Datejust 31 Yellow Gold Diamond / Oyster / Champagne

About This Watch

The Rolex Datejust 31, in its 178288-0059 iteration, embodies the enduring elegance of a collection first introduced in 1945, a timepiece that has long symbolized the intersection of precision and sophistication. This particular reference distinguishes itself through its yellow gold case, a material synonymous with Rolex’s commitment to enduring value and timeless appeal. The bezel, adorned with meticulously set gemstones, frames a champagne dial finished with a sunburst pattern that catches light with subtle, refined brilliance. Stick indexes and hands, rendered in a contrasting hue, provide a clean, legible counterpoint to the dial’s warmth, while the sapphire crystal ensures clarity and durability. The watch’s 31-millimeter diameter strikes a balance between presence and discretion, a hallmark of the Datejust’s enduring relevance in both formal and casual settings. At its core, the 178288-0059 is powered by Rolex’s in-house automatic movement 2235, a calibre renowned for its reliability, precision, and the brand’s signature Parachrom hairspring, which enhances resistance to shocks and magnetic interference. The closed case back, paired with a water resistance rating of 100 meters, underscores the watch’s practicality without compromising its role as a statement of craftsmanship. For those who seek a timepiece that marries heritage with contemporary refinement, this Datejust 31 is a testament to the quiet confidence of enduring design, suited to moments that demand both presence and restraint.

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.

178288-0059 is one of 38 executions of the 178288 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

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