Datejust 31 White Gold Fluted / President / Dark Rhodium Floral

About This Watch

The Rolex Datejust 31, in its refined iteration of white gold with a dark rhodium floral dial, embodies the quiet authority of a timepiece that has defined elegance since its introduction in 1945. The fluted case, a hallmark of the Datejust lineage, is rendered in 18ct white gold, its polished surfaces catching light with a subtlety that belies the craftsmanship beneath. The dial, a deep grey canvas adorned with stick indexes and hands, is punctuated by the intricate floral motif, a design element that marries traditional watchmaking artistry with a touch of modern sophistication. Encased in a 31mm diameter round case, the watch is proportioned for wearability without compromise, its 16mm lug width ensuring a secure yet unobtrusive presence on the wrist. At its heart lies the Caliber 2235, a self-winding movement distinguished by its precision and reliability. Featuring a Chronergy escapement and a Parachrom blue balance spring, the mechanism exemplifies Rolex’s commitment to innovation within the confines of classic design. The sapphire crystal, paired with a closed case back, safeguards the movement while emphasizing the watch’s enduring durability—water resistance to 100 meters underscores its practicality without sacrificing refinement. This watch is for the discerning individual who values heritage as much as horological achievement, seeking a piece that transcends trends yet remains timeless. It suits the boardroom, the evening gala, or the quiet moments of reflection, its presence a testament to understated mastery.

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.

178279-0072 is one of 25 executions of the 178279 base reference. Underneath they are the same watch; what separates this one is a grey dial and a white gold case.

Rolex

Silver · White Gold

178279-0006 · 31 mm

Rolex

Grey · White Gold

178279-0008 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · White Gold

178279-0015 · 31 mm

Rolex

Black · White Gold

178279-0017 · 31 mm

Rolex

Blue · White Gold

178279-0033 · 31 mm

Rolex

Pink · White Gold

178279-0036 · 31 mm

Rolex

Blue · White Gold

178279-0041 · 31 mm

Rolex

Pink · White Gold

178279-0043 · 31 mm

+ 16 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