10 Best Oversized Rolex Watches (For ALL Your Needs!)

Rolex isn’t exactly known for big watches. Their style is conservative and timeless. For most of their history, many of their men’s watches topped out at 36mm in size. In recent years they’ve added some 40mm plus case sizes to accommodate the larger case trends demanded by the public. 

In this article, we’ll explore collections like their robust Deepsea, which has been used on record-setting dives in the deepest parts of the world’s oceans, to their sporty Yacht-Master II, which tracks sailboat race records on the surface.

About Oversized Rolex Watches

Gone are the days of exclusively smaller men’s case sizes of 34mm and 36mm. Of course, Rolex still offers those, but they’ve now expanded to offer plenty of 40mm-42mm sizes and beyond for most of their collections. From the Datejust workhorse to the iconic Submariner Date to the Explorer II and the Sky-Dweller, there are now many Rolex watches between 41mm and 42mm.

If you’re looking to go even larger, Rolex has collections to accommodate those needs. The Yacht-Master II is 44mm, and the Deepsea Challenge is a beastly 50mm. Rolex offers a wide variety of timepiece sizes, all with unique features to suit every conceivable need and interest. 

Should You Get An Oversized Rolex?

Some simply have a larger frame or bigger build and feel more comfortable with an appropriately proportional timepiece. Others are looking for a statement piece that will be noticed. Yet others are simply looking for features and capabilities that tend to come in larger packages. Whatever the reason, Rolex has a lot of excellent oversized models to consider.

The Best Oversized Rolex Watches 

ROLEX DATEJUST 41MM WHITE DIAL (REF. 126334)

The Datejust is known as Rolex’s workhorse. The timepiece features a classic style that hasn’t changed much since it was first introduced in 1945. The original had a 36mm case and that’s been the size for most of its history; however, in recent years, the case has been enlarged to accommodate modern watch trends. 

Model 126334, the current model, has a combination of Oystersteel and white gold case that measures 41mm. There are many ways to customize this watch, with various materials, dial colors, some textured, and some layouts with Roman numbers and diamonds. 

The one we’ve selected has a crisp white dial with white gold hands and indices. There’s a magnified ‘Cyclops’ date window at 3 o’clock. The timepiece can be fitted with either a smooth, understated bezel or the dressier fluted bezel. The one we’ve profiled here is fluted.

Powering the watch is Rolex’s in-house caliber 3235 automatic movement, which has a power reserve of 70 hours. This is a highly accurate, modern movement within -2/+2 seconds per day. It has a screw-down crown and is water-resistant to 100 meters. 

The timepiece can be fitted with either the more casual Oyster, three 3-link bracelet, or the dressier 5-link Jubilee bracelet. Both have secure folding Oyster clasps and 5mm comfort extensions to find one’s perfect fit. The one we’ve profiled here has the Jubilee. 

Price: $10,500 

ROLEX OYSTER PERPETUAL 41MM CELEBRATION MOTIF (REF. 124300)

The Oyster Perpetual Celebration is a new Rolex model that’s created quite a stir in the industry. Historically, Rolex designs tend to be classic. As a result, they’re thought of as a watch brand marketed to a more mature clientele. This timepiece says I’m a serious, successful person who can afford a Rolex and appreciate the finer things, but I don’t take myself too seriously. 

It all started in 2020 when Rolex released their 36mm Oyster Perpetual with several new colorful lacquer dials and added some new sizes to the collection. The bright colors included candy pink, green, yellow, coral red, and turquoise. 

The latest celebration motif incorporates all those dial colors into bubbles of various sizes, lined in black and set against a ‘Tiffany blue’ backdrop. The simple, three-hand watch has matching white gold lined hands and indices. 

The OP comes in five different sizes, from 28mm up to 41mm, but you can only get the celebration dial in the 31mm, 36mm, and 41mm cases. The one we’re profiling here is the largest case size, as that’s the driving point of the article. 

Like all steel Rolexes, the case is made from only the highest quality, corrosion-resistant, 904L stainless steel. The case and smooth fixed bezel are polished, and the timepiece is fitted with an Oyster bracelet and clasp with 5mm micro extensions. 

The watch has a screw-down crown and is water-resistant to 100 meters. It’s powered by Rolex’s in-house 3230 automatic movement with a 70-hour power reserve, which is a nice upgrade over the movement included in the smaller-sized versions, under 36mm. 

Price: $6,400 

ROLEX SUBMARINER DATE 41MM (REF. 126610LN)

The Submariner is one of the most recognizable and celebrated collections from Rolex. The Submariner has a rich history as a tool watch with military divers during the Second World War and professional divers. There’s an effortless cool factor to its simple design. It’s not one of the flashy timepieces begging to be noticed, but there’s a heft to its presence on the wrist. 

Made from the highest quality materials, this is a watch that is not only useful and tasteful but is tough and durable, sure to last generations. Filmmaker and explorer James Cameron has recounted how he wore his Submariner Date during his deep-sea voyages to view the sunken wreckage of the Titanic, and it was also on his wrist when he received his Oscars for the film Titanic.

