Datejust 31 Yellow Gold Domed / President / Black MOP

About This Watch

The Rolex Datejust 31, in its 178248-0074 iteration, embodies the quiet authority of a timepiece that has defined elegance since its introduction in 1945. This particular model, with its domed yellow gold case and polished president bracelet, marries the enduring proportions of the Datejust’s original design to contemporary refinement. The dial, a deep black mother-of-pearl surface, is both a nod to traditional craftsmanship and a canvas for subtle opulence, its gem-set indexes adding a tactile and visual contrast to the stick hands that trace the hours with precision. The sapphire crystal, paired with a water resistance of 100 meters, ensures durability without compromising the watch’s refined silhouette. At its heart lies the Caliber 2235, an automatic movement celebrated for its reliability and the inclusion of a date display that operates with seamless fluidity. This mechanical backbone, housed within a closed case back, underscores Rolex’s commitment to horological integrity—a legacy the Datejust collection has upheld for over seven decades. The 31-millimeter diameter, a deliberate choice to balance presence with wearability, speaks to a design philosophy that prioritizes accessibility without sacrificing the brand’s signature gravitas. This watch is for the individual who values understated sophistication, whose discernment lies in the interplay of heritage and innovation. It is suited to moments that demand both quiet confidence and enduring quality, whether worn at a gala or tucked beneath a cuff during a quiet afternoon. For those who recognize that true luxury resides in the details, the Datejust 31 is a testament to timelessness.

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.

178248-0074 is one of 38 executions of the 178248 base reference. Underneath they are the same watch; what separates this one is a black dial and a yellow gold case.

Rolex

Champagne · Yellow Gold

178248-0012 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · Yellow Gold

178248-0013 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · Yellow Gold

178248-0014 · 31 mm

Rolex

Black · Yellow Gold

178248-0019 · 31 mm

Rolex

Silver · Yellow Gold

178248-0020 · 31 mm

Rolex

Champagne · Yellow Gold

178248-0023 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · Yellow Gold

178248-0025 · 31 mm

Rolex

Black · Yellow Gold

178248-0026 · 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