Datejust 31 Yellow Gold Diamond / Oyster / Champagne Roman

About This Watch

The Rolex Datejust 31, in its Yellow Gold Diamond iteration, embodies the quiet authority of a timepiece that has defined elegance since its debut in 1945. This particular reference, distinguished by its gem-set bezel and champagne dial, marries the brand’s enduring commitment to precision with a refined aesthetic that transcends trends. The case, crafted from 18ct yellow gold, is both a nod to tradition and a testament to Rolex’s mastery of metallurgy, while the diamond-set bezel adds a discreet yet unmistakable touch of opulence. The champagne dial, with its warm hue and Roman numeral indexes, evokes the understated sophistication of mid-20th-century horology, balanced by the sharpness of stick hands that ensure legibility without sacrificing grace. At its core, the watch houses the Caliber 2235, an automatic movement celebrated for its reliability and the inclusion of a Parachrom balance spring, which enhances resistance to shocks and magnetic fields. The Oyster case, sealed with a screw-down crown and secured by a waterproof screw-down back, underscores Rolex’s pioneering role in waterproof watchmaking. This is a timepiece that speaks to those who value heritage as much as innovation, offering a quiet confidence that is worn rather than advertised. It is the kind of watch that finds its place at the wrist of a collector who appreciates the subtlety of fine craftsmanship, or as a companion to moments that demand both presence and restraint—whether in the boardroom, at a gala, or as a treasured heirloom.

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.

178288-0077 is one of 38 executions of the 178288 base reference. Underneath they are the same watch; what separates this one is a champagne 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