Datejust
Rolex's first wristwatch with an automatically changing date display, launched in 1945 for the brand's 40th anniversary — and in continuous production ever since.
At a glance
- Introduction
- 1945 (reference 4467, yellow gold)
- Current sizes
- 28, 31, 36, 41 mm
- Current calibre
- 3235 (date), 3230 (no date)
- Power reserve
- approx. 70 hours
- Certification
- Superlative Chronometer (−2/+2 s/day)
- Water resistance
- 100 m (Oyster case)
- Materials
- steel, Rolesor, yellow / white / Everose gold, platinum
- Crystal
- sapphire with cyclops lens since 1953
- Bracelet options
- Oyster, Jubilee, President (precious metal only)
The Datejust is Rolex's first wristwatch with a date function, introduced in 1945 for the brand's 40th anniversary. It was the first wristwatch to show an automatically changing date through a window on the dial — a solution the industry would adopt as standard.
Origin
Reference 4467 (1945) was the original Datejust in 18k yellow gold. The line has been in continuous production ever since — one of the longest unbroken reference families in horology. Early models carried a domed acrylic crystal, a twelve-sided case and a honey-coloured dial; today's line is far removed from that, but the underlying recipe — Oyster case, self-winding movement, date at three — stands unchanged.
Character
- Cyclops lens. A magnifier over the date at 3 o'clock, introduced in 1953. A Rolex signature to this day. See also cyclops.
- Jubilee bracelet. A five-piece-link bracelet designed for the 1945 anniversary. Today an option on Datejust, Day-Date and several other lines.
- Fluted bezel. Notched precious-metal bezel as the classic Datejust look. Smooth and engine-turned bezels exist in modern variants.
Sizes and current references
- Datejust 26 / 28 (Lady-Datejust): references 79xxx, 279xxx.
- Datejust 31: 178xxx, 278xxx — diamond or smooth bezel variants.
- Datejust 36: 126200, 126233, 126234 in current production; the earlier 116200 ran until around 2018.
- Datejust 41: 126300, 126333, 126334 — introduced in 2016, replacing the Datejust II.
Materials
Steel, Rolesor (two-tone steel and gold), yellow gold, white gold, rose gold (Everose), and platinum. The number of dial and bezel combinations across the current catalogue exceeds 200.
Movements
Modern 36/41 references use calibre 3235 (date) or 3230 (no date). The earlier calibre 3135 (1988–2018) powered the 16234 / 116234 / 116200 family. Both modern movements carry Superlative Chronometer certification with a guaranteed rate of −2/+2 seconds per day — tighter than the COSC standard.
Relationship to the Day-Date
The Day-Date — introduced in 1956 — is the Datejust's precious-metal sibling with a day-of-week display added. Precious metals only, the President bracelet only, the same fundamental architecture.
Market position
The Datejust is the most-produced Rolex family and one of the most accessible entries into the brand. Secondary-market premiums are moderate compared to the sports models; the 36 mm and 41 mm in steel with fluted bezel and "Wimbledon" dial are the most-traded combinations.
At our atelier in Munich both generations meet daily — the contemporary 126234 alongside vintage references from the 1970s and 80s. Speak to us if you are looking for a specific configuration or would like an existing Datejust appraised.
Related terms: Day-Date, Submariner, Cerachrom.
Frequently asked
- Primarily the case diameter — 36 mm versus 41 mm — and the corresponding lug width (20 mm versus 21 mm). Both carry the current calibre 3235 and are technically identical. The 36 mm is the classical, gender-neutral size; the 41 mm arrived in 2016 as successor to the Datejust II and suits wearers who prefer a more present watch. Both sizes are available in steel, Rolesor and full precious metal.