Reference:1490 - Revision history

Klaudiusz: Reflow 1490 detail images and add footer gallery

2026-09-29T06:43:51Z

Reflow 1490 detail images and add footer gallery

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:43, 29 September 2026
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	==Case materials==		==Case materials==

	~~[[File:Ref 1490 platinum.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Rolex Prince 1490 platinum Bonhams 2017\|Platinum 1490, Bonhams Dec 2017 lot 135Y, c.1930, hammer GBP 32,500]]~~
	Published auction records document the following 1490 case materials:		Published auction records document the following 1490 case materials:

	~~[[File:Ref 1490 bucherer-dial.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Bucherer-double-signed 1490 dial, duo-dial layout with sub-seconds at six\|The Bucherer-double-signed 1490, Sotheby's 2019 lot 13]]~~
	* Stainless steel, including the 1937 Bucherer-double-signed Sotheby's example and a 1936 Bonhams example. Double-signed retailer examples should be separated from unsigned examples when comparing auction results.		* Stainless steel, including the 1937 Bucherer-double-signed Sotheby's example and a 1936 Bonhams example. Double-signed retailer examples should be separated from unsigned examples when comparing auction results.
	* 9K yellow gold, including Glasgow-assayed 1930s examples at Bonhams and Antiquorum.		* 9K yellow gold, including Glasgow-assayed 1930s examples at Bonhams and Antiquorum.
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	* 18K pink/rose gold, documented in Antiquorum 1990 lot 278 (pink-gold/steel two-tone).		* 18K pink/rose gold, documented in Antiquorum 1990 lot 278 (pink-gold/steel two-tone).
	* 18K bi-color "Tiger Stripe" (yellow + white gold), Antiquorum 1995 lot 274 (CHF 24,150) and Bonhams August 2020 lot 7Y (estimate GBP 9,000–12,000).		* 18K bi-color "Tiger Stripe" (yellow + white gold), Antiquorum 1995 lot 274 (CHF 24,150) and Bonhams August 2020 lot 7Y (estimate GBP 9,000–12,000).
			The Tiger Stripe nickname is also applied by some catalogs to other Prince references (notably the 971A); it is not exclusive to the 1490.
			[[File:Ref 1490 platinum.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Rolex Prince 1490 platinum Bonhams 2017\|Platinum 1490, Bonhams Dec 2017 lot 135Y, c.1930, hammer GBP 32,500]]
			[[File:Ref 1490 bucherer-dial.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Bucherer-double-signed 1490 dial, duo-dial layout with sub-seconds at six\|The Bucherer-double-signed 1490, Sotheby's 2019 lot 13]]
	[[File:Ref 1490 tiger-stripe.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Rolex Prince 1490 18K bi-color Tiger Stripe case, yellow and white gold with vertical-stripe lugs, Bonhams August 2020 lot 7Y\|18K bi-color "Tiger Stripe" case, yellow and white gold with vertical-stripe lugs, Bonhams August 2020 lot 7Y, c.1930]]		[[File:Ref 1490 tiger-stripe.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Rolex Prince 1490 18K bi-color Tiger Stripe case, yellow and white gold with vertical-stripe lugs, Bonhams August 2020 lot 7Y\|18K bi-color "Tiger Stripe" case, yellow and white gold with vertical-stripe lugs, Bonhams August 2020 lot 7Y, c.1930]]
	~~The Tiger Stripe nickname is also applied by some catalogs to other Prince references (notably the 971A); it is not exclusive to the 1490.~~
	* Steel + 18K pink gold two-tone, Antiquorum 2006 Mondani lot 46 (case 17,365, 1935, hammer CHF 38,940).		* Steel + 18K pink gold two-tone, Antiquorum 2006 Mondani lot 46 (case 17,365, 1935, hammer CHF 38,940).
	* Steel + 9K yellow gold two-tone, Antiquorum 2009 lot 461 (case 1010 / movement 76,529, Glasgow 1930–31, hammer CHF 19,200).		* Steel + 9K yellow gold two-tone, Antiquorum 2009 lot 461 (case 1010 / movement 76,529, Glasgow 1930–31, hammer CHF 19,200).
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	==The movement==		==The movement==

