Datejust 31 Stainless Steel/ Yellow Gold / Domed / Olive - Roman / Jubilee

About This Watch

The Rolex Datejust 31, in its 278243-0016 iteration, stands as a masterclass in restrained elegance, blending the enduring allure of the Datejust collection with a distinctive interplay of materials and color. The 31mm case, crafted from a combination of stainless steel and yellow gold, offers a refined duality—sturdy yet sophisticated—while the domed sapphire crystal adds a subtle, modern curvature to the watch’s silhouette. At its heart lies a dial of deep, forest-green sunburst finish, a hue that evokes both natural richness and quiet distinction. The Roman numerals, paired with slender stick hands, echo the Datejust’s mid-20th-century design DNA, ensuring a timeless aesthetic that remains effortlessly contemporary. The Jubilee bracelet, with its signature five-link design, complements the case’s bi-metallic construction, creating a harmonious balance between tradition and innovation. Under the hood, the Caliber 2236 automatic movement delivers the precision and reliability for which Rolex is revered, its architecture a testament to the brand’s mastery of in-house engineering. The watch’s 100-meter water resistance and the use of a closed case back underscore its practicality without compromising its role as a statement piece. The Datejust collection, first introduced in 1945, has long symbolized the intersection of accessibility and luxury within the Rolex universe, and this reference embodies that ethos with quiet confidence. This timepiece is suited for the discerning individual who values subtlety over ostentation, seeking a companion for both formal engagements and the quiet moments of everyday life. It speaks to those who recognize that true luxury lies not in excess, but in the perfection of detail.

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.

278243-0016 is one of 24 executions of the 278243 base reference. Underneath they are the same watch; what separates this one is a green sunburst dial and a yellow gold, stainless steel case.

Rolex

White · Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel

278243-0001 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel

278243-0002 · 31 mm

Rolex

Silver · Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel

278243-0003 · 31 mm

Rolex

Silver · Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel

278243-0004 · 31 mm

Rolex

Champagne · Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel

278243-0013 · 31 mm

Rolex

Champagne · Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel

278243-0014 · 31 mm

Rolex

Green · Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel

278243-0015 · 31 mm

Rolex

Grey · Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel

278243-0017 · 31 mm

+ 15 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