Datejust 31 Yellow Gold Diamond / President / Silver Roman

About This Watch

The Rolex Datejust 31, in its 178288-0056 iteration, embodies the quiet authority of a timepiece that has defined elegance since its introduction in 1945. A yellow gold case, polished to a warm luster, frames a dial that marries classical restraint with refined opulence: a sunburst silver surface, its texture subtly catching light, is adorned with Roman numerals and stick hands that exude precision. The bezel, set with a row of gemstones, adds a touch of discreet luxury, while the President bracelet—its five-link design a hallmark of Rolex’s commitment to comfort and sophistication—ensures the watch rests seamlessly on the wrist. This reference, though rooted in the Datejust’s enduring legacy, distinguishes itself through the interplay of materials and proportions, with the 31mm diameter offering a contemporary balance between heritage and modernity. At its core, the watch houses the Caliber 2235, a self-winding movement certified as a chronometer for its accuracy and reliability. Its 70-hour power reserve and the inclusion of a date display at the III position reflect Rolex’s mastery of engineering, where function and form are inextricably linked. The sapphire crystal, paired with a closed case back, underscores the brand’s dedication to durability and discretion. This watch is for those who seek a symbol of enduring value, worn with quiet confidence in moments that demand both presence and restraint—a dinner party, a boardroom, or simply the passage of time itself. It is not a statement, but a testament.

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.

178288-0056 is one of 38 executions of the 178288 base reference. Underneath they are the same watch; what separates this one is a silver sunburst dial and a yellow gold case.

Rolex

White · Yellow Gold

178288-0001 · 31 mm

Rolex

Champagne · Yellow Gold

178288-0007 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · Yellow Gold

178288-0010 · 31 mm

Rolex

Black · Yellow Gold

178288-0011 · 31 mm

Rolex

Silver · Yellow Gold

178288-0012 · 31 mm

Rolex

Black · Yellow Gold

178288-0016 · 31 mm

Rolex

Champagne · Yellow Gold

178288-0021 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · Yellow Gold

178288-0025 · 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