The Rolex Datejust 26mm for women is chosen by its reference
Key takeaways: The Rolex Datejust 26mm has not been made since 2015, when it was replaced by the 28 mm Lady-Datejust: it can only be bought pre-owned. Its reference tells you the generation, the metal and the price range. In October 2026, a 69178 in yellow gold was worth about $16,660 CAD, 2.6 times less than a new 28 mm in yellow gold.
"Why does this one cost twice as much as the other?" The question comes up when looking at two listings for a Rolex Datejust 26mm that look alike in the photos: gold fluted bezel, champagne dial, the same small case.
The difference comes down to one digit. The 69173 combines steel and yellow gold, the 69178 is solid yellow gold, and in October 2026 the market put about $9,200 CAD between them. On a watch Rolex no longer sells new, the reference sets the price.
The 26 mm left the Rolex catalogue in 2015
In short: The Lady-Datejust was born in 1957 in a small case, and Rolex enlarged it to 28 mm in 2015, which made the 26 mm a pre-owned-only watch.
The Datejust dates from 1945. Its women's version arrived in 1957 and, according to the Lady-Datejust page in the Rolex Newsroom, its case measured 25 mm in diameter at launch before being enlarged to 28 mm in 2015.
On the pre-owned market, however, the pre-2015 generations are listed at 26 mm, the measurement also used in the Datejust buying guide. Search with that measurement, decide with the reference.
The replacement changed more than the diameter. According to the 279178 page on Rolex's Canadian site, the 28 mm gets the calibre 2236, with a silicon Syloxi hairspring and a power reserve of about 55 hours. The last 26 mm models ran on the calibre 2235, from an earlier generation.
For the buyer, the consequence is direct. Every 26 mm for sale has a history to piece together, and its price depends on that history as much as on its metal.
The reference number tells you the generation and the metal
In short: The number of digits places the generation, and the last digit gives the metal, which is enough to compare two listings in a few seconds.
Six references cover most listings. Calibres and crystals follow the public technical specifications of each reference. Prices come from a survey of public listings on October 25, 2026, expressed in US dollars. Each amount is converted to Canadian dollars at the rate published on October 23 by the Bank of Canada, or $1.3993 CAD for US$1, then rounded to the nearest ten.
|
Reference |
Generation and calibre |
Metal |
Market price (Oct. 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
6917 |
Four digits, calibre without quick-set date, acrylic crystal |
Several versions, metal to be read on the papers |
Not priced: the survey mixes metals |
|
69173 |
Five digits, calibre 2135, sapphire crystal |
Yellow Rolesor |
$7,440 CAD |
|
69178 |
Five digits, calibre 2135 |
18 ct yellow gold |
$16,660 CAD |
|
79173 |
Five digits, 1999 to 2005, calibre 2235 |
Yellow Rolesor |
$8,280 CAD |
|
179173 |
Six digits, calibre 2235 |
Yellow Rolesor |
$11,990 CAD |
|
179174 |
Six digits, calibre 2235 |
Steel, white gold bezel |
$9,990 CAD |
At $16,660 CAD, the 69178 is worth more than twice the 69173, from the same generation: in this size, metal weighs more than age. That is also why the 6917 has no price here. The survey groups it under a single amount, all versions combined, even though its metal changes its value as much as it does for its younger siblings. Have the metal confirmed in writing before comparing.
The last digit follows the same logic up to the current 28 mm: 3 for yellow Rolesor (69173, 179173, then 279173), 4 for steel with a white gold bezel (179174, then 279174), 8 for yellow gold (69178, then 279178). A listing for an "all gold" watch under a reference ending in 3 has the wrong metal, or the wrong watch.
A 26 mm in yellow gold costs 2.6 times less than a new 28 mm
In short: A 69178 traded at around $16,660 CAD in October 2026, compared with $43,200 CAD for a new Lady-Datejust 279178 in yellow gold.
On October 26, 2026, Rolex listed the 279178 in yellow gold with a white dial on a Jubilee bracelet at $43,200 CAD in Canada. At the same time, the market range for the 69178 ran from US$9,892 to US$13,916, or about $13,840 to $19,470 CAD.
