Rolex celebrated their 40th anniversary in 1945. Fitting to this occasion, they premiered the Datejust. At the time, it was the first water-resistant chronometer with an automatic movement and date display. Just like their predecessors, the date display is still located at three o'clock on today's models. The display springs forward a day exactly at midnight. The most famous owner of a Rolex Datejust was US President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who received his timepiece from the Genevan manufacturer as a gift.

In 1945, Rolex also introduced their Jubilee bracelet to be paired exclusively with this timepiece. Today, the five-piece link bracelet is made of either stainless steel or white, yellow, or rose gold and comes in bicolor combinations. Rolex has their own foundry where they independently produce the gold for their watches. Since 1945, numerous models have been made available with the three-piece link Oyster bracelet or a leather strap. The Datejust is available in various sizes - from 28 mm to 41 mm - which makes it perfect for almost any wrist size. Since 1957, Rolex has offered smaller sizes meant for women under the name Lady-Datejust. The Datejust line has a larger variety of options than most other Rolex watches.