)

The change to the 10x42 version is from unit #K9027 48841. So from mid-July (the 27th week) of 2020 (90 + 1930)
See Jan’s final comment at: https://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=4030167&postcount=6

- - - -

Interestingly the new Legend model has the same EAN and UPC as the previous FieldPro version
See the label of a 10x42 FieldPro unit from October (the 44th week) 2018 (88 + 1930), from a listing by sa.marsa

The implication is that Swarovski doesn’t consider the Legend change to be a major one, in the same way as when:
- the EL Swarovision replaced the original EL, and
- the EL FieldPro replaced the EL Swarovision (see an example label)
where both the EAN’s and UPC’s were updated


John

 

[PeterPS]

My NL 8x42 is another example: their SN starts with AD1010
(the 3rd and 4th digits do not indicate the week any longer) and ends with A (Austria).

 

[jan van daalen]

My NL 8x42 is another example: their SN starts with AD1010
(the 3rd and 4th digits do not indicate the week any longer) and ends with A (Austria).

Yesterday three NL's 8x42 came in with ##AD1011858A, ---859 and---860

 

[John A Roberts]

The pattern of the new NL serial numbering is consistent with that of the other products previously observed (including the current EL 10x42 #KD10 10772A in post #7):

. . .

Jan has provided the following examples . . .
• EL 10x42: KD10 10130A . . .

• EL 8x32: FD10 10121A . . .

• ATX module: HA10 10198A . . .


Likely Construction? - ‘PTyy nnnnnL’
So . . . it seems likely the numbering pattern is as follows:

P = product/ product line (the same as was previously used e.g. K for EL x42, F for EL x32, and H for X series telescope modules)

T = type of product (the use of a letter instead of a restricted number range e.g. now D for full size roof prism binoculars and A for telescopes)

yy = year of production (add 2010)

nnnnn = consecutive number (likely an unrestricted sequence from 10,000 on)

L = location of manufacture, or assembly or numbered component replacement (A for Absam/ Austria, and another letter or letters for SONA)

. . .

And the A prefix of the new NL numbering, is consistent with the previous use of the prefix on the ‘A+9’ numbered NL unit #A9014 40047, that I'd previously posted
at: https://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=4080383&postcount=12



John

 

[John A Roberts]

Swarovski's Previous Numbering

For more detail about Swarovski's previous numbering practices see the thread at:

Swarovski's Alpha-Numeric Numbering Explained

I recently posted some information about Swarovski’s use of Alpha-Numeric numbering (i.e. serial numbers with a combination of letters and digits). So to give a fuller context I’ve attached a number of tables (the information in the first two tables was previously posted as the first table...

www.birdforum.net

John

 

[John A Roberts]

Update: New Swarovski Serial Numbering

I’ve been keeping an eye on sales listings, to check that my previous assessment of the pattern of the new numbering is correct,
and so far that's been the case

In brief:
• The 10 digit number is in the form of: 2 letters, followed by 7 numerals and then 1 more letter e.g. an EL 8x32 unit #FD10 10121A
• With the components being: PTyy nnnnnL

Where:
P = product/ product line (the same as previously used e.g. K for EL x42, F for EL x32, and H for X series telescope modules)

T = type of product (the use of a letter instead of the previous restricted number range e.g. now D for the main roof prism binoculars
and A for telescopes; so an HA prefix for X series telescopes)

yy = year of production (add 2010)

nnnnn = consecutive number (starting from 10,000)

L = location of manufacture, assembly or numbered component replacement (A for Absam/ Austria, and presumedly other letters as needed by SONA)


To make things clearer, I’ve compiled two tables that show the relationships - both within and between - the new and old types of numbering:
• the first compares post- and pre-September 2020 numbered units, and;
• the second compares the new and old type of product designators

- - - -
Any information that would help confirm the details in the first table would be welcome, especially in relation to:
• the dg Digital Guide, and
• the Porro prism Habichts

I have information on three X series telescope modules all marked with an HA prefix, so by elimination the CF Habichts should have an AB prefix

But a note of caution. As can be seen, CL x30 unit in the table has a consecutive number in the 50000 range and not the 10000 one
i.e. it has continued with the old number sequence
However, this seems to be just a minor error, rather than a deliberate deviation from the intended pattern

- - - -
The first table includes the most recent units that I’ve observed. And as can be seen, the last old pattern units are an NL x42 #A9036 41721
and an EL x42 #K9036 48782

So the old numbering was used until at least the 1st week of September 2020 i.e. the 36th week of the year

- - - -
And specifically in relation to the third letter at the end of the new number . . .

As expected, all of the units that I’ve seen so far are marked A, indicating that they were manufactured at Absam

However with the previous numbering, double letter prefixes used in 9 digit numbers designated:
• units assembled by SONA/ Swarovski Optik North America, using components manufactured by Absam
(so far that's only applied to some telescopic sights, and they included particular combinations of letters and number blocks), and

• any unit where SONA replaced the component that had the original serial number marked on it
(e.g. an original series SLC 7x42 from 1992 #D6249 14871 was renumbered in 2015 as #DA85 15967)

I’d expect that alternate last letters will now address these distinctions, though that's yet to be verified


John


p.s. Thanks to Jan for additional information that helped with the above

 

[71North]

I know this thread is a bit old, anyway:

Just recieved a lovely pair of Habicht 10x40, which provide a lovely, crystal clear view!
They were ordered in the beginning of this month, and I was informed of some delivery time from Swarovski to the importer. So I would guess these are manufactured quite recently, as the serial number(see picture) would indicate.

 

[batho66]

My NL x32 starts with BD11 …..A, so produced in 2021.

 

[Hlinomaz]

Many thanks to John A Roberts for the excellent info - as usually.
My Habicht 8x30W bears AA1110485A.

