Datejust 31 Stainless Steel Diamond / Oyster / Silver

About This Watch

The Rolex Datejust 31, in its 178384-0043 iteration, marries the enduring elegance of the Datejust collection with a refined interplay of materials that underscores its status as a modern classic. The case, a harmonious blend of stainless steel and white gold, frames a dial of polished silver that exudes understated sophistication. Stick indexes and hands, paired with a diamond-set bezel, create a balanced composition where subtlety meets precision. The sapphire crystal, paired with a closed case back, ensures durability without compromising the watch’s timeless aesthetic, while the 31mm diameter maintains the Datejust’s legacy as a wearable icon since its introduction in 1945. At its heart lies the Caliber 2235, an automatic movement renowned for its reliability and the inclusion of a date display that operates with seamless accuracy. This mechanical backbone, encased within a water-resistant construction rated to 100 meters, reflects Rolex’s unwavering commitment to engineering excellence. The watch’s proportions—defined by a 16mm lug width and a round silhouette—embody the Datejust’s role as a bridge between the grandeur of vintage horology and the sleekness of contemporary design. This timepiece is for those who value discretion as much as craftsmanship, serving as a quiet testament to refinement in both professional and social settings. It suits the man or woman who seeks a companion for life’s most significant moments, one that demands no attention yet commands respect through its quiet, unerring presence.

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.

178384-0043 is one of 52 executions of the 178384 base reference. Underneath they are the same watch; what separates this one is a silver dial and a white gold, stainless steel case.

Rolex

Silver · White Gold, Stainless Steel

178384-0001 · 31 mm

Rolex

Silver · White Gold, Stainless Steel

178384-0003 · 31 mm

Rolex

White

178384-0004 · 31 mm

Rolex

Black

178384-0005 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · White Gold, Stainless Steel

178384-0006 · 31 mm

Rolex

Grey · White Gold, Stainless Steel

178384-0007 · 31 mm

Rolex

Pink · White Gold, Stainless Steel

178384-0009 · 31 mm

Rolex

Grey · White Gold, Stainless Steel

178384-0010 · 31 mm

+ 43 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