Datejust 31 Stainless Steel / Oyster / Pink

About This Watch

The Rolex Datejust 31, in its 2020 iteration with a striking pink dial, offers a refined reinterpretation of a collection that has long defined timeless elegance since its debut in 1945. The 31mm stainless steel case, paired with a domed bezel and a closed case back, maintains the Datejust’s enduring silhouette while emphasizing a more intimate scale. The dial, a vibrant pink with a sunburst finish, radiates subtlety and sophistication, its stick indexes and hands lending a crisp, minimalist precision that complements the hue without overwhelming it. This color choice, though unconventional for the Datejust, underscores Rolex’s ability to infuse tradition with contemporary flair, ensuring the watch remains both familiar and refreshingly distinct. At its core lies the Caliber 2236, a self-winding movement celebrated for its reliability and the inclusion of a date display through a discreet window at 6 o’clock. The sapphire crystal, paired with a 100-meter water resistance, reinforces the watch’s practicality without compromising its status as a haute horlogerie piece. The Datejust 31’s heritage as a symbol of enduring craftsmanship is evident in every detail, from the Oyster case’s robust construction to the meticulous finishing of the dial. This watch is for the discerning individual who values understated sophistication—someone who seeks a timepiece that balances heritage with modernity, and whose presence is as much about quiet confidence as it is about legacy. Whether worn for a formal occasion or as a daily companion, it embodies the quiet assurance of a brand that has mastered the art of making the extraordinary feel entirely natural.

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. 55 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.

278240-0007 is one of 18 executions of the 278240 base reference. Underneath they are the same watch; what separates this one is a pink sunburst dial and a stainless steel case. Introduced in 2020.

Rolex

Black · Stainless Steel

278240-0001 · 31 mm

Rolex

Black · Stainless Steel

278240-0002 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · Stainless Steel

278240-0003 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · Stainless Steel

278240-0004 · 31 mm

Rolex

Silver · Stainless Steel

278240-0005 · 31 mm

Rolex

Silver · Stainless Steel

278240-0006 · 31 mm

Rolex

Pink · Stainless Steel

278240-0008 · 31 mm

Rolex

Grey · Stainless Steel

278240-0009 · 31 mm

+ 9 more variants in this family.

The 2236 is the Rolex movement inside more watches in this library than any other: 907, in the 28 mm Lady-Datejust and the 31 mm Datejust 31. It was the first Rolex caliber with a silicon hairspring. Introduced in 2014 in the Pearlmaster 34, it is a 20 mm automatic with a date, 31 jewels, a 55-hour reserve and a beat of 28,800 vph, certified by the COSC and then tested again by Rolex after casing to the Superlative Chronometer tolerance of two seconds a day. Its distinction is the Syloxi hairspring: silicon, immune to magnetism, etched to a patented geometry that keeps the spring concentric in every position, and paired with Paraflex shock absorbers. The larger Rolex calibers kept the Parachrom alloy spring; Syloxi did not reach a men's movement until the 7140 of 2023. The [2236 piece](/blog/the-rolex-2236-the-most-common-movement-in-this-library) sets out that history. In the library it powers 488 [Datejust 31](/brands/rolex/datejust-31) references, the seven-digit 2782xx generation of 2020, 399 [Lady-Datejusts](/brands/rolex/lady-datejust) of the 2791xx generation of 2015, 15 [Pearlmasters](/brands/rolex/pearlmaster) and 5 [Yacht-Master 37s](/brands/rolex/yacht-master). The [2235](/calibers/rolex-2235) is the 48-hour movement it replaced, the [2232](/calibers/rolex-2232) its no-date sibling for the Oyster Perpetual, and the [3235](/calibers/rolex-3235) its counterpart in the 36 mm and 41 mm cases.

906 other watches in the library run the Rolex 2236.

Rolex

Lady-Datejust 28 Rolesor Everose Diamond / Oyster / MOP

279381RBR-0014 · 28 mm

Rolex

Lady-Datejust 28 Rolesor Rose Diamond / Jubilee / MOP

279381rbr-0013 · 28 mm

Rolex

Lady-Datejust 28 Rolesor Yellow Domed / Oyster / MOP

279163-0014 · 28 mm

Rolex

Datejust 31 Stainless Steel / Yellow Gold / Diamond / Black MOP / Oyster

278383RBR-0023 · 31 mm