	[[File:Ref 1490 mondani-salmon.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Rolex Prince 1490 Mondani Ultra Prima T.S. 300 1935\|Steel + pink gold, salmon dial, Cal. 7½′′′ T.S. 300 Ultra Prima, Antiquorum 2006 Mondani lot 46, dated 1935]]
	The 1490 uses an Aegler shaped movement made in Bienne. The shaped-movement family was developed by Aegler with Hans Wilsdorf and was used for the Prince from its launch. Rolex's later 2004 acquisition of Aegler is outside the production history of this reference.		The 1490 uses an Aegler shaped movement made in Bienne. The shaped-movement family was developed by Aegler with Hans Wilsdorf and was used for the Prince from its launch. Rolex's later 2004 acquisition of Aegler is outside the production history of this reference.

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	The cited 1490 movements predate the shock-protection systems used in later Rolex calibers. The watch should be treated as a delicate vintage movement and protected from impact.		The cited 1490 movements predate the shock-protection systems used in later Rolex calibers. The watch should be treated as a delicate vintage movement and protected from impact.
			[[File:Ref 1490 mondani-salmon.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Rolex Prince 1490 Mondani Ultra Prima T.S. 300 1935\|Steel + pink gold, salmon dial, Cal. 7½′′′ T.S. 300 Ultra Prima, Antiquorum 2006 Mondani lot 46, dated 1935]]

	==Dial variants==		==Dial variants==

	~~[[File:Ref 1490 18k-black-dial.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Rolex Prince 1490 18K yellow gold black dial\|18K yellow gold with rare black dial, Phillips NY 2023 lot 92, c.1933]]~~
	The 1490 dial is a duo-dial: two visually separated registers on the same dial plate, with the hours-and-minutes track in the upper portion and the small-seconds register in the lower (six o'clock) position. The seconds register has its own dedicated short hand running on its own pinion, driven by the fourth-wheel-at-six gear-train configuration that defines a sub-seconds layout (as opposed to the center-seconds layout used on some later Rolex references). The visual effect is two clean concentric tracks rather than the busier read of a single combined dial.		The 1490 dial is a duo-dial: two visually separated registers on the same dial plate, with the hours-and-minutes track in the upper portion and the small-seconds register in the lower (six o'clock) position. The seconds register has its own dedicated short hand running on its own pinion, driven by the fourth-wheel-at-six gear-train configuration that defines a sub-seconds layout (as opposed to the center-seconds layout used on some later Rolex references). The visual effect is two clean concentric tracks rather than the busier read of a single combined dial.

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	Age-related foxing and refinished dials are both seen in 1490 material. A clean dial is not proof of originality; compare printing, hand aging, surface texture, and provenance against documented examples. Any price effect depends on the individual lot.		Age-related foxing and refinished dials are both seen in 1490 material. A clean dial is not proof of originality; compare printing, hand aging, surface texture, and provenance against documented examples. Any price effect depends on the individual lot.
			[[File:Ref 1490 18k-black-dial.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Rolex Prince 1490 18K yellow gold black dial\|18K yellow gold with rare black dial, Phillips NY 2023 lot 92, c.1933]]

	==Authentication==		==Authentication==
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	See also the [[Reference:prince\|Prince family index]], [[Reference:Movements\|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets\|bracelet & clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers\|serial numbers by year]].		See also the [[Reference:prince\|Prince family index]], [[Reference:Movements\|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets\|bracelet & clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers\|serial numbers by year]].