 

[Bwana1]

My EL 8.5x42 SV serial is K841648XXX, what year were mine manufactured please ? 84+30=114...confused

 

[batho66]

2014.

 

[John A Roberts]

Time for a 12 month update . . .

As I previously indicated, the new pattern of 10 digit serial numbering introduced in September 2020, consists of 5 components
in the form of PTyy nnnnnL

Where:
P = product/ product line e.g. A for NL x42, K for the EL x42

T = type of product e.g. D for the main roof prism binoculars, so AD for the NL x42 and KD for the EL x42

yy = year of production, add 2010

nnnnn = consecutive number, starting from 10,000

L = location of manufacture, assembly or numbered component replacement e.g. A for Absam/ Austria


I’ve since collected more information, and while the two tables make clear most of the details and relationships between the numbering components,
a couple of clarifications are in order:

i) Suffix
As can be seen:
• A indicates units manufactured and assembled at Absam, and;
• C indicates those where during repairs, SONA (Swarovski Optik North America) has replaced the part that had the original serial number.

So likely:
• B will indicate units made at Absam but assembled by SONA (at present some telescopic sights), and;
• D will indicate those for non-commercial sales, where different warranty conditions would apply
e.g. see the 2021 catalogue for Government Agencies at: https://ezone.idexuae.ae/storage/brochures/oFywNQu80BWsaHlkEx6QIhpxXa1jETE1ufAHTomB.pdf


ii) Number Blocks
All of the number sequences that I've observed commenced from 10k, but since then there appears to have been at least one change
i.e. with the Habicht CF Porro prism binoculars, the leatherette production seems to have commenced a new 50k sequence,
while the RA units continue with the original 10k one.

In a similar way with the previous numbering system, the different models of Z3 and Z5 sights assembled by SONA used different number blocks,
and that practice may be continuing.

And the ultra expensive ST Vista telescope (listed at € 13k/ US $14.3k) may also have it’s own sequence.
The Vista is a fixed body 30x95 scope using X series optics in an ultra durable housing with an integral gimbal head,
see both: ST Vista 30x95 Spotting Scope (including Jan's comments on the optical quality)
and the Swarovski site: ST Vista: outdoor spotting scope


John

 

[Ofthewoods]

Time for a 12 month update . . .

As I previously indicated, the new pattern of 10 digit serial numbering introduced in September 2020, consists of 5 components
in the form of PTyy nnnnnL

Where:
P = product/ product line e.g. A for NL x42, K for the EL x42

T = type of product e.g. D for the main roof prism binoculars, so AD for the NL x42 and KD for the EL x42

yy = year of production, add 2010

nnnnn = consecutive number, starting from 10,000

L = location of manufacture, assembly or numbered component replacement e.g. A for Absam/ Austria


I’ve since collected more information, and while the two tables make clear most of the details and relationships between the numbering components,
a couple of clarifications are in order:

i) Suffix
As can be seen:
• A indicates units manufactured and assembled at Absam, and;
• C indicates those where during repairs, SONA (Swarovski Optik North America) has replaced the part that had the original serial number.

So likely:
• B will indicate units made at Absam but assembled by SONA (at present some telescopic sights), and;
• D will indicate those for non-commercial sales, where different warranty conditions would apply
e.g. see the 2021 catalogue for Government Agencies at: https://ezone.idexuae.ae/storage/brochures/oFywNQu80BWsaHlkEx6QIhpxXa1jETE1ufAHTomB.pdf


ii) Number Blocks
All of the number sequences that I've observed commenced from 10k, but since then there appears to have been at least one change
i.e. with the Habicht CF Porro prism binoculars, the leatherette production seems to have commenced a new 50k sequence,
while the RA units continue with the original 10k one.

In a similar way with the previous numbering system, the different models of Z3 and Z5 sights assembled by SONA used different number blocks,
and that practice may be continuing.

And the ultra expensive ST Vista telescope (listed at € 13k/ US $14.3k) may also have it’s own sequence.
The Vista is a fixed body 30x95 scope using X series optics in an ultra durable housing with an integral gimbal head,
see both: ST Vista 30x95 Spotting Scope (including Jan's comments on the optical quality)
and the Swarovski site: ST Vista: outdoor spotting scope


John

So what would the age be on a pair of SLCs with SN: DA801....?

I get that the DA signifies it had a warranty replacement, I'm just not sure how to get year information from the new replacement SN.

 

[John A Roberts]

Hi Ofthewoods,

In terms of a quick overview:
a) Between 1985 and the end of 1990, Swarovski used Alpha-Numeric numbering - in various forms - on some models.
For the details, see the first table at: Swarovski's Alpha-Numeric Numbering Explained
(other numbering comprised only digits).

b) In January 1991, A-N numbering was introduced on all production, in three standardised forms.
Initially it was in the form of A+7 (1 letter plus 7 digits).
Then in September 1991 the main form changed to A+9; with an alternate form being AA+7 (2 letters plus 7 digits).

c) In September 2020, a new form of A-N numbering was introduced on all production.
It is in one form of AA+7+A. See the details in post #18 above.

- - - -
So in relation to an SLC unit with a number such as DA80 1xxxx:
• D indicates that it’s an original production SLC *
• A indicates the part with the original serial number was replaced by SONA
• 80 indicates that was done in 2010 (add 1930)
• and the rest of the number is sequential.

* Verses one of the the all new SLC versions:
the x42 introduced in 2010 with a C prefix, or; the SLC x56 introduced in 2013 with an N prefix.

- - - -
If the repair work had been in September 2020 or later, the number would be DA10 10000C or higher
(with the current numbering, add 2010 to the first two digits to determine the year the work was done).


John