Datejust 31 Yellow Gold Diamond / President / Silver Roman

About This Watch

The Rolex Datejust 31, a timeless emblem of horological refinement, finds a striking expression in this yellow gold variant, where heritage meets meticulous craftsmanship. The 31mm case, forged in 18ct yellow gold, is adorned with a gem-set bezel that catches light with quiet elegance, while the dial—crafted from sunburst-finished silver—offers a subtle interplay of texture and depth. Roman numeral indexes and slender stick hands lend a classical air, balanced by the modern precision of the automatic 2235 movement within. This movement, a testament to Rolex’s engineering legacy, ensures exceptional accuracy and reliability, its self-winding mechanism a silent nod to the brand’s commitment to innovation without compromise. The President bracelet, with its signature five-piece links, wraps the wrist in a seamless fusion of comfort and sophistication, reinforcing the Datejust’s role as a perennial favorite among connoisseurs. Rooted in the Datejust collection’s enduring legacy since 1945, this watch embodies the quiet confidence of a design that has withstood the test of time. Its 100-meter water resistance and sapphire crystal underscore its practicality, yet its true allure lies in its ability to transcend trends. It is a piece for those who value understated luxury, suited to moments that demand both presence and restraint—whether at a gala, a private dinner, or simply as a companion to a life well-lived.

In Context

At 31 mm it is small by current standards, in the range most wristwatches occupied before cases began growing through the 1990s. The case back is closed, so the movement stays out of sight, and the sapphire crystal will resist everything short of deliberate abuse. 100 m is genuine swimming resistance — more than the shape of this watch suggests it would need.

The movement winds itself from the motion of your wrist. 48 hours of reserve is enough to set it down on Friday evening and find it still running on Monday. At 28,800 vph the seconds hand advances 8 times a second.

178158-0061 is one of 38 executions of the 178158 base reference. Underneath they are the same watch; what separates this one is a silver sunburst dial and a yellow gold case.

Rolex

Champagne · Yellow Gold

178158-0007 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · Yellow Gold

178158-0008 · 31 mm

Rolex

Champagne · Yellow Gold

178158-0009 · 31 mm

Rolex

Black · Yellow Gold

178158-0011 · 31 mm

Rolex

Black · Yellow Gold

178158-0018 · 31 mm

Rolex

Paved · Yellow Gold

178158-0022 · 31 mm

Rolex

Silver · Yellow Gold

178158-0024 · 31 mm

Rolex

Silver · Yellow Gold

178158-0025 · 31 mm

+ 29 more variants in this family.

The 2235 is the small Rolex automatic of the six-digit generation, a 20 mm movement with a date. It carried the Datejust 31 and the 26 mm Lady-Datejust from around 2000 until the 2236 replaced it. It powers 733 watches in this library. It has 31 jewels, a 48-hour reserve and a beat of 28,800 vph, and every one is a COSC chronometer. It is the same architecture as the [2236](/calibers/rolex-2236) that followed, without the silicon Syloxi hairspring and with seven hours less reserve; the [2236 piece](/blog/the-rolex-2236-the-most-common-movement-in-this-library) explains what changed. The library finds it almost entirely in the [Datejust 31](/brands/rolex/datejust-31): 682 references, the 1782xx generation, whose 45 base references and hundreds of dial variants make that collection the largest here. The 26 mm [Lady-Datejust](/brands/rolex/lady-datejust) of the 1791xx generation accounts for 29, the [Pearlmaster](/brands/rolex/pearlmaster) 29 mm and 34 mm for 19, and the 35 mm Yacht-Master for 3. A six-digit Datejust 31 reference is a 2235; the seven-digit one is a 2236, as the [reference-number guide](/blog/how-to-read-a-watch-reference-number) explains. The 2231 was its no-date sibling in the Oyster Perpetual, and the [3135](/calibers/rolex-3135) its counterpart in the 36 mm cases.

732 other watches in the library run the Rolex 2235.

Rolex

Datejust 31 Yellow Gold Diamond / Oyster / Black MOP

178158-0056 · 31 mm

Rolex

Datejust 31 Stainless Steel Diamond / Oyster / Pink MOP

178384-0061 · 31 mm

Rolex

Datejust 31 Rolesor Everose Domed / Jubilee / Black MOP

178241-0043 · 31 mm

Rolex

Datejust 31 Yellow Gold Domed / Oyster / Champagne Roman

178248-0079 · 31 mm