The Lady-Datejust is the watch a lot of ladies reach for when they want something that is entirely their own — not a gift, not a match to anyone else’s taste, just the one they will wear every day and quietly keep for life. It has sat on the wrists of self-possessed ladies since 1957, and its fluted bezel and Jubilee bracelet still read as personal rather than showy. What it costs comes second to how settled it feels once it is yours.
As of July 2026, a pre-owned Rolex Lady-Datejust starts at roughly £3,000–£4,300 for a two-tone vintage reference — genuinely the most affordable way into Rolex — rises to around £8,000–£12,000 for a modern two-tone diamond-dial model, and reaches the low £30,000s for a solid-gold diamond President. It is defined far more by metal and diamonds than by size, so it pays to look at configuration rather than one headline number.
What is the cheapest Lady-Datejust?
The entry point is a two-tone vintage reference such as the 69173 in steel and yellow gold, from about £3,000 to £4,300 in honest older condition — genuinely the cheapest Rolex territory there is. A plain steel 69174 or 79174 sits from roughly £3,200.
Diamond dials and gold
From there the diamonds and the metal set the price. A modern two-tone model with a factory diamond dial runs about £8,000 to £12,000, while a solid-gold diamond “President” reaches the low £30,000s.
| Configuration | Entry / floor (older, honest condition) | Sought-after example |
|---|---|---|
| Two-tone vintage (69173) | ~£3,000–£4,300 | — |
| Steel (69174 / 79174) | from ~£3,200 | — |
| Modern two-tone, diamond dial | ~£8,000 | ~£12,000 |
| Solid gold “President”, diamond | ~£30,000 | low £30,000s+ |
These are wider open-market floors, not Chrono6538’s prices. Chrono6538 sells authenticated pieces, checked and guaranteed, at a premium to the bare private-market floor.
Why is there such a range?
Because a plain two-tone vintage Lady-Datejust and a solid-gold diamond President are worlds apart in materials, and averaging them tells you nothing. Metal and diamonds do almost all the work: steel and two-tone at the floor, factory diamond dials in the middle, solid gold at the top. Condition, year and box-and-papers then move each figure by a few hundred to a couple of thousand pounds.
Has the Lady-Datejust held its value?
The Lady-Datejust has been a steady, unshowy value-holder — the two-tone and steel pieces in particular offer one of the gentlest entries into Rolex ownership. That is descriptive, not a promise — the wider pre-owned market softened from its 2022 peak, so values can fall as well as rise. This is not investment advice; buy the watch you want to wear, pay a fair price against the ranges above, and treat any appreciation as a bonus.
Where to buy
Browse authenticated pre-owned Rolex Lady-Datejust models at Chrono6538. Every piece is checked and guaranteed before it is offered.