At the middle of that range, the 26 mm in yellow gold therefore costs 2.6 times less than its new replacement. In exchange, a 69178 is more than 25 years old, has a calibre 2135 without a Syloxi hairspring and a service history to check. A recent service, backed by an invoice, changes the real value of an offer.
These market prices are before taxes. Bought from a Quebec merchant, the watch also carries 14.975% in sales taxes: 5% GST and 9.975% QST. Ordered from an American website, it also goes through customs. The 2026 Customs Tariff, in its chapter on watches, sets a general duty of 5% on an automatic wristwatch. A Rolex made in Switzerland may, however, enter duty-free under the Switzerland-Liechtenstein Tariff, provided proof of its Swiss origin accompanies the shipment. The taxes still apply.
The amounts move from one month to the next. They are mainly useful for spotting an abnormal listing: a 69178 offered at $8,000 CAD, well below the bottom of the range, raises more questions than it offers a bargain.
To compare with pieces you can see in person, browse the women's watches currently available, then note the exact reference of each one and the date of its last service.
26, 28 or 31 mm, two millimetres change how it reads on the wrist
Diameter is deceptive. Two millimetres seem like little, but the dial area grows with the square of the diameter: from 26 to 28 mm, it increases by about 16%. From 26 to 31 mm, the size of the Datejust 31, it rises by about 42%.
On the wrist, the 26 mm reads more like a piece of jewellery than an instrument. The hour markers are small, the Cyclops lens does the work on the date, and the watch slips under a fitted sleeve. On a slim wrist, that is exactly the intended effect.
To decide without trying the watch on, place a loonie on top of your wrist. The one-dollar coin is barely wider than a 26 mm case. If it already looks small to you, look at the 28 or 31 mm sizes.
A pre-owned 26 mm is checked reference in hand
In short: Each generation has its technical signature, and any inconsistency between the reference, the calibre, the crystal or the bracelet must be explained before payment.
The 26 mm models have decades of wear behind them. A replaced crystal or a changed bracelet is nothing unusual. A part changed without disclosure is. Before paying, make sure four points match:
- The reference and serial number. Engraved between the lugs, they must match the papers and the listing.
- The calibre. A 2135 in a 69173 or a 69178, a 2235 in a 79173, a 179173 or a 179174.
- The crystal and bracelet. Acrylic on an original 6917, sapphire afterwards. A replaced crystal or bracelet is not a fault, but it must be declared in writing.
- The diamonds. Is a set dial or bezel original Rolex, or added later? The description must say so.
Most of these points can only be judged with the caseback open. An appraisal by a watchmaker confirms the calibre, the numbers and the origin of the parts before any money changes hands.
A Rolex Datejust 26mm is worth the price of its reference
The two listings from the start can be told apart without a loupe. Read the numbers between the lugs, check that the calibre matches them, ask for the invoice from the last service, then place the price, taxes included, within the range for the reference. A Rolex Datejust 26mm that passes these four steps can then be compared with its peers, and no longer with a new 28 mm.
The multi-brand guide for women widens the comparison to other houses. And if a piece has already caught your eye, a specialist can examine it with you before you buy.
FAQ
Is the Rolex Datejust 26mm still made?
No. Rolex enlarged the case of its Lady-Datejust to 28 mm in 2015, and the Rolex Datejust 26mm can now only be bought pre-owned. The last references, the 179173 and 179174, used the calibre 2235. The 28 mm that replaces them gets the calibre 2236, with a Syloxi hairspring and about 55 hours of power reserve. The most recent 26 mm models have a reference starting with 179.
How much does a Rolex Datejust 26 mm in yellow gold cost?
About $16,660 CAD for a 69178, according to a survey of public listings from October 2026 converted to Canadian dollars, within a range of about $13,840 to $19,470 CAD before taxes. The dial, bracelet, condition and whether the box and papers are included all affect that price. New, the 28 mm in yellow gold costs $43,200 CAD from Rolex. Always compare examples of the same reference.
What is the difference between the 26 and 28 mm Lady-Datejust?
Size, movement and generation. The 28 mm, launched in 2015, has a dial about 16% larger and the calibre 2236, with a Syloxi hairspring and a power reserve of about 55 hours. The 26 mm, produced earlier, uses an older calibre depending on the reference, often the 2135 or the 2235. Pre-owned, it costs about 2.6 times less in yellow gold, at October 2026 market prices.
