Datejust 31 Rose Gold / Diamond / Grey - Roman / President

About This Watch

The Rolex Datejust 31, in its 278285RBR-0027 iteration, exemplifies the quiet mastery of understated luxury that defines the collection. A 31-millimeter rose gold case, polished to a warm luster, frames a dial that marries modernity with tradition—a sunburst grey surface that catches light with subtle gradations, paired with Roman numerals and stick hands that evoke the enduring elegance of mid-20th-century horology. The bezel, adorned with a delicate arrangement of diamonds, adds a touch of refinement without overwhelming the design, while the President bracelet, with its signature five-link construction, ensures a secure yet comfortable fit. This reference, part of the Datejust line introduced in 1945, carries the weight of a legacy that has long balanced innovation with timeless appeal. At its core, the watch houses the Caliber 2236, an automatic movement that delivers precise timekeeping with a date display positioned at the traditional 6 o’clock mark. The movement’s reliability, combined with the case’s 100-meter water resistance, underscores Rolex’s commitment to both craftsmanship and practicality. The interplay of materials—rose gold, diamond, and grey—creates a harmony that feels both contemporary and rooted in the brand’s storied past. This watch is for those who seek distinction without ostentation, a piece suited to formal occasions

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.

278285RBR-0027 is one of 12 executions of the 278285RBR base reference. Underneath they are the same watch; what separates this one is a grey sunburst dial and a rose gold case.

Rolex

White · Rose Gold

278285RBR-0005 · 31 mm

Rolex

Brown · Rose Gold

278285RBR-0006 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · Rose Gold

278285RBR-0008 · 31 mm

Rolex

Brown · Rose Gold

278285RBR-0016 · 31 mm

Rolex

Rose · Rose Gold

278285RBR-0018 · 31 mm

Rolex

Grey · Rose Gold

278285RBR-0021 · 31 mm

Rolex

Purple · Rose Gold

278285RBR-0023 · 31 mm

Rolex

Rose · Rose Gold

278285RBR-0025 · 31 mm

+ 3 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