Best Rolex Watches For Women: From Ladies To Unisex

The Crown has a rich history of watchmaking for women dating back to Rolex’s infancy. After all, it was women who first began wearing watches on their wrists in the late 18th century, while men still preferred pocket watches before the convenience and utility of military field watches began to proliferate. Rolex’s first high-profile endorsement of its revolutionary waterproof Oyster case was worn by a female athlete, slung around the neck of British swimmer Mercedes Gleitze as she attempted to swim across the English Channel. Gleitz might not have made it all the way across on that try, but the watch came out unscathed after 10 hours in the cold water, ticking the time away accurately, making for amazing marketing fodder. 

Here in the 21st century, Rolex still offers a catalog with extensive sizing options and decorations on its most popular models. Of course, anyone can wear any watch they like, but there are several pieces that, as a woman myself, I find uniquely more compelling than others. So, we’re gathered here today to go on a journey through what I find to be the best Rolex watches for women available today, rounded up into a digestible guide for your reading pleasure. 

 [toc-section heading="Lady-Datejust"] 

It only feels right to begin with the only Rolex model family that directly references a female consumer in its naming conventions. I get the argument that some think the name “Lady-Datejust” feels a bit dated, maybe even gauche (even bringing to mind certain M’Lady Fedora memes). But somehow, I still feel a certain sense of charm about the lady title. It’s also historically significant in the Rolex extended universe. Launching in 1957, it was among the first luxury wristwatches designed with women in mind that maintained the same technical standards (in this case, an automatic, chronometer-certified mechanical movement, a novel date display, and 100 meters of water resistance) while scaling down to a smaller case size. Currently, the Lady-Datejust maintains all those hallmark qualities and considerations, but has gotten a touch larger than its initial 26mm frame, bumping up to a 28mm diameter in 2015. The Lady-Datejust of today is offered in an array of options in terms of dial color, material, and varying degrees of diamond embellishments, and is now powered by the (Superlative Chronometer Certified) Caliber 2236 with the technical upgrade of the Syloxi silicon hairspring. 

 [toc-section heading="Explorer 36"] 

I believe I’ve said it before, but the Rolex Explorer is the blue jeans and crisp white shirt combo of watches. It’s effortless, minimal, and no-nonsense. It also looks great on just about everybody. When I come across a woman rocking an Explorer out in the wild, I trust her judgment implicitly. The 36mm Explorer is the most versatile size, especially for those with wrists a bit on the smaller side (like moi). The current model is powered by the 3230 automatic caliber with a 70-hour power reserve, which is, like all Rolex movements, Superlative-Chronometer Certified. 

 [toc-section heading="Land-Dweller 36"] 

I will admit, I was a bit shocked by how much I liked the smaller rendition of Rolex’s latest model family when I tried it on. Typically, I have a bit of aversion to whatever is hyped in the given moment. But the Crown really did its big one in terms of making its shiny new toy incredibly unisex-friendly. I’m not sure I have fully come out on the other side of my resistance to this watch just yet (give me a few years), but it is, undoubtedly, one of the most influential watch releases of 2025.

 [toc-section heading="Rolex Day-Date"] 

Now back to playing the hits. The Day-Date (also known by its “President” nickname, a la Lyndon B. Johnson) is only ever made in precious metals, including in its 36mm sizing. Not saying you can’t go for the 40mm, but as to be expected, I prefer the 36mm for how it wears on my sub-6-inch wrist. For the 36mm Day-Date, you have just about every flavor of gold to choose from, as well as platinum. I would recommend going full Tony Soprano with the yellow gold and champagne dial, but to each their own. It’s also important to note that, aside from the novel Day window at twelve, the Day-Date is only offered with either a fluted or gem-set bezel. The current 36mm model is powered by the Caliber 3255 automatic, which is, say it with me, Superlative-Chronometer-Certified. 

 [toc-section heading="Yacht-Master"] 

Amongst all the rugged, tool-oriented Rolex watches, the Yacht-Master is the only one I’ve found that is actually reasonably comfortable to wear. Sorry to the GMT Masters and Submariners, but you’re just a little too beefy to make it on this list for me. Even the Daytona, which I, of course, get a kick out of trying on, soon becomes rather uncomfortable. The entry point of the 37mm Yachtmaster in the Crown’s current repertoire is the Oystersteel and platinum model, which features a dark grey sunray dial and a bright blue seconds hand and “Yacht-Master” script above six o’clock. Water resistant 100 meters, we’ve also got the unidirectional dive bezel, which is where the platinum comes in, to neatly tie up the whole luxury sports watch ethos. In the movement department, the 37mm Yacht-Master utilizes the Superlative Chronometer Certified caliber 2236 automatic, with a power reserve of 55 hours, a Syloxi hairspring, and Paraflex shock absorbers to protect the movement from sudden bumps and jerks. 

 [toc-section heading="Datejust"] 

Image: Baily's Fine Jewelry

I already included the Lady-Datejust on this list, but there are some additional sizes within the standard Datejust collection that also work particularly well for the ladies out there. The first that comes to mind is the 36mm Datejust, which I tend to think is the size that works best for quite literally everybody. For something a little smaller, there’s also the 31mm if the Lady-Datejust strikes you as just a touch too teeny tiny, but you still prefer your watches on the smaller side. The big choices you have for the Datejust, other than dial color and size, are the old fluted vs. smooth bezel and Jubilee (5-link) vs. Oyster Bracelet (3-link) debates. These are complete matters of preference. 

 [toc-section heading="Oyster Perpetual"] 

A big moment for Rolex this year was its unveiling of new lacquer dials within its Oyster Perpetual collection – a novelty that trickles down even to its teeniest 28mm model. We’re in similar territory as the Datejust line here in terms of sizing variety and dial color. You are freed a little bit from the grips of decision paralysis within the Oyster Perpetual line, as you have no choice but to go with the Oyster bracelet and smooth bezel combo. The size range we’re working with is quite impressive, starting at the teensy 28mm, then 31mm, 34mm, and 36mm, all of which are perfectly good options. Though “affordable” and “Rolex” are typically mutually exclusive phrases, the Oyster Perpetual collection is the entry ticket into the world of the Crown, with prices starting at $5,800. You can learn more about these at rolex.com