The Journal
Women’s Rolex Guide: Sizes & Models
Quick answer
Rolex’s smaller current sizes are the Oyster Perpetual 28, 31 and 34, the Lady-Datejust 28 and the Datejust 31. Many women also wear the Datejust 36, Day-Date 36 or Yacht-Master 37. On the pre-owned market you’ll also find vintage 26 mm Lady-Datejust references. The right size is the one that fits your wrist and your style, so try a few on before you decide.
“Women’s Rolex” usually means one of a handful of case sizes rather than one model. The same families (Oyster Perpetual, Datejust, Day-Date) come in several diameters, and each size changes how the watch sits on the wrist, how much dial you see and how the bracelet drapes.
This guide lays out the current sizes, the models that come in them, and the questions we ask clients at our Jersey City showroom when they’re choosing a Rolex for themselves or as a gift.
Rolex sizes at a glance
Current-production case diameters, taken from Rolex’s own model pages. Case diameter is measured across the case, not including the crown.
| Model | Case size | Current reference family |
|---|---|---|
| Oyster Perpetual 28 | 28 mm | 276200 |
| Lady-Datejust | 28 mm | 279160 · 279171 · 279173 · 279174 and others |
| Oyster Perpetual 31 | 31 mm | 277200 |
| Datejust 31 | 31 mm | 278240 · 278271 · 278273 · 278274 and others |
| Oyster Perpetual 34 | 34 mm | 124200 |
| Datejust 36 | 36 mm | 126200 · 126231 · 126233 · 126234 and others |
| Oyster Perpetual 36 | 36 mm | 126000 |
| Day-Date 36 | 36 mm | 128235 · 128236 · 128238 · 128239 |
| Yacht-Master 37 | 37 mm | 268621 · 268622 · 268655 |
The models, size by size
28 mm: Lady-Datejust and Oyster Perpetual 28
The Lady-Datejust is the classic small Rolex: a 28 mm Oyster case with the date at 3 o’clock under the Cyclops lens. Rolex lists the steel-and-yellow-gold reference 279173 with a fluted bezel, a five-piece-link Jubilee bracelet and the Manufacture Rolex calibre 2236, with about 55 hours of power reserve and water resistance to 100 metres.
The Oyster Perpetual 28 (reference 276200) is the simplest watch in the range: time only, no date, a domed bezel and an Oyster bracelet. It’s the pick for anyone who wants the cleanest possible dial.
31 mm: Datejust 31 and Oyster Perpetual 31
At 31 mm the dial opens up noticeably while the watch still reads as delicate. Rolex lists the Datejust 31 reference 278273 in yellow Rolesor (Oystersteel and yellow gold) with a fluted bezel, Jubilee bracelet and calibre 2236 (about 55 hours, 100 metres). The Oyster Perpetual 31 (277200) is its time-only, no-date counterpart.
34 mm: Oyster Perpetual 34
The Oyster Perpetual 34 (124200) sits between the small sizes and the 36 mm classics. It suits a client who finds 31 mm too small but doesn’t want the presence of a 36.
36 mm and up: Datejust 36, Day-Date 36, Yacht-Master 37
Plenty of women choose a 36 mm Rolex, and on many wrists it looks just right. The Datejust 36 is the most versatile of them. The Day-Date 36 is made only in precious metals; Rolex lists reference 128238 in 18 ct yellow gold on the President bracelet with calibre 3255 and about 70 hours of power reserve. The Yacht-Master 37 is the sporty option: Rolex lists reference 268622 in Rolesium (Oystersteel and platinum) with a bidirectional rotatable bezel and calibre 2236.
Vintage and pre-owned: the 26 mm Lady-Datejust
Before today’s 28 mm case, the Lady-Datejust was made at 26 mm for decades. Those references, such as the yellow-gold-and-steel 69173 on a Jubilee bracelet, are only available pre-owned and appeal to anyone who wants a smaller, more vintage-feeling watch. Women’s Rolex watches from our collection, available now and recently sold, are shown alongside this guide.
From our collection
Women’s Rolex at Palazzo
Available now and recently sold, each one authenticated in-house. If the size or dial you want has sold, we can source another.
How to choose the right size
- Measure your wrist. Wrap a soft tape or a strip of paper around the wrist bone where you’d wear the watch. It tells you which sizes are worth trying first, and it’s the number a jeweller or dealer will ask for when sizing the bracelet.
- Look at how the watch sits, not just the number. The lugs should stay within the width of your wrist. Two watches with the same diameter can wear differently because of the bezel, the dial colour and the bracelet.
- Pick a bracelet. The Jubilee and President bracelets are dressier and drape more softly; the Oyster bracelet is sportier. Our Rolex bracelet link count guide shows how many links each bracelet comes with, which matters for sizing and for resale.
- Date or no date. Datejust, Lady-Datejust and Day-Date show the date; the Oyster Perpetual doesn’t.
- Try them on. Photos can’t show how a watch feels on your wrist. A side-by-side try-on of two or three sizes usually settles it in minutes.
Buying a pre-owned women’s Rolex
Pre-owned opens up discontinued sizes, dial colours and metals you can’t buy new, and lets you choose a watch you can see and try today. The checks are the same as for any Rolex: the exact reference, condition (and whether it has been over-polished), whether the box, papers and removed links are included, and service history. Our guide to checking whether a pre-owned watch is authentic walks through them.
Every watch we sell is authenticated in-house, and first-time Palazzo clients receive our lifetime warranty. US shipping is free, by FedEx Priority Overnight, fully insured.
The Palazzo desk
Find the right fit.
Try two or three sizes side by side at our showroom, 185 Hudson Street, Jersey City.
Or call (551) 345-4998
Frequently asked questions
What size Rolex is best for a woman?
There’s no single answer. Rolex’s smaller current sizes are 28, 31 and 34 mm (Lady-Datejust, Datejust 31 and Oyster Perpetual), and many women wear 36 mm. Measure your wrist and try two or three sizes on to see which sits best.
What is the difference between the Lady-Datejust and the Datejust 31?
Size. The current Lady-Datejust is 28 mm and the Datejust 31 is 31 mm. Both show the date at 3 o’clock under the Cyclops lens, and Rolex lists both with calibre 2236.
Is a 36 mm Rolex too big for a woman?
Not necessarily. Many women wear the Datejust 36 or Day-Date 36. What matters is that the lugs stay within the width of your wrist and that the watch feels comfortable.
Which women’s Rolex has no date?
The Oyster Perpetual, available in 28, 31, 34, 36 and 41 mm. It shows hours, minutes and seconds only.
Can I buy a 26 mm Lady-Datejust new?
No. The 26 mm Lady-Datejust references, such as the 69173, are vintage and available only pre-owned. Today’s Lady-Datejust is 28 mm.