Model Lorena Rae spotted wearing a Rolex

Lorena Rae, the German model known for her campaigns with Victoria's Secret and consistent presence on international runways, was recently photographed wearing a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust 31 in 18ct yellow gold — reference 278278 — complete with a champagne dial and the storied President bracelet. The combination is understated in scale yet unambiguous in intent.
The Datejust 31 ref. 278278 sits at a compelling intersection within the Rolex catalog. Measuring 31mm, the Oyster case in 18ct yellow gold houses the calibre 2236, a movement developed entirely in-house at Rolex and equipped with a Syloxi hairspring — a silicon component that significantly improves the movement's resistance to magnetic fields and temperature variation. The movement delivers a 55-hour power reserve and meets Rolex's Superlative Chronometer standard, certified to accuracy of ±2 seconds per day. The fluted bezel, characteristic of full precious-metal Datejust references, catches light in a way that few finishing techniques can replicate.
What makes ref. 278278 genuinely notable among collectors is precisely what Lorena Rae is wearing on her wrist: the President bracelet. Within the Datejust family, only the 31mm size is offered on this three-piece-link bracelet — a design introduced in 1956 alongside the Day-Date and historically associated with heads of state and senior executives. This exclusivity gives the Datejust 31 a quiet prestige that the larger Datejust 36 and 41 references simply cannot access.
Lorena Rae's affinity for considered luxury pieces aligns naturally with a watch that rewards close inspection. The champagne dial — warm, textured, and deeply legible — pairs with the yellow gold case in a way that feels cohesive rather than ostentatious. At 31mm, the watch sits elegantly on a slender wrist without reading as a fashion accessory. It reads as the real thing.
On the secondary market, the Datejust 31 ref. 278278 in yellow gold with President bracelet commands a meaningful premium over list price, driven by consistent demand and limited availability at authorized dealers. For a watch that carries this much horological and historical pedigree at a mid-size diameter, it represents one of the more rational entries into full precious-metal Rolex collecting.