			<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
			File:Ref 1490 hero.webp\|alt=Rolex Prince 1490 rectangular Brancard case\|Rolex Prince 1490 rectangular Brancard case
			File:Ref 1490 bucherer-dial.webp\|alt=Bucherer-signed Prince 1490 duo-dial\|Bucherer-signed Prince 1490 duo-dial
			File:Ref 1490 18k-black-dial.webp\|alt=Prince 1490 black duo-dial\|Prince 1490 black duo-dial
			File:Ref 1490 mondani-salmon.webp\|alt=Prince 1490 Ultra Prima movement example\|Prince 1490 Ultra Prima movement example
			File:Ref 1490 tiger-stripe.webp\|alt=Prince 1490 Tiger Stripe case\|Prince 1490 Tiger Stripe case
			File:Ref 1490 platinum.webp\|alt=Prince 1490 platinum case\|Prince 1490 platinum case
			</gallery>

	== Sources ==		== Sources ==

Admin: Deep prose and fact audit: Reference 1490; qualify Prince dating, movements, materials and auction record

2026-09-22T21:31:14Z

Deep prose and fact audit: Reference 1490; qualify Prince dating, movements, materials and auction record

Show changes

Admin: Batch 30 anti-slop prose audit and heading cleanup

2026-09-22T04:30:34Z

Batch 30 anti-slop prose audit and heading cleanup

Show changes

Admin: Place uploaded-but-unused Tiger Stripe bi-color case image in case materials section

2026-09-14T04:53:32Z

Place uploaded-but-unused Tiger Stripe bi-color case image in case materials section

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:53, 14 September 2026
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	* 18K yellow gold — multiple Sotheby's and Phillips lots, including Phillips NY080223/92 from 2023 (case 13,009, c.1933, hammer USD 17,780).		* 18K yellow gold — multiple Sotheby's and Phillips lots, including Phillips NY080223/92 from 2023 (case 13,009, c.1933, hammer USD 17,780).
	* 18K pink/rose gold — documented in Antiquorum 1990 lot 278 (pink-gold/steel two-tone).		* 18K pink/rose gold — documented in Antiquorum 1990 lot 278 (pink-gold/steel two-tone).
	* 18K bi-color "Tiger Stripe" (yellow + white gold) — Antiquorum 1995 lot 274 (CHF 24,150) and Bonhams August 2020 lot 7Y (estimate GBP 9,000–12,000). The Tiger Stripe nickname is also applied by some catalogs to other Prince references (notably the 971A); it is not exclusive to the 1490.		* 18K bi-color "Tiger Stripe" (yellow + white gold) — Antiquorum 1995 lot 274 (CHF 24,150) and Bonhams August 2020 lot 7Y (estimate GBP 9,000–12,000).
			[[File:Ref 1490 tiger-stripe.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Rolex Prince 1490 18K bi-color Tiger Stripe case, yellow and white gold with vertical-stripe lugs, Bonhams August 2020 lot 7Y\|18K bi-color "Tiger Stripe" case, yellow and white gold with vertical-stripe lugs, Bonhams August 2020 lot 7Y, c.1930]]
			The Tiger Stripe nickname is also applied by some catalogs to other Prince references (notably the 971A); it is not exclusive to the 1490.
	* Steel + 18K pink gold two-tone — Antiquorum 2006 Mondani lot 46 (case 17,365, 1935, hammer CHF 38,940).		* Steel + 18K pink gold two-tone — Antiquorum 2006 Mondani lot 46 (case 17,365, 1935, hammer CHF 38,940).
	* Steel + 9K yellow gold two-tone — Antiquorum 2009 lot 461 (case 1010 / movement 76,529, Glasgow 1930–31, hammer CHF 19,200).		* Steel + 9K yellow gold two-tone — Antiquorum 2009 lot 461 (case 1010 / movement 76,529, Glasgow 1930–31, hammer CHF 19,200).

