Throughout much of the late 19th and early 20th century, mechanical watches were considered almost exclusively a man’s domain. While there were a few exceptional commissions for women – most famously Abraham-Louis Breguet’s 1812 creation for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples – these were rare, bespoke pieces rather than mass-market models. The prevailing perception was that women favoured jewellery over mechanics, and the market catered accordingly with cocktail watches: dainty, jewel-laden designs from houses like Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Jaeger-LeCoultre.
The limitation was also technical, as Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf remarked: “the smaller the watch, the more difficult it is to make it accurate.” It wasn’t until the 1950s that the women’s watch market began to gather real momentum, led in no small part by Rolex, which applied the same standards of precision and durability to its women’s watches as it did to its men’s. Here, we spotlight four of the most significant Rolex watches for women.
Lady Datejust
The Lady‑Datejust holds a special place in the Rolex canon as the first model engineered specifically for women. Introduced in 1957, it carried over the same innovations that defined the men’s Datejust – the automatic date window, chronometer‑certified movement and Jubilee bracelet – re‑engineered into a more refined 25mm case. Over the decades the Lady‑Datejust has become Rolex’s longest‑running women’s line, expanding into steel, two‑tone Rolesor and full gold, with dials ranging from rich sunburst champagne to diamond‑set mother‑of‑pearl.
In 2015, the Lady-Datejust was upsized to 28mm and upgraded with the calibre 2236, a movement with a silicon Syloxi hairspring and a 55‑hour power reserve.
At retail, prices for the Lady-Datejust start from AED 28,600 in Oystersteel, offering an elegant entry for women looking to acquire their first Rolex. At the opposite end of the spectrum sits the 18-carat white gold reference 279459RBR – its case, bezel and bracelet paved entirely in fine diamonds. Priced at AED 647,700, it’s among the most extravagant Lady-Datejusts ever produced – more of a trophy asset than an everyday piece.
For collectors, vintage Lady-Datejusts are gaining momentum on the secondary market. Early 26mm references from the 1960s and 70s are particularly desirable, especially those with rare colour dials or unusual bracelet variations like the bark-finish President.
Read More: The Rolex Datejust: History, Examples and Market Value
Pearlmaster
If the Lady‑Datejust was Rolex’s answer to mechanical precision in a smaller form, the Pearlmaster was its foray into haute jewellery. Introduced in 1992, the Pearlmaster is a dazzling reinterpretation of the Datejust, with liberal use of diamonds, sapphires, and rubies. It’s one of the most gem-forward watches in the Rolex catalogue and has a five-link Pearlmaster bracelet developed exclusively for this line. Beneath the bezel, it houses the same COSC-certified automatic movement and upholds Rolex’s rigorous standards of water and shock resistance.
The Pearlmaster has only ever been offered in precious metals, with 29mm, 34mm, and 39mm cases. Highlights include the Pearlmaster 80318 in yellow gold with a champagne diamond dial, and the rare 39mm ref. 86348SABLV, which has a luminous Tahitian mother-of-pearl dial. While Rolex has scaled back production in recent years, the Pearlmaster commands between five- and six-figures on the secondary market.
Read More: Most Expensive Rolex in the World
Day-Date 36
Nicknamed ‘The President’, the Rolex Day-Date is best known as the watch of choice for many US presidents, including Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. It was released roughly a decade after the Datejust and was the first automatic timepiece to display both the date and day of the week in full. While it was initially marketed to men, the piece is generally considered unisex with its slender 36mm case. Over the years, Rolex has released a variety of Day-Date 36 configurations in yellow gold, white gold, Everose, and platinum – many featuring intricate dials crafted from stone and mother-of-pearl.
Some of the most collectible Day-Date 36 references for women today are the Stella dials of the 1970s – bold, glossy enamel dials in lipstick red, coral, turquoise, and green. In 2020, Rolex revived that aesthetic with a new line of lacquered Day-Date 36 models in similarly high-contrast tones, complete with Roman numerals and diamond-set hour markers.
The Day-Date 36 is particularly popular among women in the Gulf, prized for its blend of 18-carat gold with Arabic day wheels. Retail prices begin at around AED 159,000 for a yellow gold model, though high-jewellery editions climb considerably higher. One of the most spectacular in the lineup is the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 (ref. 128349RBR). Crafted in 18-carat white gold, the piece is fully paved with diamonds and finished with multicoloured baguette hour markers, showcasing Rolex at its most ornate. It’s priced at AED 584,500 and is produced in both Everose and yellow gold as well.
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Yacht-Master 37
One of Rolex’s more specialised timepieces, the Yacht-Master may not be the first model that comes to mind for women seeking a Rolex – but that’s partly its appeal. Launched in 1992, it was the brand’s first sports watch to blend professional-grade functionality with precious metals, including platinum. True to its namesake, the Yacht-Master was designed with nautical navigation in mind, featuring a bidirectional rotatable bezel with 60-minute graduations to assist in precise timekeeping at sea.
While the original 40mm versions were geared toward men, the Yacht-Master 37 resonates with women who favour function and substance over the classic codes of femininity. The standout reference here is the 268655: an Everose gold model with a matte black Cerachrom bezel and matching dial. It’s water-resistant to 100 metres and houses the calibre 2236, with a 55-hour power reserve and Syloxi hairspring. For something more fashion-forward, the reference is also available with a pavè diamond and sapphire dial, and a comfortable rubber Oysterflex band.
Retail prices begin around AED 46,650 in Oystersteel and platinum, while the Everose 268655 comes in at around AED 120,000. The Yacht-Master is less common on the secondary market, but low-production variants – especially those with gem-set bezels – are sought out by niche collectors who favour under-the-radar pieces with long-term investment appeal.
Final Thoughts
Today, the idea of a “women’s watch” is less a matter of category and more a question of character. As these four Rolex models show, case sizes are no longer dictated by gender, and technical innovation isn’t confined to the men’s catalogue. Ultimately, what makes a watch a woman’s watch is rather simple: a woman choosing to wear it.
