A Complete Guide to Rolex Bracelets
Rolex makes some of the most comfortable, well-built and recognizable bracelets in the watch industry. In this Rolex bracelet guide, we’ve built a tool to look up the correct bracelet code(s) for most models. We’ll also go over all the main types of Rolex bracelets, how they’ve evolved over the years, and quirks collectors should know.
A Brief History of Rolex Bracelets
Leather straps were the norm for Rolex until well into the 1940s, although you can find some earlier Rolexes with bonklip (ladder) bracelets as well as some “pre-Oyster” three-link rivet bracelets made by Gay Frères, the king of 20th-century watch bracelet craftsmanship. GF continued to make most of Rolex’s bracelets, along with bracelets for countless other brands like Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet, until they were ultimately acquired by Rolex in 1998.
Notably, there was an interesting period (1950s-1970s) when many Rolex bracelets were made domestically (in the market where they were sold) for tariff reasons. So that’s why you can find some genuine vintage Rolex bracelets that say “Made in USA,” “Made in Mexico,” “Made in England,” “Made in Japan” etc.
Nowadays, Rolex bracelets are known for their heft and excellent clasp feel, so collectors who are used to modern bracelets often find the feel of vintage Rolex bracelets to be cheap and flimsy (while some collectors like the old “jangly” bracelets just fine). Rolex’s Easylink and Glidelock clasps, which allow for quick on-the-fly size adjustments of the bracelet, have set the industry standard, and I’ll talk more about those later in the article. For now, if you’d like to find what bracelets fit your Rolex, type its reference number in our tool below.
Rolex Bracelet Lookup Tool
Now, before we go over each type of bracelet, let’s quickly go over how their construction has evolved.
Rivet vs. Folded Link vs. Solid Link Rolex Bracelets
There are essentially four generations of Rolex bracelet construction: rivet bracelets, folded-link bracelets, solid bracelets with hollow endlinks (“HEL”) and center links, and lastly fully solid bracelets with solid endlinks (“SEL”).
Rolex rivet Oyster bracelets do actually have visible rivets on the outside of each link. Some early rivet bracelets are “stretchy” (the links can expand apart a bit) while others are fixed. Folded Oyster bracelets replaced them in the 1960s for the most part. “Folded” means what it sounds like; each link is made from a relatively thin piece of metal that has been folded back on itself:
The first Jubilee bracelets were folded, so there are no rivet Jubilees (nor rivet Presidents). Solid outer links became the norm across the board (President bracelets always had them) in the 1980s. And ultimately, fully solid bracelets with SEL became standard around 2000.
Jubilee Bracelet
The famous five-link Rolex Jubilee bracelet debuted on the original Rolex Datejust in 1945, in solid gold only. Two-tone versions came a few years later, and a fully steel option came a few years after that. Many people feel that a two-tone Datejust with a champagne dial and a Jubilee bracelet is the most recognizable and iconic Rolex configuration ever made.
If you hear someone mention an “oval link Jubilee,” they’re most likely referring to a Rolex Jubilee Bracelet made in the USA by C+I or JB Champion in the 1960s-1970s. Their outer links are indeed oval-shaped, and solid.
A “Super Jubilee” is a fully solid Jubilee bracelet that comes on a six-digit (meaning 2004 or newer) Datejust model. All Super Jubilees either have concealed clasps or Easylink clasps.
There are some uncommon vintage Rolexes that came with textured Jubilee bracelets. Ref. 1607 and 16078 are Datejust models with barked bezels; both came on Jubilee bracelets with barked center links. Some rare old gold ladies’ Rolexes even came on Jubilee bracelets with a Moreau finish.
One of the rarest Rolex Jubilee bracelets of all is a two-tone gold bracelet for a white gold Day-Date, with white gold outer links and diamond-clad yellow gold center links.
More on Rolex:
Oyster Bracelet
Rolex applied for a patent for an expandable early version of the Oyster bracelet in 1947, although similar bracelets without Rolex branding had first been made by Gay Frères for Rolex as early as ten years prior. The Oyster bracelet, made of three links across with the center link being staggered, has become the most replicated watch bracelet style of all time.
Today, the Oyster bracelet always comes with either Easylink or Glidelock functionality for quick bracelet resizing. The Oyster is offered on every current Rolex model except the Land-Dweller, 1908 Perpetual and Yacht-Master 42.
