ON THE WRIST: Rolex Datejust 36
MONDAY APRIL 6, 2026
The most boring Rolex because your uncle or aunty has one too yet somehow it is also the most configurable one which makes it not boring? According to Chat, there are at least 3840 configurations which makes a Datejust 36 a truly personal expression platform. Problem is, we all want the same thing. Fluted bezel and Jubilee bracelet. Rolex knows that and as usual, they will not let us have it our way.
I am guilty for not looking at the Datejust 36’s way as it often gets discarded for being too small. Trends do get to people and that made me forget why I chose the 34mm Air-King over a Submariner. Maybe it is because 34 and 36mm is pretty close so I end up favouring the DJ41.
PRO
All-day comfort
Endless configurations
Everything a watch needs to be
CON
Dust magnet
SPECIFICATION
36 mm Diameter
11.5 mm Thickness
100m Water Resistance
70 hours Power Reserve
44 mm Lug to Lug
A$ 13,700 | 16,950
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Let’s take a look at both of what is deemed as the best pairing for bezel and bracelet for a Datejust 36 reference 126234 and 126200. On the left corner, we have a mint green dial dressed in fluted bezel and Jubilee bracelet. On the right corner, we have a slate dial, nicknamed Wimbledon dial, with a smooth bezel and Oyster bracelet. The combo everyone wants versus the combo everyone ends up settling for.
Both are simply lovely on my 15 centimetres wrist. As uninteresting as they are for being around forever, they still put a smile on my face when I put on either of these watches. There is this spell that I cannot explain from laying my eyes on them to closing its bracelet. It just works and that is annoying because I got more interested than I actually want to.
It is safe to say Rolex watches are well made and rarely flawed as high technology machines make them unlike flawed people. They are not the utmost best in finishing but for who they are competing against, they often come up on top hence the hunger for them in the used market. Say what you want but there is a reason people keep lusting over them.
These two dials are likely the most wanted dials in any Datejust and I like them both. Green on a Rolex has always been something special in their catalogue. The Wimbledon dial is something so unlike any other Datejust dial which makes it instantly recognisable. I cannot count the times where people get weirdly excited seeing my Datejust 41 with a Wimbledon dial. It is always satisfying to make people happy over something so simple. Anyway, back to the DJ36.
Despite people saying these are the de facto two ways to specify a Datejust, they are not wrong but I would say try to experiment things around. I find a fluted bezel goes rather well with an Oyster bracelet as it makes it quite sporty and less dressy which is quite a good look. Teddy Baldassarre agrees. I would not say the same for a smooth bezel going with a Jubilee bracelet. That one feels a bit confused.
Fluted bezel and Jubilee bracelet can look a bit too dressy and reminds me of my uncle at family dinners. Smooth bezel and Oyster bracelet. That is a go anywhere, do everything watch. Denim jacket or a three-piece suit, it does both.
The movement calibre 3235. I assume it is reliable like most Rolex movements. We cannot see it because that is how Rolex likes it and hopefully we will in the next generation of Datejust.
Let’s go over the specification just in case some of us don’t already know. 70 hours of power reserve and 100 metres of water resistance. Both bracelets offer a 5 millimetre tool free adjustment to deal with your wrist swelling throughout the day which is a real thing.
The Datejust has been around since 1945 and it has a lot of championships under its belt. It combined three things that had never been done before. Automatic movement, waterproofing and an automatic date change. Imagine looking at a Datejust for the first time 81 years ago. I imagine it feels like the launch of the original Apple iPod, 1000 songs in your pocket.
All day wrist comfort is promised here. They are both everyday watches thanks to the dimensions and weight. They are pretty to look at, I raise my wrist up simply to admire the design and beauty instead of actually checking for the time.
Both bracelets are comfortable. The Jubilee is slightly lighter and to some more breathable and airy. An issue would be that dead skin and dust will get caught after a few wears. Not a real issue unless one suffers from OCD and likes to perform excessive cleaning rituals. The Oyster does not have that problem but the polished centre links will get scratched by just existing, even the Autumn wind will scratch it.
My advice, collect all those dings and scratches because they always make a story. I remember that ding from a cafe in Kuala Lumpur and scratches from swimming at a beach in Perth.
People do not really wear watches to tell time anymore so I see them as little pieces of art. I find these timepieces inspiring. They remind me of beauty in this fast paced and disposable world.
I am glad that some modern things are still made the old way. A watch is basically springs, gears and screws put together for it to come to life. I enjoy the mechanical aspect of setting the time and date. It slows things down and reminds me that not everything needs to be in a hurry.
As difficult it is to escape the stigma of having a Rolex but get one that actually speaks to you. After going through a pandemic and now a World War, is it really that sinful to want a watch?