Datejust 31 Yellow Gold / Fluted / Butterfly / President

About This Watch

The Rolex Datejust 31, in its 278278-0022 iteration, embodies the enduring elegance of a collection that has defined modern horology since its debut in 1945. This particular reference distinguishes itself through its refined interplay of materials and proportions, with a 31-millimeter yellow gold case that exudes understated opulence. The fluted bezel, a hallmark of Rolex’s design language, frames a dial of pristine white mother-of-pearl, its iridescent sheen catching light with subtle, shifting hues. The absence of indexes and the use of stick hands lend the dial a minimalist sophistication, allowing the craftsmanship of the case and bracelet to take center stage. The President bracelet, with its signature butterfly clasp, ensures a secure yet comfortable fit, a testament to Rolex’s commitment to both aesthetics and wearability. At the heart of the watch lies the Caliber 2236, an in-house automatic movement that combines precision engineering with a 48-hour power reserve. Its 288 components operate with the quiet efficiency characteristic of Rolex’s mechanical expertise, while the date function—positioned at the traditional 3 o’clock position—remains a subtle yet enduring detail of the Datejust lineage. The sapphire crystal, paired with a closed case back, protects the movement while emphasizing the watch’s robust construction, rated to 100 meters. This timepiece is for the discerning individual who values heritage without sacrificing modernity, a collector who appreciates the quiet confidence of a watch that transcends trends. It is equally at home in a boardroom or on a wrist that has weathered the passage of time, a companion to moments that demand both presence and restraint.

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.

278278-0022 is one of 28 executions of the 278278 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

278278-0003 · 31 mm

Rolex

Green · Yellow Gold

278278-0004 · 31 mm

Rolex

Champagne · Yellow Gold

278278-0009 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · Yellow Gold

278278-0010 · 31 mm

Rolex

Green · Yellow Gold

278278-0011 · 31 mm

Rolex

Champagne · Yellow Gold

278278-0016 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · Yellow Gold

278278-0017 · 31 mm

Rolex

Green · Yellow Gold

278278-0018 · 31 mm

+ 19 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