Klaudiusz: Fix corpus-wide T.S. 300 ligne error (7¾→7½, matches 971/1491/1527/3361/3937 and Reference:Movements), drop unsupported "Très Soigné" T.S. expansion, and add missing Dowling & Hess citation for the Kew pass-rate claim

2026-09-13T14:42:03Z

Fix corpus-wide T.S. 300 ligne error (7¾→7½, matches 971/1491/1527/3361/3937 and Reference:Movements), drop unsupported "Très Soigné" T.S. expansion, and add missing Dowling & Hess citation for the Kew pass-rate claim

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:42, 13 September 2026
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	\|-		\|-
	\| movement family		\| movement family
	\| Aegler shaped: Cal. 300 / Cal. 350 / Cal. ~~7¾′′′~~ T.S. 300		\| Aegler shaped: Cal. 300 / Cal. 350 / Cal. 7½′′′ T.S. 300
	\|-		\|-
	\| movement grades		\| movement grades
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	==The movement==		==The movement==

	[[File:Ref 1490 mondani-salmon.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Rolex Prince 1490 Mondani Ultra Prima T.S. 300 1935\|Steel + pink gold, salmon dial, Cal. ~~7¾′′′~~ T.S. 300 Ultra Prima, Antiquorum 2006 Mondani lot 46, dated 1935]]		[[File:Ref 1490 mondani-salmon.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Rolex Prince 1490 Mondani Ultra Prima T.S. 300 1935\|Steel + pink gold, salmon dial, Cal. 7½′′′ T.S. 300 Ultra Prima, Antiquorum 2006 Mondani lot 46, dated 1935]]
	The 1490 runs on an Aegler shaped movement, manufactured in Bienne by H. Wilsdorf's exclusive supplier (a relationship that remained a supplier arrangement until Rolex purchased Aegler outright from the Borer family in April 2004, per Tim Mosso's Quill & Pad reporting). The Aegler shaped-movement family was patented in 1927 by Hans Wilsdorf jointly with Aegler, and the Prince was the first commercial Rolex to deploy it.		The 1490 runs on an Aegler shaped movement, manufactured in Bienne by H. Wilsdorf's exclusive supplier (a relationship that remained a supplier arrangement until Rolex purchased Aegler outright from the Borer family in April 2004, per Tim Mosso's Quill & Pad reporting). The Aegler shaped-movement family was patented in 1927 by Hans Wilsdorf jointly with Aegler, and the Prince was the first commercial Rolex to deploy it.

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	* Cal. 300 — 15 jewels, 18,000 vph, approximately 50 hours of power reserve, produced 1928–1937. This is the attribution given in Rolex Magazine's analysis of an Eaton 1/4 Century 1490, and it is the Watch-Wiki attribution for the base Prince caliber. Cal. 300 is identical in architecture to the Gruen Cal. 877 used in the Gruen Techni-Quadron — the two are sibling movements in the Aegler shaped-movement family, sold under different brands. Some early Prince literature lists "Cal. 877" for the Rolex Prince; this is a misattribution traceable to the Gruen-Rolex sibling relationship and should be excluded from canonical 1490 caliber listings, per Oren Hartov's Analog/Shift clarification.		* Cal. 300 — 15 jewels, 18,000 vph, approximately 50 hours of power reserve, produced 1928–1937. This is the attribution given in Rolex Magazine's analysis of an Eaton 1/4 Century 1490, and it is the Watch-Wiki attribution for the base Prince caliber. Cal. 300 is identical in architecture to the Gruen Cal. 877 used in the Gruen Techni-Quadron — the two are sibling movements in the Aegler shaped-movement family, sold under different brands. Some early Prince literature lists "Cal. 877" for the Rolex Prince; this is a misattribution traceable to the Gruen-Rolex sibling relationship and should be excluded from canonical 1490 caliber listings, per Oren Hartov's Analog/Shift clarification.
	* Cal. 350 — 15 jewels (some examples 18 jewels). Documented on the Phillips Beyer-double-signed steel 1490 (CH080319/17, c.1930) and on Phillips NY080223/92 (18K, c.1933). The 350 appears alongside 300 across documented examples without obvious dating segregation; both calibers run inside the same case reference.		* Cal. 350 — 15 jewels (some examples 18 jewels). Documented on the Phillips Beyer-double-signed steel 1490 (CH080319/17, c.1930) and on Phillips NY080223/92 (18K, c.1933). The 350 appears alongside 300 across documented examples without obvious dating segregation; both calibers run inside the same case reference.
	* Cal. ~~7¾′′′~~ T.S. 300 — ~~Très Soigné,~~ 18 jewels, lateral lever escapement, monometallic balance with micrometer regulator, Breguet overcoil hairspring, rhodium-plated, adjusted in 6 positions, produced 1932–1938. This is the Ultra Prima movement variant, documented on the Mondani Collection 1490 at Antiquorum May 2006 lot 46 (case 17,365, 1935). The T.S. 300 is the highest grade of the shaped-movement family deployed in the 1490.		* Cal. 7½′′′ T.S. 300 — 18 jewels, lateral lever escapement, monometallic balance with micrometer regulator, Breguet overcoil hairspring, rhodium-plated, adjusted in 6 positions, produced 1932–1938. "T.S." is Rolex's own size-family code for this 16.9 × 32.7mm architecture (Christie's catalogues it as "cal. T.S. Ref. 300"); the commonly repeated expansion "Très Soigné" has no documentary support. This is the Ultra Prima movement variant, documented on the Mondani Collection 1490 at Antiquorum May 2006 lot 46 (case 17,365, 1935). The T.S. 300 is the highest grade of the shaped-movement family deployed in the 1490.

