Rolex 116231 Datejust Watches

Everose Rolesor on a 36 mm Datejust

Rolesor is Rolex’s name for steel combined with gold, a name it trademarked in 1933. On the 116231 the gold is Everose, an 18 ct pink gold alloy that Rolex introduced in 2005, casts in its own foundry and developed to hold its rose color. The case is 904L steel, while the fluted bezel, the screw-down crown and the center links of the bracelet are Everose. Other models in the same metals are in our rose gold two-tone Rolex collection, and every generation of the 36 mm Datejust is on our Datejust 36 page. The bracelet is either the Jubilee, the five-piece-link bracelet Rolex designed for the launch of the Datejust in 1945, or the three-piece-link Oyster. On the 116231 the Jubilee closes with a concealed Crownclasp, so the links run uninterrupted around the wrist. At 36 mm the case suits a wide range of wrists, and the 116231 is worn by men and women alike.

How to Read the 116231 Reference

The six digits describe the watch:

Digits	What they mean
1162	The six-digit generation of the Datejust 36, powered by calibre 3135
3	Fluted bezel
1	Everose Rolesor: steel with Everose gold

Its sister references change only those last two digits. A 3 in last place means yellow Rolesor, as in the 116233, while a 0 in fifth place means a smooth bezel, as in the 116201. The four digits after the dash identify the dial and the bracelet. The same dial carries a different suffix on each bracelet, so the full reference on the warranty card tells you how a watch left Rolex. Among the 116231 versions:

Reference	Dial	Bracelet
116231-0056	Black, diamond hour markers	Jubilee
116231-0058	Pink “computer”, diamond hour markers	Jubilee
116231-0059	Silver “computer”	Jubilee
116231-0060	White, diamond hour markers	Jubilee
116231-0061	Black mother-of-pearl	Jubilee
116231-0062	Pink	Jubilee
116231-0067	Pink, Roman numerals	Oyster
116231-0085	Black, Roman numerals	Jubilee
116231-0089	Pink, Roman numerals	Jubilee
116231-0096	Pink	Oyster
116231-0100	Steel, diamond hour markers	Jubilee
116231-0101	Black “computer”	Jubilee
116231-0105	Chocolate, floral motif	Jubilee

“Computer” is the collectors’ name for the Jubilee motif dial, printed with a repeating Rolex pattern; more of them are on our Rolex Jubilee dial page. The pink Roman dial shows how the suffix works: -0089 on the Jubilee, -0067 on the Oyster.

The Dials of the 116231

Pink, a natural match for Everose, appears on several 116231 dials: plain, with Roman numerals, with diamond hour markers and in the “computer” motif. The chocolate dials pick up the warm tone of the gold, white and silver give the most classic Datejust look, and black gives the strongest contrast. For the same colors across other Datejust references, see our pink, chocolate, black and white dial Datejust pages. Rolex set diamonds on several 116231 dials at the factory, among them the black -0056, the pink -0058, the white -0060 and the steel -0100. Each has its own suffix, so the warranty card confirms whether a diamond dial left Rolex that way. Our factory diamond Rolex collection gathers watches with Rolex-set diamonds.

116231 vs 126231

At Baselworld 2018, Rolex replaced the 116231 with the 126231. The look barely changed: the 36 mm case, the fluted Everose bezel and the choice of Jubilee or Oyster carried over. What changed is the movement.

	116231	126231
Made	2005 to 2018	2018 to today
Calibre	3135	3235
Power reserve	About 48 hours	About 70 hours
Jubilee clasp	Concealed Crownclasp	Oysterclasp with Easylink
US retail	Out of production	$15,450 on the Oyster, $16,250 on the Jubilee, white dial

Everose or Yellow Gold: 116231 vs 116233

The 116233 is the same 36 mm Datejust in yellow Rolesor: steel with yellow gold for the bezel, the crown and the center links of the bracelet. The color of the gold is the whole difference, and it sets the tone of the dials each was made with: champagne is the classic yellow gold pairing, pink the Everose one. The 116234 takes a quieter route, with a white gold bezel and a steel bracelet. If you prefer Everose with a smooth bezel, see the 116201; for a diamond-set bezel, the current Everose Rolesor reference is the 126281RBR.

What to Check Before You Buy a 116231

The suffix. Compare the full reference on the warranty card with the watch. A pink Roman dial on an Oyster bracelet should read -0067; if the card says -0089, the bracelet has been changed. The bezel. Gold is softer than steel, and polishing rounds off the sharp ridges of the fluting. Crisp edges are a good sign that the bezel has not been over-polished. The bracelet. Look for sag between the links, a sign of stretch from years of wear, and check that the clasp closes firmly. Papers and service. The box, the warranty card and a recent service all add to the value, and the year and condition explain most of the price difference between the 116231 watches on this page.

Rolex Datejust 116231 Price

At Watch My Diamonds, Rolex Datejust 116231 watches range from $12,499 to $14,299 across 6 priced listings.

Watches marked “Price on request” are in stock: contact us for a current figure.

Rolex Datejust 116231 Specifications

Reference	116231, Datejust 36 in Everose Rolesor
Made	2005 to 2018
Case	36 mm Oyster case in 904L steel
Bezel	Fluted, 18 ct Everose gold
Crown	Screw-down, Twinlock, Everose gold
Crystal	Sapphire, with a Cyclops lens over the date
Water resistance	100 m
Movement	Calibre 3135, self-winding, chronometer-certified
Frequency	28,800 vibrations an hour
Power reserve	About 48 hours
Functions	Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Bracelet	Jubilee with concealed Crownclasp, or Oyster
Successor	126231, from 2018

FAQs

What years was the Rolex 116231 made?

From 2005, the year Rolex introduced Everose gold, until 2018, when the 126231 replaced it at Baselworld.

What is the difference between the 116231 and the 126231?

The movement. The 116231 runs on calibre 3135 with about 48 hours of power reserve; the 126231 uses calibre 3235, with about 70 hours. The case size, the fluted Everose bezel and the bracelet choices are the same.

What is the difference between the 116233 and the 116231?

The gold. Both are 36 mm Datejusts with a fluted bezel; the 116231 combines steel with Everose, a pink gold, while the 116233 combines it with yellow gold.

What size is the Rolex 116231?

36 mm, the classic Datejust size, worn by men and women alike.

Does the 116231 come on a Jubilee or an Oyster bracelet?

Both, and each combination has its own suffix: the full reference on the warranty card tells you which bracelet a watch was delivered with.