Short answer: Rolex offers the Datejust with a mother-of-pearl dial in 31 mm and 36 mm, but not in 41 mm. Its 2026 catalogue also puts mother-of-pearl on the 28 mm Lady-Datejust, the Day-Date 36 and 40, two Cosmograph Daytonas and four gold Oyster Perpetuals, always with diamonds on the dial. The least expensive mother-of-pearl Datejust 36, the 126234 in Oystersteel and white gold, lists at $12,750. On October 19, 2026 Bizak asked from $17,018 for a Datejust 36 126201 and from $97,850 for the black and white mother-of-pearl Daytona 126579RBR.
Last reviewed on October 19, 2026 by Filip Biczak. Models, dial names and US list prices come from Rolex's 2026 online catalogue, read that day; Bizak prices are that day's asking prices, not quotes. Bizak & Co. is independent and not affiliated with Rolex.
Shop by collection: Datejust 36 · Datejust 41 · Daytona · Ladies' Rolex
Which Rolex watches have mother-of-pearl dials
Across the Datejust, Lady-Datejust, Day-Date, Cosmograph Daytona and Oyster Perpetual collections, rolex.com listed 121 mother-of-pearl models on October 19, 2026. Every one has diamonds on the dial and a case in Rolesor (Oystersteel with gold), 18 kt gold or platinum. None is in steel alone.
| Model | Mother-of-pearl at Rolex in 2026 | Rolex US list | Bizak ask from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lady-Datejust 28 | White, 25 models | $11,700–$53,950 | $12,089 |
| Datejust 31 | White, or black with yellow gold, 37 models | $11,900–$60,550 | $13,484 |
| Datejust 36 | White, 16 models, all Rolesor | $12,750–$27,550 | $17,018 |
| Datejust 41 | None of its 114 models | — | — |
| Day-Date 36 | White, 28 models | $49,850–$138,550 | $44,918 |
| Day-Date 40 | White, 9 models | $56,250–$127,550 | $49,289 |
| Cosmograph Daytona | Black and white, 2 models | $80,450–$91,650 | $97,850 |
| Oyster Perpetual 28 and 34 | White, 4 gold models with diamond bezels | $36,350–$45,850 | $57,999 |
Bizak prices are for current references.
Rolex Datejust mother of pearl, reference by reference
The Datejust 36 comes only in white mother-of-pearl, with 10 diamonds totalling 0.12 ct in 18 kt gold settings, always in Rolesor and on an Oyster or Jubilee bracelet:
| Reference | Case and bezel | Rolex US list | Bizak ask from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 126234 | Oystersteel and white gold, fluted bezel | $12,750–$12,950 | $18,095 |
| 126203 | Oystersteel and yellow gold, domed bezel | $17,900–$18,650 | $17,999 |
| 126233 | Oystersteel and yellow gold, fluted bezel | $18,000–$18,750 | $18,499 |
| 126201 | Oystersteel and Everose gold, domed bezel | $18,200–$19,000 | $17,018 |
| 126231 | Oystersteel and Everose gold, fluted bezel | $18,300–$19,100 | $19,999 |
| 126284RBR | Oystersteel and white gold, diamond bezel | $20,900–$21,100 | $25,423 |
| 126283RBR | Oystersteel and yellow gold, diamond bezel | $26,350–$27,100 | $25,999 |
| 126281RBR | Oystersteel and Everose gold, diamond bezel | $26,750–$27,550 | $32,560 |
The Datejust 31 adds black mother-of-pearl, but only with yellow gold: the 278243 and 278273 in Oystersteel and yellow gold (from $15,650 at list), their diamond-bezel versions 278343RBR and 278383RBR, and the 18 kt yellow gold 278278 and 278288RBR. White mother-of-pearl comes with white, yellow or Everose gold, from $11,900 for the 278274 in Oystersteel and white gold. Bizak's ask for a black mother-of-pearl 278273 started at $13,763. The 28 mm Lady-Datejust is white only; see our ladies' Rolex collection.
Is there a mother-of-pearl Datejust 41?
Not in Rolex's current catalogue: none of the 114 Datejust 41 models on rolex.com on October 19, 2026 had a mother-of-pearl dial. Rolex's diamond-set Datejust 41 dials are bright black, bright blue, chocolate, champagne-colour, slate and Sundust. For mother-of-pearl in 40 mm, Rolex offers the Day-Date 40 and the Daytona. A mother-of-pearl Datejust 41 is not a configuration Rolex lists, so ask in writing whether the dial is Rolex's own; the Rolex guarantee does not cover watches modified with non-genuine parts, the dial included. Rolex's own Datejust 41 dials are in our Datejust 41 collection.
White, black and "Tahitian" mother-of-pearl
Rolex describes mother-of-pearl as a natural material that, depending on its origin, can be pink, white, black or yellow, and that differs in colour, intensity and structure according to the part of the shell it comes from. Its 2026 catalogue uses two colours: white on 109 models, black on 10 Datejust 31s, and both together on the two Daytonas.
"Tahitian" is a trade name, not a Rolex term. It borrows from Tahitian pearls, which grow in the black-lipped pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera, farmed mainly around French Polynesia; GIA notes that the colour of an oyster's mother-of-pearl layer is often related to the colour of the pearls it produces. Sellers use the word for dark dials; Rolex calls them black mother-of-pearl and does not say which shells it uses.
