The Rolex 278271 is a Datejust 31 built in Rolesor, a mix of Oystersteel and 18 ct Everose gold. Replicas of this reference are common because the 31 mm size sells well. Most fakes fail four checks: case diameter, movement beat rate, case back, and gold tone under daylight.
What the 278271 Is
Rolex fits the 278271 with a 31 mm Oyster case. The middle case is Oystersteel. The bezel and the center bracelet links are Everose gold, a pink gold alloy that Rolex makes with platinum added to the mix. Bezel choices include fluted Everose and diamond set versions. Bracelet choices are Jubilee and Oyster. The crystal is sapphire with a Cyclops lens over the date at 3 o'clock.
Specs to Check
- Case: 31 mm across, crown excluded. Many fakes measure 33 mm to 34 mm.
- Movement: Rolex caliber 2236. Automatic winding. 28,800 beats per hour. 55 hour power reserve. Syloxi silicon hairspring.
- Seconds hand: 8 beats per second, which reads as a smooth sweep. A quartz fake ticks once per second.
- Case back: solid steel, no window. A display back on a 278271 is wrong.
- Water resistance: 100 m, 330 ft.
- Lume: Chromalight, blue glow in the dark.
Checks That Catch Most Fakes
- Measure the case with calipers. Take the reading at 9 and 3, crown left out of the measure.
- Watch the seconds hand for 30 seconds. Count the stops. Six stops per second points to a 21,600 vph clone movement. One stop per second points to quartz.
- Turn the watch over. A 278271 has a closed steel back with a fluted edge and no sapphire window.
- Look at the Cyclops lens. It magnifies the date about 2.5 times. A weak lens or a date that sits off center is a sign of a fake.
- Compare gold tone. Everose reads as a muted pink in daylight. Plated fakes run orange or copper, and the plating rubs through to steel at the lugs, crown, and clasp edges.
- Read the rehaut. "ROLEX" repeats around the inner flange. The coronet at 12 lines up with the 12 o'clock marker. The serial is engraved on the rehaut at 6 o'clock on this reference.
- Check the date font and the print on the dial. Small text on a genuine dial holds a sharp edge under a loupe. Fake print frays.
Where Checks Stop
A close fake can pass a photo review and a visual check at arm's length. Case weight, movement finish, and gold content need a watchmaker and an open case. Everose center links add grams that a steel fake does not have, so a scale helps, but the reading is not proof on its own. Ask for the reference number on the card and the serial on the rehaut to match.
Price Reality
Genuine 278271 prices move with bezel, dial, bracelet, and year. Used listings sit in the five figures in US dollars, and diamond bezel builds cost more. Replica prices sit far below that range. A 278271 offered near replica money is not a genuine watch. Exact current pricing is not fixed, so compare live dealer listings before you buy.