Datejust 31 Yellow Gold / Domed / Grey - Diamond / Oyster

About This Watch

The Rolex Datejust 31, in its 278248-0035 iteration, marries the enduring elegance of the Datejust collection with a refined interplay of materials and proportions. The 31-millimeter yellow gold case, polished to a warm luster, is framed by a domed sapphire crystal that amplifies the depth of the grey sunburst dial beneath. This dial, a masterclass in subtlety, features gem-set indexes that catch light with quiet precision, while stick hands trace the hour with minimalist grace. The Datejust’s legacy—established in 1945 as the first waterproof chronometer-equipped wristwatch—resonates here, where timeless design meets the precision of modern horology. The Oyster case, a hallmark of Rolex’s engineering, ensures durability without compromising the watch’s svelte silhouette, its 100-meter water resistance a silent testament to resilience. At its heart lies the Caliber 2236, a self-winding movement with a Parachrom balance spring and Chronergy escapement, ensuring reliability and accuracy in every tick. The watch’s understated sophistication—rooted in the Datejust’s decades-long role as a symbol of discreet luxury—makes it a natural choice for those who value heritage and craftsmanship. It is the kind of timepiece that thrives in moments of quiet distinction: a boardroom meeting, a gala, or simply a Sunday morning stroll where the interplay of light on the dial becomes an unspoken conversation between maker and wearer.

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.

278248-0035 is one of 26 executions of the 278248 base reference. Underneath they are the same watch; what separates this one is a grey sunburst 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

White · Yellow Gold

278248-0016 · 31 mm

Rolex

Green · Yellow Gold

278248-0017 · 31 mm

Rolex

Green · Yellow Gold

278248-0018 · 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