Datejust 31 Yellow Gold / Domed / MOP / President

About This Watch

The Rolex Datejust 31, in its 278248-0016 iteration, embodies the quiet authority of a timepiece that has defined modern luxury since its introduction in 1945. This particular model, with its 31-millimeter yellow gold case, merges the brand’s enduring commitment to craftsmanship with a refined, contemporary silhouette. The domed sapphire crystal, a subtle yet deliberate departure from the collection’s traditional flat-faced predecessors, amplifies the watch’s presence while preserving the Datejust’s hallmark elegance. Beneath it lies a dial of mother-of-pearl, its iridescent sheen rendered in a gloss finish that shifts with the light, framed by gem-set indexes that add a touch of discreet opulence. The stick hands, crisp and unadorned, complement the dial’s simplicity, ensuring legibility remains paramount even as the piece commands attention. At its core, the Datejust 31 is powered by Rolex’s in-house Caliber 2236, an automatic movement celebrated for its precision, reliability, and the seamless integration of the date function. The closed case back, paired with a President bracelet—characterized by its polished gold links and secure five-piece design—underscores the watch’s dual role as a symbol of heritage and a testament to modern engineering. The collection’s legacy, rooted in its role as the first self-winding waterproof chronometer wristwatch, finds new expression here, where tradition meets subtlety. This watch is for the discerning individual who values understated sophistication, a piece suited to both formal occasions and the quiet confidence of everyday wear. It is not merely an accessory, but a statement of enduring taste.

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.

278248-0016 is one of 26 executions of the 278248 base reference. Underneath they are the same watch; what separates this one is a white gloss dial and a yellow gold case.

Rolex

Green · Yellow Gold

278248-0003 · 31 mm

Rolex

Green · Yellow Gold

278248-0004 · 31 mm

Rolex

Champagne · Yellow Gold

278248-0013 · 31 mm

Rolex

Champagne · Yellow Gold

278248-0014 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · Yellow Gold

278248-0015 · 31 mm

Rolex

Green · Yellow Gold

278248-0017 · 31 mm

Rolex

Green · Yellow Gold

278248-0018 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · Yellow Gold

278248-0019 · 31 mm

+ 17 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