Note that Rolex dive watches have a Fliplock safety catch that folds over to “lock” the clasp in place while most other models have clasps that can be opened with a single motion. When an Explorer II or Daytona (or anything else without a diver’s extension) has the little flip-over part, Rolex calls it Oysterlock. Also, as an obscure piece of trivia, on 1990s GMT models, the Submariner-style 93150 bracelet with Fliplock clasp was actually a factory option (although few chose it).
Stamped clasps, like the one above, are often called “tuna can clasps” by collectors and while some find them time-tested, reliable and highly functional, others greatly prefer the more modern machined clasps of six-digit references:
Rolex President Bracelet
The most exclusive bracelet in Rolex’s current catalog is the President. It debuted in 1954 on the Rolex Day-Date, and it has been synonymous with that watch ever since. The Rolex President bracelet, which is only made in solid gold or platinum, is also offered on precious metal Datejust models 31mm and smaller. It’s a three-link design, similar to the Oyster but with shorter, more curved links.
The Rolex Tridor President bracelet, made in the 1980s and 1990s, has white gold outer links and a center link that combines all three hues (yellow, rose and white gold).
Pearlmaster Bracelet
The Pearlmaster lineup, offered from about 1992-2022 in 29mm, 34mm, and 39mm sizes, never got much love from enthusiasts. After all, men’s steel sports models tend to get the most attention from collectors, and Pearlmasters are the opposite–precious metal dress watches predominantly aimed at women. All Pearlmaster watches have Pearlmaster bracelets. The discontinued 39mm Day-Date Masterpiece also has a Pearlmaster bracelet.
Visually, the Pearlmaster looks somewhat like a cross between a Jubilee and an Oyster. There are five links across, all solid, with the second and fourth being vertically staggered (and also the smallest). Those small links were offered with diamonds. Pearlmaster bracelets can have one, two, or all three hues of gold links. The one with all three hues is called a Tridor, although each individual link is made of one type of gold–unlike the aforementioned Tridor Presidents which have fused multicolor gold center links.
SEL are standard on the Pearlmaster bracelet. There’s also a rare and little-known wavy version of the Pearlmaster bracelet.
Oysterflex Bracelet
The Rolex Oysterflex bracelet, which first appeared in 2015, is widely regarded as one of the most comfortable (if not the most comfortable) elastomer straps on the market.
Underneath the rubber, a flexible nickel-titanium blade is at the core of every Oysterflex. Rolex only puts the Oysterflex on certain solid gold Daytona, Yacht-Master and Sky-Dweller models. The Oysterflex strap is always black, with one exception: the Giraffe Daytona comes on a brown one.
Settimo Bracelet
The dressy Settimo bracelet, which I believe was the most important 2025 Rolex release apart from the Land-Dweller, is only available on the yellow gold 1908 Perpetual. Although it looks similar to a Jubilee bracelet with two extra center links, the construction is actually much more complex, and Rolex got a patent for it in 2024.
All seven links of the Settimo bracelet are polished, and almost everyone who tries it on raves about it. Because of its sleek concealed Crownclasp, though, there’s no quick micro-adjust functionality.
Rare Exotic Bracelets
We’ve now covered all of the main Rolex bracelet types, but there are some obscure vintage ones worth mentioning too. Rolex brick bracelets, which are exclusively made in solid gold, are certainly beloved among collectors. There are even some Rolex brick bracelets with a Florentine finish applied:
There are other ultra-rare bracelets too, like the “Siamese Jubilee” once seen on a gold Air-King. Amsterdam Vintage Watches sold a Day-Date with a textured single-link-style bracelet, and Antiquorum sold a 1960s Oyster Perpetual with a gold “grid” bracelet, neither of which I’ve ever seen elsewhere.
Several gold 34mm Oyster Perpetual Date models were offered on rare bracelets, like a pebbly gold mesh bracelet to match the Morellis bezel of ref. 1510. And it would be impossible to list every kind of random high-jewelry bracelet used on old ladies’ Rolex watches over the years. They did some wild Cellini bracelets too.
A Note About Integrated Rolex Bracelets
While the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak gets most of the credit for kick-starting the integrated-bracelet luxury watch trend that persists to this day, another watch also designed by Gerald Genta came a decade earlier: the Rolex King Midas. Made from a single ingot of gold, the original King Midas ref. 9630 weighed almost 200g. To me, the King Midas is the godfather of the integrated bracelets.
