Datejust 31 Yellow Gold / Fluted / Grey - Diamond / President

About This Watch

The Rolex Datejust 31 in yellow gold, with its fluted bezel and gem-set indexes, embodies the enduring elegance of a collection that has defined luxury wristwear since its introduction in 1945. This particular iteration, distinguished by its grey sunburst dial and President bracelet, marries the brand’s storied heritage with refined modernity. The dial’s subtle radiance, achieved through a sunburst finish, contrasts beautifully with the warm luster of the 18ct yellow gold case, while the gem-set indexes add a quiet opulence that complements the model’s timeless silhouette. The fluted bezel, a hallmark of Rolex’s design language, frames the dial with a sense of deliberate craftsmanship, echoing the brand’s commitment to precision and artistry. At its heart lies the Caliber 2236, an in-house automatic movement that delivers exceptional accuracy and reliability, certified as a Superlative Chronometer by COSC. Its 31mm case, paired with a 16mm lug width, ensures a balanced presence on the wrist, while the water resistance of 100 meters underscores the watch’s practicality without compromising its sartorial appeal. The President bracelet, with its concealed clasp and polished links, offers both comfort and a discreet signature of prestige. This watch is for the discerning individual who values understated sophistication and heritage, suited to moments that demand both formality and enduring style—whether at a gala, in the board

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.

278278-0036 is one of 28 executions of the 278278 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

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