How Rolex mother-of-pearl dials vary
- No two are alike. Rolex says every mother-of-pearl dial is unique, so no two watches of a reference look exactly alike. Judge a dial from photos of the specific watch in daylight, not from a catalogue image.
- Never dyed. Rolex says it never artificially colours mother-of-pearl and works to preserve the original hues. A dial in a colour Rolex does not list for that reference needs checking.
- Selected for contrast. Rolex credits the contrast and depth of its two-tone Daytona dials to a particularly stringent selection of material.
- Diamond-set today. Every mother-of-pearl Datejust 36 has 10 diamonds (0.12 ct) in 18 kt gold settings, the Day-Date 40 228238 has 10 baguette-cut diamonds (0.46 ct) and the Daytonas have eight diamonds with three Chromalight hour markers. Count them against the reference.
What a mother-of-pearl dial adds to the price
At Rolex's list prices, mother-of-pearl is among the dearest dials on a reference. On the Datejust 36 126234 with an Oyster bracelet it costs $12,750, against $9,900 for a plain dial and $12,000–$12,550 for other diamond-set dials. Bizak's asks for current mother-of-pearl Datejust 36 references ran from $17,018 to $34,320 on October 19, 2026.
Daytona mother of pearl: 126579RBR, 126589RBR and earlier dark dials
Rolex's two mother-of-pearl Daytonas are 40 mm, in 18 kt white gold, with 36 brilliant-cut diamonds on the bezel in place of the tachymetric scale. The 126579RBR pairs a black mother-of-pearl dial with white counters on an Oyster bracelet ($91,650 list); the 126589RBR reverses the colours on an Oysterflex ($80,450). On October 19, 2026 Bizak asked from $97,850 for the 126579RBR and from $116,904 for the 126589RBR.
Dark mother-of-pearl, the dial sellers call Tahitian, also appears on earlier gold and two-tone Daytonas:
| Reference | Case and dial | Bizak ask from |
|---|---|---|
| 116523 | Steel and yellow gold, dark mother-of-pearl with Roman numerals | $19,312 |
| 116503 | Steel and yellow gold, dark mother-of-pearl with diamond markers | $26,969 |
| 116509 | 18 kt white gold, dark mother-of-pearl | $41,849 |
| 116508 | 18 kt yellow gold, dark mother-of-pearl with diamond markers | $50,219 |
More references are in our Daytona collection; our 116588SARO guide covers a gem-set mother-of-pearl Daytona.
Day-Date mother of pearl
Every mother-of-pearl Day-Date in the 2026 catalogue is white, in 18 kt gold or platinum. The least expensive, a Day-Date 36 128238 in yellow gold, pairs diamonds with baguette-cut diamonds at 6 and 9 o'clock ($49,850 list); the Day-Date 40 228238 has 10 baguette-cut diamonds ($56,250). Bizak's asks started at $44,918 for a Day-Date 36 128235 in Everose gold and $49,289 for a Day-Date 40 228238. See the Day-Date 40 collection and our 228235 mother-of-pearl guide.
Checks before you buy
- Match the dial to the reference. Rolex's 2026 catalogue has no mother-of-pearl Datejust 41, no steel-only mother-of-pearl Datejust and no black mother-of-pearl Datejust 36.
- Keep the guarantee intact. Rolex's guarantee does not cover watches materially modified with non-genuine parts, the dial included, so get the full reference and the dial description in writing.
Quick answers
Does Rolex make a Datejust 41 with a mother-of-pearl dial?
Not in its current catalogue: none of the 114 Datejust 41 models on rolex.com on October 19, 2026 had one. Rolex's mother-of-pearl Datejusts are 31 and 36 mm, plus the 28 mm Lady-Datejust; in 40 mm, Rolex offers mother-of-pearl on the Day-Date 40 and the Daytona.
What is Tahitian mother-of-pearl on a Rolex?
A trade name for dark mother-of-pearl, borrowed from Tahitian pearls, which grow in the black-lipped pearl oyster farmed mainly around French Polynesia. Rolex calls these dials black mother-of-pearl and does not say which shells it uses.
Is Rolex mother-of-pearl dyed?
No. Rolex says it never artificially colours mother-of-pearl. The colour depends on the shell's origin and on the part of the shell the material comes from, and Rolex says no two of its mother-of-pearl dials are identical.
How much is a Rolex Datejust with a mother-of-pearl dial?
At Rolex's US list prices on October 19, 2026, the Datejust 36 ran from $12,750 (126234) to $27,550 (126281RBR) and the Datejust 31 from $11,900 to $60,550. Bizak's asks that day started at $17,018 for a Datejust 36 126201 and $13,484 for a Datejust 31 278274.
Which Rolex Daytona has a mother-of-pearl dial?
In the 2026 catalogue, two white gold models with diamond bezels: the 126579RBR, black mother-of-pearl with white counters on an Oyster bracelet ($91,650), and the 126589RBR, white with black counters on an Oysterflex ($80,450). Dark mother-of-pearl dials also appear on earlier Daytonas such as the 116508, 116509 and 116523.
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Related reading: Datejust 36 126281RBR · Rolex diamond bezels · Off-catalogue Rolex
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