The Rolex 1530 and 1630, along with Oysterquartz models and the current Land-Dweller, all have integrated bracelets with solid flat links.
Integrated flat-link Rolex bracelets have been made in all three primary styles (Jubilee, Oyster and President). And there’s also the preposterously rare “Emperor” ref. 1831 with a single-flat-link design.
Leather Straps
Leather straps used to be the norm for Rolex watches way back when, but nowadays only the 1908 Perpetual is offered on a leather strap. Every other Rolex comes on a metal or Oysterflex bracelet. The 1908’s strap is alligator leather, but Rolex has also used leather straps made of calfskin, croc, and, in the case of the Rolex Daytona Beach, lizard.
The Rolex Daytona was available on leather until 2017. The Datejust 36, Day-Date 36, and Sky-Dweller were also offered on leather in the 2010s. Note that you cannot put a metal bracelet on a model designed for leather or Oysterflex (well, it won’t fit well–the lugholes aren’t in the same spot). So if you prefer to keep your options open, the conventional wisdom is to buy the metal bracelet model and switch it to an aftermarket strap as you please.
Historically, leather straps on Rolex dress models had classic simple tang buckles while sports models got deployant clasps. But Rolex Cellini Moonphase and Prince models also have deployant clasps, as does the 1908.
Which Rolex Bracelets Have Hidden Clasps?
Pearlmaster, Settimo, and recent President bracelets always have hidden clasps, while Oyster bracelets never do. And notably, previous-generation Rolex Datejust 36 models with Jubilee bracelets (like ref. 116200) have hidden Crownclasps. Rolex Jubilee bracelets made for watches 31mm and smaller—from both the current and previous generation–also have concealed clasps.
The current Jubilee bracelet for the Rolex Datejust 36 has a larger non-hidden clasp, presumably so they could fit Easylink in it. On a Rolex (and almost all watches in general) a hidden clasp = no micro-adjust.
Rolex Quick-Adjust Clasps
Rolex has made three different clasp functions to allow for on-the-fly tool-free bracelet size adjustments: the Fliplock diver’s extension, Easy-Link, and Glidelock.
- The Fliplock diver’s extension debuted in the late 1960s on the 9315 Oyster bracelet for the Submariner and Sea-Dweller. By pressing a certain link inside the clasp (it’s marked with an “O”) you can unlock the extension and add 26mm of length to your bracelet, in order to accommodate the girth of a wetsuit. It was dropped from the Submariner when Glidelock came out. The first two generations of Rolex Deepsea models also had the diver’s extension, but the current model doesn’t; only the Sea-Dweller and Deepsea Challenge keep it alive.
- Easylink clasps debuted in the mid-2000s, first on Oyster bracelets for Datejust and GMT-Master II models. Nowadays, all Rolex Oyster bracelets without Glidelock have Easylink. So do all Jubilee bracelets without hidden clasps. To add 5mm to your bracelet, simply open the clasp and unsnap/unfold the hinged mini-link from its groove within.
- Glidelock clasps first appeared on 6-digit Rolex dive watches in 2008 and they are beloved for a reason. When you open a Glidelock clasp, you’ll see a “track” of 10 notches spaced 2mm apart; just slide it to the size you need. 20mm is intended to be enough to cover a wetsuit. Note that current Rolex models on Oysterflex have what collectors call “mini-Glidelock,” which has 6 notches spaced 2.5mm apart.
Can I Buy a Different Rolex Bracelet at an Authorized Dealer?
Lots of Rolex owners want to know if they can just go into a Rolex store and buy a Jubilee bracelet for their watch that came on an Oyster bracelet, or vice versa. And yes, as long as a given bracelet was an option for a reference you own, you should usually be able to buy one from your local authorized dealer. But Rolex is notorious for going back and forth on this policy, and results seem to vary store by store.
If you are able to order a Jubilee bracelet for your Rolex Batman GMT, for instance, expect to wait a few months and pay over $2,000 for it. And Rolex would certainly never sell you a Jubilee bracelet for a Submariner or any other model it was never offered on, etc.
Unlike a growing number of their competitors, Rolex still doesn’t offer any form of tool-free “quick-release” strap function. So if you want to swap your bracelet for a strap, you’ll need a springbar tool. Even so, Rolex’s bracelets remain a benchmark in the luxury watch industry, and hopefully this article has taught you everything you want to know about them.
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