Rolex Datejust 36 Two-Tone Rolesor 116231 Black Roman Jubilee

The Reference at a Glance

The 116231 is the Everose Rolesor variant of Rolex's Datejust 36 — a combination of Oystersteel and the brand's proprietary 18 ct Everose gold alloy, developed to resist the colour drift that had affected earlier rose-gold formulations. This example dates to 2008, well within the reference's production run, and presents in used condition with no box or papers. The 36 mm Oyster case retains the rounded, twin-lug profile that has defined the Datejust silhouette for generations, paired here with a fluted bezel machined entirely in Everose gold. The screw-down Triplock crown and Oyster case back deliver the same water resistance as the rest of the Datejust family — 100 metres — regardless of the mixed-metal configuration.

Dial and Bracelet

The black lacquer dial carries applied Roman numeral hour markers, a combination that reads with quiet authority and lends the piece a slightly more formal register than the stick-index or diamond-set alternatives from the same era. The contrast between the white-printed numerals and the dark ground has held cleanly on well-maintained examples of this period, and the Cyclops lens magnifying the date at three o'clock is standard on all Datejust references. The Jubilee bracelet is the period-correct and aesthetically natural pairing for this reference, its five-piece links alternating Oystersteel and Everose gold to echo the case. The Jubilee's articulated construction gives it a supple, dressy drape that distinguishes it from the sportier Oyster bracelet option. On any used Jubilee from this vintage, buyers should examine the bracelet for stretch at the pin joints and check the deployant clasp for lateral play — normal wear points after roughly eighteen years of use.

Movement

The 116231 is powered by Rolex's calibre 3135, a self-winding movement that served as the workhorse of the mid-size Datejust family for more than three decades before the 3235 arrived with the updated 126231. The 3135 offers approximately 48 hours of power reserve, a hacking seconds mechanism, and an accuracy standard consistent with COSC certification. It is among the most thoroughly documented movements in the secondary market, with broad service availability and well-understood intervals. A 2008 example may be approaching or past a full service interval — buyers should request any available service history or factor a service into their near-term cost of ownership.

No Box or Papers — What That Means Here

This piece comes without original box or papers. That is commercially common for secondary-market Datejusts of this generation; the majority of pre-owned examples trade without documentation. The absence does not affect the movement's serviceability or the watch's wearability in any practical sense. It does carry some weight in resale, particularly at auction or in private-collector transactions where provenance is a premium, so buyers who expect to sell on quickly should weigh that accordingly. Buyers purchasing to wear will feel the impact less. Condition of the dial, case sharpness, and bracelet integrity carry more day-to-day significance than paperwork on a piece like this.

Market Context

The 116231 was succeeded around 2016 by the 126231, which brought the slimmer Oyster case architecture and the newer 3235 calibre. Collectors who favour the rounder case geometry of the older generation and the proven service history of the 3135 continue to seek out the 116231 as a straightforward entry into two-tone Rolesor collecting. The black Roman dial configuration sits toward the more formal end of the reference's dial roster and is consistently in demand among buyers who wear the Datejust as a dress watch.