Datejust - 36 or 41?

[anonymous-user]

I have absolutely no idea what has come over me, but I suddenly feel the uncontrollable urge to buy a Datejust.

For years I mocked and hated 'dress watches', claiming silly thing like "I only like dive watches". My wife wears a Datejust, and so does my mum. There was no way I was having a girly Datejust dress watch on my wrist.

Then all of a sudden I turned 41, and for reasons I cannot explain, started lusting after a Datejust.

I have been looking at images, and while not too fussed about dial colour, have narrowed it down to steel, Jubilee bracelet, with a dark grey dial if possible. But I do not know whether to go for a 36mm or 41mm.

I have fairly thick wrists and previously people have commented that a 40mm Sub looks ever so slightly small on me, but this being a dress watch, I'm wondering if 36mm will be big enough?

I think the 41mm looks a bit big in some photos? a bit oversized looking?

Maybe 36 will be too small...

Any comments?

"Try one on" is the obvious answer, but I'm not in the habit of trawling shops and wasting peoples time trying stuff on. I tend to just make a decision and then buy something off the internet, especially at the moment with the shops closed.

Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 24th March 21:33

[shopper150]

It's got to be a 41mm

[hilly10]

I had this same urge before Christmas ended up purchasing a 36mm. My wrist is 7.5 inch wrist and the DJ wears quite large due to no bezel. It’s a lovely comfortable dress watch that on the Jubilee bracelet looks rather elegant also it glints in certain lights

[matrignano]

Old 39 in red grape

[anonymous-user]

matrignano said:

Old 39 in red grape

I don't actually hate the red grape OP to be honest... But I think I'll stick with looking at Datejust's for now..

[matrignano]

Other than the Skydweller, the only Rolex I'd buy is an Oyster, but I've always been torn between the OP and Datejust.
I prefer the fluted bezel of the datejust but hate the cyclops. I also prefer the funkier dial colour of the regular OP.

I wonder, now that the OP comes in a 41mm size like the Datejust, if you could swap the Fluted bezel over to the OP and have a dateless hybrid?

[anonymous-user]

matrignano said:

Other than the Skydweller, the only Rolex I'd buy is an Oyster, but I've always been torn between the OP and Datejust.
I prefer the fluted bezel of the datejust but hate the cyclops. I also prefer the funkier dial colour of the regular OP.

I wonder, now that the OP comes in a 41mm size like the Datejust, if you could swap the Fluted bezel over to the OP and have a dateless hybrid?

I really like the new OP 41, especially with what Rolex call the 'Bright Black' or 'Bright Blue' dials. The 'Bright Blue' looks like a dark navy blue to me.

So yes, the new OP is a great watch, but as you say, not 100% sure on the smooth bezel, and it's the fluted bezel that draws me to the Datejust.

[richthebike]

The grey dial with the diamond markers is a bit of a sleeper hit for me.

If your wrists are big enough for a 40mm sub to feel borderline small then go 41.

As others have said - the main selling point for any Rolex is thats they're so solid. You can just get on and use them without worrying, and the DJ might be the ultimate expression of that. Yes, it's a bit dressy, but it fits in pretty much any situation and they're just so dependable.

There's a lot to love about the 36, and it may bring a point of difference vs what you've already got, but you've got to want the deliberate change to a smaller watch.

Edited by richthebike on Thursday 25th March 10:48

[NEC3]

Lord Marylebone said:

matrignano said:

Other than the Skydweller, the only Rolex I'd buy is an Oyster, but I've always been torn between the OP and Datejust.
I prefer the fluted bezel of the datejust but hate the cyclops. I also prefer the funkier dial colour of the regular OP.

I wonder, now that the OP comes in a 41mm size like the Datejust, if you could swap the Fluted bezel over to the OP and have a dateless hybrid?

I really like the new OP 41, especially with what Rolex call the 'Bright Black' or 'Bright Blue' dials. The 'Bright Blue' looks like a dark navy blue to me.

So yes, the new OP is a great watch, but as you say, not 100% sure on the smooth bezel, and it's the fluted bezel that draws me to the Datejust.

I collected a 41 OP Yellow last week and it is really nice as a dress watch, looks great on, but it does feel a bit "tinny" compared to my others. My wifes DJ is 36 and even though i have thin wrist i'd say it is too small for me.

