Datejust 31 Stainless Steel / Yellow Gold / Fluted / Grey - Roman / Oyster

About This Watch

The Rolex Datejust 31 Reference 278273-0017 embodies the quiet sophistication of a timepiece that balances heritage with contemporary elegance. Its 31mm case, crafted from a combination of stainless steel and yellow gold, offers a refined duality—both robust and precious—while the fluted bezel, a hallmark of Rolex’s design language since the 1940s, adds a touch of timeless distinction. The grey sunburst dial, with its subtle depth and warmth, is framed by Roman numeral indexes and slender stick hands, creating a composition that is both legible and understated. This iteration of the Datejust, introduced in the modern era, honors the collection’s legacy as a symbol of enduring craftsmanship, first launched in 1945 as the first waterproof chronometer-equipped wristwatch. At its core, the watch is powered by Rolex’s Caliber 2236, a self-winding movement celebrated for its precision, reliability, and the brand’s in-house chronometer certification. The closed caseback ensures a seamless silhouette, while the 100-meter water resistance underscores its practicality without compromising its sartorial appeal. The Oyster case, a cornerstone of Rolex’s innovation, marries durability with a polished aesthetic that transitions effortlessly from formal to casual settings. This watch is for the discerning individual who values heritage without ostentation, seeking a piece that is as functional as it is refined. It suits occasions where presence matters—boardrooms, soirées, or quiet moments of contemplation—worn with the confidence of a legacy that needs no embellishment.

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.

278273-0017 is one of 24 executions of the 278273 base reference. Underneath they are the same watch; what separates this one is a grey sunburst dial and a yellow gold, stainless steel case.

Rolex

White · Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel

278273-0001 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel

278273-0002 · 31 mm

Rolex

Silver · Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel

278273-0003 · 31 mm

Rolex

Silver · Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel

278273-0004 · 31 mm

Rolex

Champagne · Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel

278273-0013 · 31 mm

Rolex

Champagne · Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel

278273-0014 · 31 mm

Rolex

Green · Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel

278273-0015 · 31 mm

Rolex

Green · Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel

278273-0016 · 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