Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36 vs. 41

Hi!

Another classic topic :)

What do you guys think of the OP36 vs. OP41 sizing? 

I'm trully on the fence between those two. I feel like the 36 looks better looking down at my wrist, but maybe a bit small looking at a full lenght mirror, and vice versa. The 41 looks big looking down, but fine from far. 

I personally prefer the black and silver dial variants. I like the colourful dials, but they are not for me right now.

Obviously there are no good or bad answers, just curious to what this group thinks. 

Thanks!

Julien

Reply
·

I think you should go for what looks best on your wrist. I would love a 36 but 36 just looks too small on my wrist. That’s why I went for a 41 (Datejust) last year instead of the 36.

I am super happy with the 41, but if the 36 fits your wrist you can never go wrong with any of those two no matter if it’s a 36 or 41

·
dominik

I think you should go for what looks best on your wrist. I would love a 36 but 36 just looks too small on my wrist. That’s why I went for a 41 (Datejust) last year instead of the 36.

I am super happy with the 41, but if the 36 fits your wrist you can never go wrong with any of those two no matter if it’s a 36 or 41

I agree that in the end, nobody cares haha And both are great. 

May I ask your wrist size?
 

My wrist is 7 inches (18cm) on the nose, and although I’m 6ft tall, I’m not very “bulky”. So again, I think I could pull of either.

Thanks for your answer! 

·

I feel that the OP36 looks properly sized/proportioned on my 6 3/4" wrist both when looking straight down on my wrist, and when looking at a full length mirror. I do find that it looks small, when I view it on my wrist from an angle, and I think that's related to the width of the bracelet.

Image
Image


 

·
tempus

I feel that the OP36 looks properly sized/proportioned on my 6 3/4" wrist both when looking straight down on my wrist, and when looking at a full length mirror. I do find that it looks small, when I view it on my wrist from an angle, and I think that's related to the width of the bracelet.

Image
Image


 

What a beauty! That light dial gives it presence as well.

The fact that this watch has a ''full-sized'' bracelet, starting at 20mm, is a real positive for me. My wrist are slighlt larger, at 7 inches on the dot, and I think it might wear similar on me. 

·
JulienFC

I agree that in the end, nobody cares haha And both are great. 

May I ask your wrist size?
 

My wrist is 7 inches (18cm) on the nose, and although I’m 6ft tall, I’m not very “bulky”. So again, I think I could pull of either.

Thanks for your answer! 

My wrist measures a little over 18 cm.

For me personally the 36 just looked wrong on myself but there are people with bigger wrists where a 36 looks good. And when you feel like the 41 looks too big, go for the 36, because like you already said -> No one cares ;)

·
JulienFC

What a beauty! That light dial gives it presence as well.

The fact that this watch has a ''full-sized'' bracelet, starting at 20mm, is a real positive for me. My wrist are slighlt larger, at 7 inches on the dot, and I think it might wear similar on me. 

I love the look of the silver dial on the OP36, which is part of the reason that I chose this specific watch. It was the very first watch in my collection, and when I bought it in 2018, I had a hard time deciding between the OP36 and the OP39.  I actually had a slight preference for the size of the OP39, but I really wanted the silver dial, which was only available on the OP36. I was extremely pleased with the size until my collection started to grow, and I added several watches in the 39-42mm range. Now, every time I wear the OP36, it feels a bit small for the first little bit until I get used to it - then it just feels right, and the others seem too big.

As much as I like the look of the silver dial, it has one major problem. The white gold of the hands tends to blend in with the dial, so I find that I often have to move my wrist a bit to get the proper lighting angle to read the watch. 

It's really too bad that you can't just walk into an AD and try on the various sizes and dial combinations, since it's really a very personal thing. Even two people with the same size wrist may have differently shaped wrists that makes a watch look different, and the dial color can have an impact on the perceived size as well. 

·

How about split the difference and go OP39, might be goldilocks

I've had two iterations, the blue and white dial and loved both. 

M wrist is 7 1/4 for reference

Image
Image
Image
Image
·
VegasDancer

How about split the difference and go OP39, might be goldilocks

I've had two iterations, the blue and white dial and loved both. 

M wrist is 7 1/4 for reference

Image
Image
Image
Image

Stunning! 
 

Those are amazing. I just don’t see myself paying 1.5x the retail price. Not a question of value or whatever, I just can’t comfortably afford it right now. I saw one going at 10k here in Montreal. 

·

Whether it's a OP 36 or 41, if you have found yourself a good deal, I suggest to grab it 1st. Because prices of both just keeps on creeping up. Hell if you do not like it later on, you can be assured it will retain its value.

·

I would recommend the 36mm. We are seeing a trend in the watch community right now where smaller watches are becoming sought after because they fit so well. In my opinion, one cannot judge a watch based on the size without trying it on first. If you get the chance to try on the exhibition pieces in your local AD, that could help narrow down the decision. Hope this helps. 

·

I had a similar dillema but I've gone for the 36. That size is just great. You will not probably scratch the watch that much since it's smaller. Also I've read that Ryan Gosling wears white OP 34 and it looks good on him. My 36 looks good on my 17cm wrist. I would go for the 36, I think it's the perfect size. Here is it on my wrist.

(Image failed to load!)
·

I own a 114200 OP in olive green (the watch in my avatar), and it's 34mm - and I promise you, it looks just like a 36mm thanks to the case. I too have a seven-inch wrist and I believe it fits like a glove.

·

I own the 41 and think it's perfect.  M I'm a bigger guy though with a 7 3/4 inch wrist. 

(Image failed to load!)
·

I am in the same boat as you Julien, on the fence between the two sizes.  I am going to find a dealer with the non-functional try on models and see what each looks.  I do love the no date simplicity of the OP - the watch I am obsessing over now.

·

I opt for 36, regardless of wrist size (i have 6.75" wrist) In my eyes i think its dial layout looks more proportionate with all the texts and indices overall. 

41 seems a little... too empty, i dont have more appropriate words to describe that, i hope you get what i mean. 

My op36 for your reference 

(Image failed to load!)
·
Image

You can't ever go wrong with a 36mm OP.  Rock it if you love it!  Buy it if you can afford it.  Also consider the cost of repairs and maintenance. Happy Sunday 👊🏽

·

36 is too small.  It's a thick watch and needs the extra diameter for balance.  The 36 should be <10mm thick.

·
Jamair23
Image

You can't ever go wrong with a 36mm OP.  Rock it if you love it!  Buy it if you can afford it.  Also consider the cost of repairs and maintenance. Happy Sunday 👊🏽

Great, great point! I totally agree. Servicing cost is so often overlooked. I only have 2-3 watches in my usual rotation, and they will normally all need servicing at different times (hopefully). Also I read/heard somewhere, at some point, that if you can't buy it twice, you can't afford it. I kind of like that approach, even though it's quite oversimplified. Thanks for the input! 

·
jason_recliner

36 is too small.  It's a thick watch and needs the extra diameter for balance.  The 36 should be <10mm thick.

I respectfully disagree! But I get your point 100%. Proportions are key, more than just the diameter. I tried on a blue 36mm OP, and found the proportions very well balanced. Have a great weekend.