	Movement grading is a separate axis from caliber number. Aegler / Rolex used a tiered finishing hierarchy on the Prince calibers — Prima, Extra Prima, Ultra Prima — corresponding broadly to ascending levels of regulation, hand-finishing, and chronometer testing. Surfaced 1490 examples are documented across all three tiers:		Movement grading is a separate axis from caliber number. Aegler / Rolex used a tiered finishing hierarchy on the Prince calibers — Prima, Extra Prima, Ultra Prima — corresponding broadly to ascending levels of regulation, hand-finishing, and chronometer testing. Surfaced 1490 examples are documented across all three tiers:
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	* Ultra Prima: the Antiquorum Mondani 1935 example with T.S. 300 caliber, the fabsuisse.com Beguin example, and forum-confirmed examples on VRF thread 28392.		* Ultra Prima: the Antiquorum Mondani 1935 example with T.S. 300 caliber, the fabsuisse.com Beguin example, and forum-confirmed examples on VRF thread 28392.

	The Chronometer dial designation corresponds to Extra Prima or Ultra Prima grading, not to Prima. A Prima-grade movement does not earn the dial mark. This is a movement-grade-to-dial-mark relationship rather than a per-watch certification ritual. Some 1490 dials carry "Observatory" instead of "Chronometer," reflecting the Kew-Teddington observatory testing pedigree that Rolex deployed alongside the Swiss Bureaux Officiels Suisse de Contrôle. The Kew protocol was a 45-day test against the Swiss bureau's 15 days; James Dowling ~~has cited~~ Rolex pass rates of 136 out of 145 Class A submissions in the 1940s and 1950s. The 1914 Class A Kew certificate that Rolex commonly cites as their first official chronometer rating was issued for an earlier ladies' wristwatch movement — the Prince calibers extend the observatory-testing lineage from 1928 forward, but the 1914 milestone is older Rolex hardware than the Prince family.		The Chronometer dial designation corresponds to Extra Prima or Ultra Prima grading, not to Prima. A Prima-grade movement does not earn the dial mark. This is a movement-grade-to-dial-mark relationship rather than a per-watch certification ritual. Some 1490 dials carry "Observatory" instead of "Chronometer," reflecting the Kew-Teddington observatory testing pedigree that Rolex deployed alongside the Swiss Bureaux Officiels Suisse de Contrôle. The Kew protocol was a 45-day test against the Swiss bureau's 15 days; Jeffrey Hess and James Dowling, in ''The Best of Time: Rolex Wristwatches'', cite Rolex pass rates of 136 out of 145 Class A submissions in the 1940s and 1950s. The 1914 Class A Kew certificate that Rolex commonly cites as their first official chronometer rating was issued for an earlier ladies' wristwatch movement — the Prince calibers extend the observatory-testing lineage from 1928 forward, but the 1914 milestone is older Rolex hardware than the Prince family.

