Datejust 31 Stainless Steel Diamond / Oyster / Black - Roman

About This Watch

The Rolex Datejust 31, with its refined proportions and enduring elegance, embodies the brand’s mastery of balancing tradition with contemporary sophistication. The 278384RBR-0001 variant distinguishes itself through a striking interplay of materials: a stainless steel case adorned with a diamond-set white gold bezel, a hallmark of Rolex’s commitment to meticulous craftsmanship. The black dial, finished with a high-gloss sheen, provides a timeless canvas for the Roman numerals and slender stick hands, their precision echoed in the movement within. This iteration of the Datejust 31, introduced in 2020, honors the collection’s legacy as a symbol of understated luxury since its debut in 1945, while its 31mm diameter caters to a modern sensibility without compromising the watch’s iconic presence. At the heart of the timepiece lies the self-winding Caliber 2236, a testament to Rolex’s in-house engineering. This movement, certified as a chronometer, ensures exceptional accuracy and reliability, its performance underscored by a Parachrom blue balance spring resistant to magnetic interference. The sapphire crystal, paired with a closed case back, safeguards the mechanical artistry within, while the 100-meter water resistance and Oyster case construction reflect the brand’s enduring focus on durability. This watch is for the discerning individual who values heritage and precision, seeking a piece that transcends trends. It suits formal occasions with quiet authority or serves as a daily companion for those who appreciate the quiet confidence of a timepiece that speaks volumes without needing to shout.

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.

278384RBR-0001 is one of 34 executions of the 278384RBR 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

278384RBR-0002 · 31 mm

Rolex

White

278384RBR-0007 · 31 mm

Rolex

White

278384RBR-0008 · 31 mm

Rolex

Grey · White Gold, Stainless Steel

278384RBR-0009 · 31 mm

Rolex

Grey · White Gold, Stainless Steel

278384RBR-0010 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · White Gold, Stainless Steel

278384RBR-0013 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · White Gold, Stainless Steel

278384RBR-0014 · 31 mm

Rolex

Silver · White Gold, Stainless Steel

278384RBR-0015 · 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