Datejust 31 Yellow Gold - Diamond / Red Gradient / President

About This Watch

The Rolex Datejust 31, in its 278288RBR-0041 iteration, marries the enduring elegance of the Datejust collection with a striking interplay of materials and finishes. The yellow gold case, polished to a warm luster, frames a dial that transitions from deep red at the center to a softer hue toward the edges, a gradient effect that enhances the watch’s visual depth. Gem-set indexes and a bezel, each diamond meticulously placed, add a touch of quiet opulence, while the stick hands ensure legibility without intruding on the dial’s harmony. This reference, though rooted in the Datejust’s 1945 debut as the first self-winding chronometer wristwatch with a date display, reimagines the collection’s classic silhouette through contemporary craftsmanship. At its heart lies the Caliber 2236, a self-winding movement with a Parachrom balance spring and Chronergy escapement, ensuring precision and resilience. The sapphire crystal, paired with a closed case back, underscores the watch’s commitment to durability without compromising its refined aesthetic. The President bracelet, with its three-link design and concealed clasp, offers both comfort and a sense of understated sophistication. This watch is for those who value heritage as much as innovation, seeking a timepiece that transcends trends yet remains unmistakably Rolex. It suits formal occasions or moments of quiet distinction, where presence speaks louder than words.

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-0041 is one of 13 executions of the 278288RBR base reference. Underneath they are the same watch; what separates this one is a red gradient dial and a yellow gold case.

Rolex

Champagne · Yellow Gold

278288RBR-0005 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · Yellow Gold

278288RBR-0006 · 31 mm

Rolex

Green · Yellow Gold

278288RBR-0007 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · Yellow Gold

278288RBR-0009 · 31 mm

Rolex

Silver · Yellow Gold

278288RBR-0020 · 31 mm

Rolex

Champagne · Yellow Gold

278288RBR-0022 · 31 mm

Rolex

Green · Yellow Gold

278288RBR-0024 · 31 mm

Rolex

Grey · Yellow Gold

278288RBR-0026 · 31 mm

+ 4 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