Datejust 31 Stainless Steel Domed Diamond / Oyster / Black - Roman

About This Watch

The 278344RBR-0001 Datejust 31 embodies the enduring elegance of Rolex’s most iconic collection, reimagined with contemporary refinement. Its 31mm stainless steel case, accented with a white gold bezel set with polished diamonds, marries classic proportions with a touch of understated opulence. The black dial, finished with a high-gloss sheen, serves as a striking canvas for the watch’s Roman numeral indexes and slender stick hands, a design language that echoes the Datejust’s mid-20th-century heritage while maintaining a modern minimalist appeal. The domed sapphire crystal and Oyster case, waterproof to 100 meters, underscore Rolex’s commitment to both precision and durability, ensuring the watch remains as functional as it is sophisticated. At its heart lies the in-house Caliber 2236, a self-winding movement with a 38-hour power reserve, reflecting Rolex’s mastery of mechanical engineering. The watch’s balanced dimensions—16mm lug width and a case diameter that nods to the original Datejust’s 1945 debut—make it a versatile companion for both formal occasions and everyday wear. The interplay of materials, from the coolness of stainless steel to the warm luster of white gold, speaks to a design philosophy that values harmony over excess. This timepiece is for the discerning individual who seeks a watch that transcends trends, offering a quiet statement of sophistication. It suits those who appreciate the marriage of heritage and innovation, worn with equal ease at a gala or during a quiet moment of reflection.

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.

278344RBR-0001 is one of 34 executions of the 278344RBR base reference. Underneath they are the same watch; what separates this one is a black gloss dial and a white gold, stainless steel case. Introduced in 2020.

Rolex

Black · White Gold, Stainless Steel

278344RBR-0002 · 31 mm

Rolex

White

278344RBR-0005 · 31 mm

Rolex

White

278344RBR-0006 · 31 mm

Rolex

Grey · White Gold, Stainless Steel

278344RBR-0007 · 31 mm

Rolex

Grey · White Gold, Stainless Steel

278344RBR-0008 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · White Gold, Stainless Steel

278344RBR-0011 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · White Gold, Stainless Steel

278344RBR-0012 · 31 mm

Rolex

Silver · White Gold, Stainless Steel

278344RBR-0013 · 31 mm

+ 25 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