[anonymous-user]

richthebike said:

The grey dial with the diamond markers is a bit of a sleeper hit for me.

If your wrists are big enough for a 40mm sub to feel borderline small then go 41.

There's a lot to love about the 36, and it may bring a point of difference vs what you've already got, but you've got to want the deliberate change to a smaller watch.

Looks terrific.

I think I would probably go for the plain baton markers rather than diamond, just for the even more understated look, but that said, the diamond markers add just a little bit of bling which is quite welcome on a dress watch. Great either way.

I do like the more classical look of the 36mm size. Sometimes the 41mm looks a bit daft in some wrist shot photos, but maybe on my wrists it would be fine.

So I guess we are back to 'Try one on' aren't we?

[Bam89]

Lord Marylebone said:

richthebike said:

The grey dial with the diamond markers is a bit of a sleeper hit for me.

If your wrists are big enough for a 40mm sub to feel borderline small then go 41.

There's a lot to love about the 36, and it may bring a point of difference vs what you've already got, but you've got to want the deliberate change to a smaller watch.

Looks terrific.

I think I would probably go for the plain baton markers rather than diamond, just for the even more understated look, but that said, the diamond markers add just a little bit of bling which is quite welcome on a dress watch. Great either way.

I do like the more classical look of the 36mm size. Sometimes the 41mm looks a bit daft in some wrist shot photos, but maybe on my wrists it would be fine.

So I guess we are back to 'Try one on' aren't we?

I had a Datejust 41mm with the oyster bracelet, fluted bezel and silver dial a few years ago but sold it. Am somewhat interested in buying a watch similar to the above with the grey dial but as per LM would want the plain baton markers.

Are these relatively easy to buy? I'm not a watch geek by any means, but am aware that getting hold of some Rolex's is very difficult. I'm not even aware of what prices are like at the moment, I'm not expecting a discount but I'm not really keen on too long of a waitlist or needing to buy other items from a dealer first

[pistonheadforum]

Out of the 36 and 41 I'd say 36 every time.

The correct answer is really 34 (think that's the original Oyster size).

[Jamescrs]

I'd say 41, unless you have particuarly small wrists I feel like 36 is too small.

I have a couple of 36 size watches in my collection but they are too small in my opinion to look good, I only keep them for sentimental value but I don't wear them. pretty much all my wearable watches are 41mm or above.

[blue_haddock]

I've played around with the configurations and I think an oyster perpetual 41 with the bright blue face would be my choice.

I really liked the rhodium dial but thats discontinued.

[anonymous-user]

blue_haddock said:

I've played around with the configurations and I think an oyster perpetual 41 with the bright blue face would be my choice.

I really liked the rhodium dial but thats discontinued.

The Rhodium dial is lovely. Been replaced by 'Slate' which doesn't look much different to my eye.
Rhodium/Slate is the colour I would go for on a Datejust.

Not fussed if the watch is a new or used.

[hilly10]

For those who have never tried a 36mm OP or DJ you would be surprised how big they wear. In my collection I have a Sub, Planet Ocean Portuguese all 40mm to 44mm but when I want to dress up it’s the 36mm DJ under the cuff

[okenemem]

shopper150 said:

It's got to be a 41mm

[CardShark]

hilly10 said:

For those who have never tried a 36mm OP or DJ you would be surprised how big they wear. In my collection I have a Sub, Planet Ocean Portuguese all 40mm to 44mm but when I want to dress up it’s the 36mm DJ under the cuff

This.

I've tried on a couple of 36mm DJs in the past, they both look and feel larger than the spec sheet may suggest. For me the DJ is one of the classic watches, Rolex or otherwise, and therefore it's best in its traditional not-submitting-to-fashion 36mm case.

[Ed T]

36mm for that type of watch in my opinion, unless you want it to look more bling.

I have a 36mm 114270 Exp 1 and it’s my work watch with a shirt and I think it’s ace. Planet ocean 42mm for weekends. However even when I wear the 36mm with more causal attire I think it looks great.

36mm gets my vote. From photos only - I think the 41mm have too much dial. Same for the OP41s I think they look like oversized watches.

I feel the same as you, DJs have grown on me...I even want a gold one - never thought I’d say that.

[Chessers]

I have the 36 with diamond markers as a dress watch that fits under the cuff.

I do not have powerful Directors wrists but it does feel a little too small.