Rolex 178240 Datejust 31 Watches

Rolex 178240 Price

At Watch My Diamonds, the Rolex Datejust 178240 is available at $6,890.

Rolex no longer makes the 178240, so each watch is priced on its own merits: the dial, how much the case has been polished, the state of the bracelet, the service history, whether the box and papers come with it, and whether diamonds were added after it left Rolex.

Rolex 178240 Specifications

How to Date a Rolex 178240 by Its Serial Number

Depending on the year, the serial number is engraved between the lugs at 6 o’clock, under the end of the bracelet, on the rehaut (the inner ring between the dial and the crystal) at 6 o’clock, or in both places: Rolex added the rehaut engraving in 2005 and has used only that one since about 2009. Until about 2010 the serial starts with a letter. Later watches carry a random serial of eight characters, which is why some listings give the year as “scrambled”. Rolex never published official dates, so the years below are the trade’s approximations.

The 178240 and Its Sister References

The Datejust 31 references of the 178240’s generation share the 31 mm case and the calibre 2235; the last digits of the reference give the bezel and the metal.

The 178240 and the 178274 differ only in the bezel: the fluted white gold one makes the 178274 the dressier watch. If 31 mm is too small, the 116200 is the 36 mm Datejust of the same years in steel with a smooth bezel.

From the 68240 to the 278240

The 178240 is the third generation of the steel 31 mm Datejust with a sapphire crystal, after the 68240 and the 78240, and Rolex has replaced it once since.

The 178240 kept the calibre 2235 of the 78240 and brought a heavier bracelet. Its successor, the 278240, is made in Oystersteel, Rolex’s steel from the 904L family, and its calibre 2236 keeps time to −2/+2 seconds a day after casing. Every other reference is in our Rolex Datejust reference guide.

178240 Dials

The 178240 came with white, silver, black, blue, pink, salmon and rhodium grey dials, with baton (index) markers, Roman numerals or Arabic numerals. Some dials carry a pattern: concentric circles around the center, or a raised floral motif.

Can a 178240 Have a Diamond Bezel?

Not from Rolex. The reference 178240 stands for the domed steel bezel, and Rolex gave its factory diamond bezels other reference numbers, such as the 178384. A 178240 with a diamond bezel, or with diamonds on the case and bracelet, was set after it left Rolex. That is fine, as long as the seller says so.

What to Check Before Buying a 178240

• The dial. Dials are easy to swap, so ask whether this is the one the watch left Rolex with. A refinished or aftermarket dial, diamond-set ones included, is worth less than the original.
• The case. A smooth bezel shows every scratch, so it is usually polished with the case. Crisp lug edges mean little polishing; rounded ones, a lot.
• The bracelet. Check that it is the Rolex Oyster or Jubilee bracelet, that the clasp closes firmly and that no links are missing: the watch should fit your wrist with the links it comes with.
• The serial and papers. The serial on the warranty card should match the one on the watch, and it should fit the 178240’s years: a letter serial from the table above, or a random one.
• The service history. The calibre 2235 is robust, but a watch from the 2000s should have been serviced by now. Ask when, and by whom.

Every watch we sell is inspected and authenticated in house before it ships.

Rolex 178240 FAQs

When was the Rolex 178240 made?

Rolex made the 178240 from the mid-2000s to the late 2010s, with the calibre 2235. The 278240 replaced it.

Is the Rolex 178240 a ladies’ watch?

It is usually sold as one, but at 31 mm it sits between the Lady-Datejust, at 26 mm to 28 mm, and the 36 mm Datejust, hence “midsize”, and its plain steel case suits anyone who finds 36 mm too large.

What movement is in the Rolex 178240?

The calibre 2235, Rolex’s self-winding chronometer movement for its smaller watches, with 31 jewels, about 48 hours of power reserve and a quickset date.

What replaced the Rolex 178240?

The 278240, the current steel Datejust 31, with the calibre 2236, a Syloxi silicon hairspring and about 55 hours of power reserve.

What does “scrambled” mean in a 178240 listing?

That the watch has one of the random serial numbers Rolex has used since about 2010. A random serial does not give the production year, so the listing shows “scrambled” where the year would be.