	There is no shock protection in any meaningful modern sense on a 1490. Incabloc and KIF systems arrived at Rolex movements in the late 1940s; the Prince predates that work. The Superbalance is a stability design with self-compensating Breguet overcoil, well-engineered for vintage timekeeping but vulnerable to the kind of impact a modern wearer might inflict by accident. Owners should treat the watch as a pre-shock-protection piece.		There is no shock protection in any meaningful modern sense on a 1490. Incabloc and KIF systems arrived at Rolex movements in the late 1940s; the Prince predates that work. The Superbalance is a stability design with self-compensating Breguet overcoil, well-engineered for vintage timekeeping but vulnerable to the kind of impact a modern wearer might inflict by accident. Owners should treat the watch as a pre-shock-protection piece.
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	The 1490 has enough surfaced examples and enough documented-correct configurations that authentication is comparatively tractable for a watch this old. The two strongest signals:		The 1490 has enough surfaced examples and enough documented-correct configurations that authentication is comparatively tractable for a watch this old. The two strongest signals:

	# Movement-to-dial pairing. A 1490 should carry an Aegler shaped movement — Cal. 300, Cal. 350, or Cal. ~~7¾′′′~~ T.S. 300 — with hand-finishing consistent with the Prima / Extra Prima / Ultra Prima grade indicated by the dial designation. A Schild base movement, a Peseux base movement, or any non-Aegler-family caliber under the dial of a 1490 case is a transplant or a franken (the Prince Elegant 2771 thread on VRF discusses this exact pattern with non-Aegler internals in a Prince case). A Cal. 300 base movement under a "Chronometer" dial designation is plausible if the grade of the actual movement is Extra Prima; a Cal. 300 base under an Ultra Prima dial-mark with no observable T.S. 300 architecture is suspicious.		# Movement-to-dial pairing. A 1490 should carry an Aegler shaped movement — Cal. 300, Cal. 350, or Cal. 7½′′′ T.S. 300 — with hand-finishing consistent with the Prima / Extra Prima / Ultra Prima grade indicated by the dial designation. A Schild base movement, a Peseux base movement, or any non-Aegler-family caliber under the dial of a 1490 case is a transplant or a franken (the Prince Elegant 2771 thread on VRF discusses this exact pattern with non-Aegler internals in a Prince case). A Cal. 300 base movement under a "Chronometer" dial designation is plausible if the grade of the actual movement is Extra Prima; a Cal. 300 base under an Ultra Prima dial-mark with no observable T.S. 300 architecture is suspicious.

	# Caseback engraving style. Period-correct 1490 casebacks are stamped at the factory. Hand-engraved caseback markings are the standard tell of post-factory work — either a re-engraving on a worn caseback or a replacement caseback engraved by a service shop. The exception is owner-presentation engraving on the inside or back of the caseback (recipient names, dates, club affiliations) — these are common on Eaton 1/4 Century Club examples and on retailer-presentation pieces, and they sit alongside the factory stamping rather than replacing it.		# Caseback engraving style. Period-correct 1490 casebacks are stamped at the factory. Hand-engraved caseback markings are the standard tell of post-factory work — either a re-engraving on a worn caseback or a replacement caseback engraved by a service shop. The exception is owner-presentation engraving on the inside or back of the caseback (recipient names, dates, club affiliations) — these are common on Eaton 1/4 Century Club examples and on retailer-presentation pieces, and they sit alongside the factory stamping rather than replacing it.
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	* [https://veryimportantlot.com/rolex-prince-1490-309367 "Rolex Prince Observatory 1490 case 309367 with 1947 Caseback", VeryImportantLot]		* [https://veryimportantlot.com/rolex-prince-1490-309367 "Rolex Prince Observatory 1490 case 309367 with 1947 Caseback", VeryImportantLot]
	* Colin A. White, "The Vintage Rolex Field Manual", Morning Tundra		* Colin A. White, "The Vintage Rolex Field Manual", Morning Tundra
			* James M. Dowling and Jeffrey P. Hess, ''The Best of Time: Rolex Wristwatches — An Unauthorized History'' (Schiffer Publishing)

