Rolex Datejust 31 Yellow Gold — White Roman Dial, Fluted Bezel | Ref. 178278

Reference 178278 configures the Datejust 31 in 18 ct yellow gold throughout — case, bezel, crown, and bracelet — with a white dial carrying applied Roman numeral hour markers and the fluted bezel that has long been synonymous with the precious-metal Datejust. The yellow gold and white dial pairing is among the most historically grounded within the Datejust's extensive reference matrix, evoking the original 1945 aesthetic while maintaining full modern construction standards.

Calibre 2235 powers this reference, a self-winding manufacture movement with a Parachrom hairspring, Glucydur balance wheel, and Microstella regulation, offering Rolex's chronometer certification of +2/-2 seconds per day. The 18 ct yellow gold Oyster case is machined from solid gold and finished to Rolex's exacting standards, with the fluted bezel carrying the characteristic serrated profile that was originally engineered to assist in sealing the caseback and later became purely ornamental — a rare case of a functional detail persisting as an aesthetic hallmark. Roman numerals in applied yellow gold read with quiet authority against the white ground.

All-yellow-gold Datejust references in 31 mm with Roman numeral dials serve a buyer who wants the full warm-gold presentation without the added complexity or cost of diamond-set bezels or stone dials. The classic aesthetic of Ref. 178278 ensures it remains in consistent demand among collectors who value historical coherence and wearable formality in equal measure.