David:

Sorry to have missed out on this discussion, and your related e-mail, yesterday, but I wanted to concur in Mark's analysis. We see "bands" of serial numbers for particular cases / models, but we are generally not able to establish precise starting and ending points for a particular model.

One additional point: In rechecking my "cheat sheet" of serial numbers, I see that there were 11630s in the 259xxx / 260xxx / 260xxx range. So now hearing that we have a 290xxx, just below a 291xxx, does not provide any real cause for concern.

Jeff

+++++++++++++++++++++++

: There are a couple of occasions where starting numbers are
: reserved, like the aforementioned Chronomatics. And we do find
: models are blocked together, but that doesn't necessarily mean
: that the bloack started at xxx000. But we simply don't know
: enough to definitively say "This block starts here"
: except in a very few cases and even then, we would be
: extrapolating somewhat. They don't always "reset" the
: numbering for a new batch of a different model - there are some
: instances where a block of 1000 will cover more than one model -
: 393xxx covers quartz Carreras, the Monza and the Modena for
: example.

: The serial number quoted (assuming it does indeed have an end
: digit!) comes after a group of rebranded manual Autavias
: (Primato, Zodiac) and before some Heuer automatic Autavias so
: seems a good enough fit to me.