The Rolex Oyster Perpetual is the simpler watch and the Datejust is the more versatile one. The Oyster Perpetual shows hours, minutes and seconds, comes only in steel with a smooth bezel and an Oyster bracelet, and costs less. The Datejust adds a date with the Cyclops lens, and can be ordered with a fluted bezel, a Jubilee bracelet, and steel-and-gold or full gold cases. If you want the purest Rolex at the lowest price, choose the Oyster Perpetual; if you want the date or the classic fluted look, choose the Datejust.
Both are built on the same Oyster case with the same standard of movement, so this is a choice of style, not quality. We have 241 Datejust 36 and 231 Datejust 41 watches in stock, with 53 Oyster Perpetual 36 and 70 Oyster Perpetual 41.
Datejust vs Oyster Perpetual at a glance
| Oyster Perpetual | Datejust | |
|---|---|---|
| Date | No | Yes, with Cyclops lens |
| Sizes | 28, 31, 34, 36, 41 mm | 28 (Lady-Datejust), 31, 36, 41 mm |
| Metals | Steel only | Steel, Rolesor (steel and gold), gold |
| Bezel | Smooth, domed | Smooth, fluted or gem-set |
| Bracelet | Oyster | Oyster or Jubilee |
| Movement (36 and 41 mm) | Caliber 3230 | Caliber 3235 |
| Power reserve | About 70 hours | About 70 hours |
| Water resistance | 100 meters | 100 meters |
What they share
The two watches are closer relatives than their prices suggest. Both have the waterproof Oyster case with a screw-down crown, both are water resistant to 100 meters, and both carry Rolex's Superlative Chronometer certification. The calibers 3230 and 3235 are the same generation of movement, with the same power reserve of about 70 hours; the 3235 simply adds the date.
Finishing, materials and reliability are the same. An Oyster Perpetual is not a lesser Rolex. It is a Rolex with fewer options.
The Oyster Perpetual
The name describes the two inventions every modern Rolex is built on: the waterproof Oyster case of 1926 and the self-winding Perpetual rotor of 1931. The watch that carries the name adds nothing to them. There is no date, no rotating bezel and no gold.
What it does offer is color. When Rolex renewed the model in 2020 it introduced a set of bright lacquer dials alongside the classic black, silver and blue, and several of them became some of the most talked-about Rolex watches of recent years. Dial colors are added and withdrawn from the catalog regularly, so the color of a pre-owned Oyster Perpetual has a strong effect on its price.
The references are easy to learn:
| Reference | Size |
|---|---|
| 124300 | 41 mm |
| 126000 | 36 mm |
| 124200 | 34 mm |
| 277200 | 31 mm |
| 276200 | 28 mm |
The dial is not part of these numbers, so always check the photographs. We have 40 of the 124300 and 46 of the 126000 in stock.
It suits you if you want a clean, symmetrical dial, do not need the date, and like the idea of the least complicated Rolex. It is also the usual answer to the question of the least expensive Rolex.
The Datejust
The Datejust dates from 1945. It was the first self-winding wristwatch chronometer to show the date in a window on the dial, and the Cyclops lens that magnifies the date followed in 1953. It has been in production ever since and is, for many people, the picture that the word "Rolex" brings to mind.
Its strength is choice. Within one size you can choose:
- The bezel: smooth and domed, or fluted in gold, the feature most associated with the model.
- The bracelet: the three-link Oyster or the five-link Jubilee, which was created for the Datejust.
- The metal: steel; Rolesor, which combines steel with yellow, white or Everose gold; or full gold on some sizes.
- The dial: a very wide range, including dials with diamond hour markers.
A few references show how the code works in the 41 mm size:
| Reference | Version |
|---|---|
| 126300 | Steel, smooth bezel |
| 126334 | Steel with a fluted white gold bezel |
| 126333 | Steel and yellow gold, fluted bezel |
| 126331 | Steel and Everose gold, fluted bezel |
We have 78 of the 126334 in stock, the most stocked Datejust 41 reference, and 62 of the 126300.
It suits you if you want the date, like the fluted bezel or the Jubilee bracelet, or want a watch with some gold.
The closest comparison: Oyster Perpetual 41 and Datejust 41 in steel
If you take a steel Datejust 41 with a smooth bezel and an Oyster bracelet, reference 126300, and put it beside the Oyster Perpetual 41, reference 124300, you have two very similar watches. The Datejust has the date and Cyclops, and a slightly more formal dial with applied markers in a different style. The Oyster Perpetual has an uninterrupted crystal and a dial that many find more modern.
At that point the question is simply whether you want a date. If you do not, the Oyster Perpetual gives you the same case and movement family for less.
Which holds its value better?
Both are easy to sell, because both are among the best-known watches in the world. The Datejust has the broader and steadier market, since it comes in so many versions. Individual Oyster Perpetual dial colors can be worth more than the watch's ordinary price for a time, and that can change. Buy the one you will wear. Our article on whether a Rolex is a good investment explains what moves prices.
What to check before you buy
- Size. Both exist in several sizes with the same name. Our guides to choosing your watch size and to the Datejust 36 and 41 will help.
- The reference. It confirms the size, metal and bezel. See our guide to reading Rolex reference numbers.
- Bracelet and bezel on a Datejust. They change the look and the price.
- Box and papers. The warranty card shows the reference and date of sale.
For more on each model, see our Datejust buying guide and our Oyster Perpetual buying guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between a Datejust and an Oyster Perpetual?
The Datejust has a date window with a Cyclops lens and comes with a choice of bezels, bracelets and metals. The Oyster Perpetual has no date and is made only in steel with a smooth bezel and an Oyster bracelet.
Is the Oyster Perpetual cheaper than the Datejust?
Yes. It is the least expensive model in the Rolex catalog, and a comparable steel Datejust costs more.
Does the Oyster Perpetual come with a fluted bezel or Jubilee bracelet?
No. Those belong to the Datejust. The Oyster Perpetual has a smooth, domed bezel and an Oyster bracelet.
Do they use the same movement?
In the 36 and 41 mm sizes they use the calibers 3230 and 3235, the same generation of movement. The 3235 in the Datejust adds the date.
Which is better as a first Rolex?
Either. Choose the Oyster Perpetual for simplicity and price, and the Datejust if you want the date or the classic fluted look.
Are your Rolex watches authentic?
Yes. Every watch is checked by our specialist before it ships. We are an independent retailer and are not affiliated with Rolex.
