Datejust 31 Yellow Gold Domed / Oyster / Silver Roman

About This Watch

The Rolex Datejust 31, in its 178248-0082 iteration, embodies the quiet authority of a timepiece that has transcended decades of evolution while retaining the essence of its 1945 origins. The yellow gold domed case, a hallmark of Rolex’s mastery in metallurgy, is both a nod to classic horology and a testament to modern precision. Its 31mm diameter strikes a balance between presence and subtlety, with a polished Oyster case that ensures durability without sacrificing elegance. The dial, a luminous expanse of silver sunburst, is framed by Roman numerals and stick hands that exude restraint, their sharpness softened by the gentle play of light across the surface. This interplay is heightened by the sapphire crystal, which offers clarity and resilience, while the closed case back conceals the watch’s mechanical heart—a 2235 automatic movement. This calibre, with its Chronergy escapement and Parachrom balance spring, delivers a power reserve of 55 hours and a level of accuracy that underscores Rolex’s relentless pursuit of technical excellence. The Datejust 31’s heritage as a symbol of enduring sophistication makes it a natural choice for those who value understated refinement. It is the kind of watch that accompanies moments of significance—whether in boardrooms, at cultural events, or as a quiet companion to the passage of time itself. For collectors and discerning wearers alike, it is a statement not of ostentation, but of quiet, unshakable confidence.

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.

178248-0082 is one of 38 executions of the 178248 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

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