Datejust 31 Yellow Gold Diamond / President / Silver

About This Watch

The Rolex Datejust 31, in its 178288-0076 iteration, marries the enduring elegance of the Datejust collection with the refined opulence of yellow gold and diamond detailing. Introduced in 1945, the Datejust established itself as a paragon of Swiss watchmaking, blending precision with sophistication—a legacy this reference honors with its timeless proportions and meticulous craftsmanship. The 31mm yellow gold case, a hallmark of Rolex’s enduring appeal, is framed by a gem-set bezel that catches light with quiet authority, while the silver dial—marked by stick indexes and hands—offers a minimalist yet legible contrast. The President bracelet, with its signature five-link design, adds a layer of ceremonial grandeur, ensuring the watch sits comfortably on the wrist as much as it commands attention. At its core, the Datejust 31 is powered by Rolex’s in-house Caliber 2235, a self-winding movement celebrated for its reliability, precision, and the inclusion of a Parachrom hairspring, which enhances resistance to shocks and magnetic fields. The sapphire crystal, paired with a closed case back, underscores the watch’s durability and the brand’s commitment to excellence. This piece is not merely a timepiece but a testament to the Datejust’s role as a bridge between heritage and modernity, a role it has fulfilled for over seven decades. Suited for those who value understated sophistication, this watch is ideal for moments that demand both presence and restraint—whether in boardrooms, at black-tie events, or as a quiet assertion of legacy. It is for the collector who understands that true luxury lies in the harmony of form, function, and history.

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.

178288-0076 is one of 38 executions of the 178288 base reference. Underneath they are the same watch; what separates this one is a silver 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