The stainless steel case measures 41mm and is complemented by a polished black ceramic unidirectional bezel. The black lacquered dial is clean and easy to read, with a bright lume that shines in the dark. The hands and indices are lined in white gold, and there’s a Cyclops date window at three o’clock. 

The timepiece is powered by Rolex’s caliber 3235 automatic movement with a 70-hour power reserve. It features a screw-down crown with Triplock triple waterproofness and is water resistant to 300 meters. It’s fitted with a 3-link Oyster bracelet with a folding Oysterlock safety clasp and a Glidelock extension system.

Price: $10,250 

ROLEX EXPLORER II 42MM WHITE DIAL (REF. 226570-0001)

Rolex bills the Explorer II as the watch of choice for speleologists (cave study), volcanologists (volcano study), and polar explorers. It’s easy to see why with the timepiece’s toughness and usefulness, particularly with its tools to distinguish day from night. 

One thing I like about the Explorer II’s design is its brushed steel bezel. Once popular in the ‘70s, that style has fallen out of vogue with most wristwatches in favor of ceramic bezels. Ceramic bezels are ideal, but this is just one design feature that makes this model stand out. 

The stainless steel case of the timepiece measures 42mm. The all-steel design gives it a rugged look. This, combined with its fresh white dial, gives off arctic explorer vibes and brings to mind icy waters and deep caverns. 

The hands and indices are lined in black, except for the orange 24-hour hand. There’s a Cyclops date window at three o’clock. The dial features a long-lasting blue lume for those dark times spent spelunking or perhaps just exploring the city’s nightlife. This, along with a fixed bezel with 24-hour graduations, allows for distinguishing between night and day. 

The timepiece is powered by the caliber 3285 in-house automatic movement with a 70-hour power reserve. The watch has hacking seconds for precise timing. It has a water resistance of up to 100 meters and is fitted with a 3-link Oyster bracelet. 

Price: $9,650 

ROLEX SKY-DWELLER 42MM (REF. 336934-0006)

The Rolex Sky-Dweller has always looked like an enlarged Datejust to me, and it’s packed with lots of additional features like a dual timezone display and an annual calendar. The latest version looks even more like Datejust with the inclusion of the Jubilee bracelet. 

The Oystersteel and white gold case measures 42mm, sits at 14mm on the wrist, and is 50.4mm lug-to-lug. This timepiece is made for larger wrists, 16cm and above. It’s broad and thick but still fits under a dress cuff because of its slopped design. 

The watch has a presence on the wrist but isn’t too overpowering. It has a striking bright blue sunburst dial with an off-center 24-hour wheel. The hands and indices are lined in white gold, and there’s a magnified date window at 3 o’clock.

The signature fluted bezel features the Ring Command System, allowing the wearer to control each of the watch’s functions separately, with the turn of the bezel, in conjunction with the turn of the crown. 

The timepiece is powered by the caliber 9002 automatic movement with a 72-hour power reserve and is water resistant to 100 meters, as noted by the line under the coronet on the crown. All this is paired with the 5-link steel Jubilee bracelet that offers a refined dressy look with its satin and polished finishes while also serving as a durable sports bracelet.

Price: $15,900 

ROLEX YACHT-MASTER 42MM RLX TITANIUM (REF. 226627)

The Yacht-Master shares similar looks with its Submariner Date sibling, but a few design cues distinguish it. First, there’s the look of titanium, with its darker, silver-gray tone. Then there’s the matte black bezel, in contrast to the Submariner’s shiny bezel.

This watch is made from RLX grade 5 titanium. Unlike some lower-grade titanium, this unique blend allows Rolex to offer contrasting satin and polished surfaces that give the watch a more cultured look. This makes it so light you’ll almost doubt it’s an authentic Rolex.

But that’s exactly what’s required in sailing, where every ounce of weight matters. For the enthusiast, it also simply makes for a comfortable wearing experience. The timepiece is powered by Rolex’s 3235 automatic movement with its 70-hour power reserve.

It’s water resistant to 100 meters and is fitted with a 3-link Oyster titanium bracelet with an Oysterlock safety clasp and the Easylink 5mm comfort extension. The price is a steep climb from the Submariner, but if one is a true yacht master, that shouldn’t be a problem. 

Price: $14,050 

ROLEX SEA-DWELLER 43MM (REF. 126600-0002)

The Sea-Dweller is a collection of professional diver’s watches, first released by Rolex in 1967 and originally known as the Sea-Dweller Submariner 2000. The early models were created in partnership with the French diving company Comex (Compagnie Maritime d’Expertises). 

While similar in design to the Submariner, the Sea-Dweller has always been a larger and thicker timepiece, as necessitated by the materials and features needed to endure extreme depth dives, such as a more rugged case construction and a helium escape valve (HEV). 

