When did Rolex Discontinue 26mm Size Watches?

When did Rolex Discontinue 26mm Size Watches?

Today, Rolex makes watches in a lineup of different sizes to cater to all kinds of different wrist sizes and preferences.

Some model lines are only made in one size, for example, the Submariner or the GMT-Master, but other models are available in an array of size options.

There are primarily two models that Rolex gives the widest selection of sizes for. These include the Oyster Perpetual and Datejust models.

The size ideals have changed

Back in the day, 36mm was considered large for a men’s watch. Today, 36mm is considered small for most men. The trend over the years has moved towards large watches and the same can be said for women. Today, it’s not uncommon to see women wear men’s watches in 40mm, something that was completely unthinkable in the 1950s, 60s, and even much later than that.

This is of course the reason why you are here. Because the fact is that Rolex no longer makes watches in the size 26mm, which they used to make. The reason can be explained by the fact that Rolex saw where the trend was shifting. When ladies stood between the different size options, the vast majority selected the larger sizes. Fewer and fewer people picked the smallest size, which was 26mm. As a result, Rolex saw that it was time to change and update its size selections. 

Whilst the 26mm size has been in production for a very long time, the times change and Rolex needs to adapt. The result is a new 

Rolex 26mm watches

Primarily, the ladies’ watches that were made in 26mm were the Oyster Perpetual and Datejust watches.

Rolex discontinued the 26mm Datejust option in 2015.

Rolex discontinued the 26mm Oyster Perpetual in 2020.

Rolex sizes today

When we talk about sizes, we mainly focus on the Datejust and the Oyster Perpetual as these are the only models that Rolex offers in a broad selection of sizes. These are also watches that have historically been offered in an array of sizes by Rolex. The rest of the models are only available in one or two sizes.

The Rolex sizes for the Datejust and Oyster Perpetual collections are the same today. They include the following:

• 41mm
• 36mm
• 31mm
• 28mm

The smallest size, 28mm, when talking about the Datejust, Rolex refers to it as “Lady-Datejust“. The rest of the sizes are simply called “Datejust”, or “Datejust XX”,  with their respective diameters.