Datejust 31 Rolesor Yellow Domed Diamond / Oyster / Steel Roman

About This Watch

The Rolex Datejust 31 178343-0036 stands apart within the Datejust lineage for its harmonious fusion of traditional craftsmanship and modern sophistication. The dial, a deep grey canvas, is adorned with polished Roman numerals and sleek stick hands, their simplicity elevated by the subtle interplay of light across the domed surface. Encased in Rolesor—yellow gold and stainless steel intertwined—the watch balances opulence with wearability, its 31mm diameter a testament to the collection’s enduring appeal since its introduction in 1945. The sapphire crystal, paired with a closed caseback, ensures durability without compromising the elegance of the Oyster case’s rounded silhouette. At its core lies the Caliber 2235, a self-winding movement celebrated for its precision and reliability. This mechanical heart, with its 288 components and 28,800 vibrations per hour, underscores Rolex’s commitment to horological excellence. The watch’s water resistance to 100 meters and the seamless integration of yellow gold and steel reflect the brand’s mastery of materials, a legacy honed over a century of innovation. This timepiece is for the discerning individual who values understated luxury and heritage. It suits occasions where presence matters—boardrooms, soirées, or quiet moments of reflection—worn as a quiet assertion of taste and timelessness. Its design, rooted in the Datejust’s iconic silhouette, ensures it remains a relevant heirloom, as enduring as the craftsmanship that defines it.

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.

178343-0036 is one of 34 executions of the 178343 base reference. Underneath they are the same watch; what separates this one is a grey dial and a yellow gold, stainless steel case.

Rolex

Green · Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel

178343-0001 · 31 mm

Rolex

Silver · Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel

178343-0002 · 31 mm

Rolex

Champagne · Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel

178343-0003 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel

178343-0004 · 31 mm

Rolex

Champagne · Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel

178343-0005 · 31 mm

Rolex

White

178343-0006 · 31 mm

Rolex

White

178343-0007 · 31 mm

Rolex

Black

178343-0008 · 31 mm

+ 25 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