The current model has a stainless steel case made of Rolex’s famous 904L steel and measures 43mm. The watch sits at 15.5mm on the wrist and measures 21mm in lug width. The unidirectional rotatable bezel features a Creachrom insert, a platinum-coated ceramic made by Rolex that’s scratchproof and unaffected by ultraviolet light.

The black bezel has a nice sheen and a strong, enduring blue lume for legibility in the deep. The black dial, its hands, and indices look nearly identical to the Submariner Date. It now even features a Cyclops date window at 3 o’clock, which is a relatively recent addition since 2017. 

The timepiece is powered by Rolex’s caliber 3235 automatic movement with a 70-hour power reserve. Features included are hacking seconds and instantaneous date. The watch has high-performance shock absorbers and is water-resistant to 1,220 meters. All this is paired with a 3-link Oyster bracelet with a folding Oysterlock clasp and Rolex’s Gridlock extension system.

Price: $13,250 

ROLEX YACHT-MASTER II 44MM (REF. 116680-0002)

The Yacht-Master II was first introduced in 2007, which exhibited a regatta chronograph. The complex movement allows for a programmable countdown timer used in competitive sailing events. 

The ocean blue bezel, with its gear-link edge, features the Ring Command System, as explored with the Sky-Dweller; however, this one works in coordination with the regatta chronograph, as mentioned above. 

The large Oystersteel case measures 44mm, sits at 14mm on the wrist, and has a lug width of 21mm. The white dial, with its blue outlined regatta wheel, tracks from 1 to 10 minutes, and the smaller sub wheel at 6 o’clock tracks the seconds, up to 60. 

The timepiece is fitted with Rolex’s caliber 4161 automatic movement with a 72-hour power reserve. It features hacking seconds and a programmable countdown with mechanical memory and synchronization. The watch is water resistant to 100 meters and is paired with a three-link Oyster bracelet with a 5mm comfort extension.

Price: $18,700 

ROLEX DEEPSEA 44MM (REF. 136660-0003)

The Rolex Deepsea is a remarkable feat of engineering. In 2012 filmmaker and explorer James Camron set a record-breaking solo dive in the Mariana Trench, which reaches a depth of 36,000 feet (10,972 meters). Located in the Pacific Ocean, this is the deepest point in the world’s oceans and one that has been relatively unexplored.

Rolex made a special watch for this dive, which could reach such depths, and later produced the Deepsea to commemorate the accomplishment. The Oystersteel case of the Deepsea measures 44mm, sits on the wrist at 17.7mm thick, and is 51.8mm lug-to-lug.

The gradient dial, which goes from blue to the black of the deep, celebrates Cameron’s journey and remarkable accomplishment. It has the same kind of black Cerachrom bezel reviewed with the Sea-Dweller. 

Under the hood is Rolex’s caliber 3235 automatic movement with a 70-hour power reserve. It has instantaneous date and hacking seconds. The crystal is domed and measures 5.5mm thick. There’s a screw-down Triplock triple crown to enhance waterproofness.

The timepiece is rated to withstand depths of 3,900 meters and includes a helium escape value. All this is paired with the durable 3-link Oyster bracelet and the extension system to fit over a wetsuit. This is a substantial watch that has advanced the boundaries of deep-sea exploring. 

Price: $14,460 

ROLEX DEEPSEA CHALLENGE 50MM (REF. 126067)

The Deepsea Challenge is a beast! I once purchased a 50mm watch in the ignorance of my youth, when the trend in watches was the bigger, the better, and apparently, I had something to prove. 

Some thought it was cool; many commented that it looked like I was wearing a wall clock. The crown was so big and protruding that it rubbed a callous into my skin. I don’t expect a broad market for this watch, but I don’t think that matters to Rolex. This was about setting new standards in the capabilities of a diver’s watch, and they did just that. 

As noted above, the Deepsea was created to commemorate James Cameron’s record-setting dive. But, the experimental watch made for that dive, which was attached to the outside of his diving equipment, was made from 904L steel and far too heavy for anyone to wear. 

This version, the Deepsea Challenge, is made from RLX grade 5 titanium, just like the Yacht-Master. This material change made it 30% lighter than the experimental watch and thus possible to wear. 

The titanium case measures 50mm, sits on the wrist at a whopping 23mm in height (no, this isn’t sliding under your dress shirt), and is 61mm from lug to lug. Like the standard Deepsea, it’s powered by the same 3235 automatic movement. 

This one includes Rolex’s Ringlock system with a nitrogen-alloyed steel ring and helium escape value. Of course, it also includes a screw-down Triplock triple waterproof system and is capable of water resistance ratings of 11,000 meters. All this is paired with a titanium bracelet that offers 7mm of extension. 

Price: $25,950 

Parting Thoughts

Whether you’re simply in the market for a fine luxury sports watch that accommodates a larger wrist, or you need something with incredible capabilities and features under the sea, on the surface, or in the sky, Rolex has some smashing models which answer the call.