Datejust 31 Yellow Gold Fluted / President / Champagne Floral

About This Watch

The Rolex Datejust 31, a timepiece that has long embodied the brand’s commitment to understated elegance, finds a refined expression in the 178278-0119. This iteration, with its yellow gold case and fluted bezel, channels the enduring sophistication of the Datejust collection, which has marked significant moments in horology since its introduction in 1945. The champagne dial, finished with a sunburst pattern, exudes warmth and depth, its absence of indexes and stick hands emphasizing a minimalist approach that allows the craftsmanship of the dial to take center stage. Paired with the President bracelet—a hallmark of Rolex’s dedication to comfort and refinement—the watch balances tradition with modernity, its 31mm diameter ensuring a presence that is both intimate and impactful. At its core, the 178278-0119 is powered by the Caliber 2235, an automatic movement distinguished by its enhanced date display and improved accuracy, reflecting Rolex’s relentless pursuit of precision. The sapphire crystal, paired with a closed case back, underscores the watch’s durability and attention to detail, while its 100-meter water resistance speaks to practicality without compromising its luxurious essence. This watch is for those who value heritage as much as innovation, seeking a piece that transcends trends yet remains timeless. It is suited to moments of quiet distinction—whether in a boardroom, at a gala, or on the wrist of someone who understands that true luxury lies in the marriage of artistry and engineering.

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.

178278-0119 is one of 37 executions of the 178278 base reference. Underneath they are the same watch; what separates this one is a champagne sunburst dial and a yellow gold case.

Rolex

White · Yellow Gold

178278-0010 · 31 mm

Rolex

Champagne · Yellow Gold

178278-0018 · 31 mm

Rolex

Champagne · Yellow Gold

178278-0021 · 31 mm

Rolex

Champagne · Yellow Gold

178278-0025 · 31 mm

Rolex

Silver · Yellow Gold

178278-0028 · 31 mm

Rolex

Silver · Yellow Gold

178278-0031 · 31 mm

Rolex

Silver · Yellow Gold

178278-0034 · 31 mm

Rolex

Silver · Yellow Gold

178278-0037 · 31 mm

+ 28 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