Datejust 31 Yellow Gold / Diamond / Olive - Diamond / Oyster

About This Watch

The Rolex Datejust 31 in yellow gold, with its striking olive-green dial and gem-set bezel, stands as a rare intersection of understated elegance and bold craftsmanship. This particular reference, distinguished by its sunburst dial and meticulously set diamond indexes, embodies the Datejust collection’s enduring legacy as a symbol of timeless sophistication since its introduction in 1945. The olive hue, a departure from the brand’s traditional palettes, is rendered with precision, its depth enhanced by the interplay of light across the polished yellow gold case and the bezel’s diamond-encrusted frame. The 31mm case, paired with a 16mm lug width, ensures a balanced presence on the wrist, while the sapphire crystal and 100-meter water resistance underscore the watch’s commitment to both aesthetics and durability. At its heart lies the Caliber 2236, a self-winding movement with a date display, reflecting Rolex’s mastery of mechanical engineering. The closed case back and the careful integration of gem-setting on the indexes and bezel highlight the brand’s attention to detail, where every element serves both function and visual harmony. This watch is for the discerning individual who seeks a piece that transcends trends, one that carries the weight of heritage yet speaks to a contemporary sensibility. It is suited to moments that demand quiet authority—whether in boardrooms, at cultural events, or during journeys that demand both precision and poise. For those who value craftsmanship as much as legacy, this Datejust 31 is not merely an accessory, but a statement of enduring taste.

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.

278288rbr-0014 is one of 15 executions of the 278288rbr base reference. Underneath they are the same watch; what separates this one is a green sunburst dial and a yellow gold case.

Rolex

Green · Yellow Gold

278288rbr-0003 · 31 mm

Rolex

Green · Yellow Gold

278288rbr-0004 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · Yellow Gold

278288rbr-0008 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · Yellow Gold

278288rbr-0010 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · Yellow Gold

278288rbr-0011 · 31 mm

Rolex

Champagne · Yellow Gold

278288rbr-0012 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · Yellow Gold

278288rbr-0013 · 31 mm

Rolex

Silver · Yellow Gold

278288rbr-0019 · 31 mm

+ 6 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