	[[Category:Prince]]		[[Category:Prince]]

Admin: Image work: place the already-uploaded, verified Bucherer-double-signed dial photo matching the cited Sotheby's lot. Did NOT place "Ref 1490 tiger-stripe.webp" — visual inspection shows it is a Submariner, not a Prince; flagging as a mislabeled/wrong-reference file rather than using it.

2026-09-12T22:35:01Z

Image work: place the already-uploaded, verified Bucherer-double-signed dial photo matching the cited Sotheby's lot. Did NOT place "Ref 1490 tiger-stripe.webp" — visual inspection shows it is a Submariner, not a Prince; flagging as a mislabeled/wrong-reference file rather than using it.

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:35, 12 September 2026
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	The 1490 is the most material-promiscuous of the Prince references. The surfaced auction record documents:		The 1490 is the most material-promiscuous of the Prince references. The surfaced auction record documents:

			[[File:Ref 1490 bucherer-dial.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Bucherer-double-signed 1490 dial, duo-dial layout with sub-seconds at six\|The Bucherer-double-signed 1490, Sotheby's 2019 lot 13]]
	* Stainless steel — the most common configuration, including the 1937 Bucherer-double-signed example at Sotheby's and a 1936 example at Bonhams. Stainless 1490s typically clear at the lower end of the reference's price band, around GBP 3,500–4,000 in current auction practice, except where double-signed by a major retailer (the Beyer-double-signed Phillips example hammered CHF 62,500 in 2019).		* Stainless steel — the most common configuration, including the 1937 Bucherer-double-signed example at Sotheby's and a 1936 example at Bonhams. Stainless 1490s typically clear at the lower end of the reference's price band, around GBP 3,500–4,000 in current auction practice, except where double-signed by a major retailer (the Beyer-double-signed Phillips example hammered CHF 62,500 in 2019).
	* 9K yellow gold — Glasgow-assayed 1930s examples are well-represented at Bonhams and Antiquorum. Two 9K examples carry case numbers around 13,000 and 14,000 in the Glasgow-1930 hallmark.		* 9K yellow gold — Glasgow-assayed 1930s examples are well-represented at Bonhams and Antiquorum. Two 9K examples carry case numbers around 13,000 and 14,000 in the Glasgow-1930 hallmark.

Klaudiusz: Text audit: copula avoidance fix ("stands as" -> plain verb)

2026-09-12T22:32:10Z

Text audit: copula avoidance fix ("stands as" -> plain verb)

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:32, 12 September 2026
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	\|}		\|}

	Steel examples without a major retailer double-signature clear the market in the GBP 3,500–4,500 band as of the 2023–2025 auction record. Steel with Beyer or Bucherer doubles compounds that several times over, with the 2019 Phillips Beyer NOS ~~standing as~~ the price ceiling. Gold examples vary widely by grade: 9K examples sit in the GBP 4,000–6,000 band; 14K and 18K examples track higher; bi-color and pink-gold examples typically clear above the comparable single-material gold prices. The 2017 platinum is its own data point.		Steel examples without a major retailer double-signature clear the market in the GBP 3,500–4,500 band as of the 2023–2025 auction record. Steel with Beyer or Bucherer doubles compounds that several times over, with the 2019 Phillips Beyer NOS setting the price ceiling. Gold examples vary widely by grade: 9K examples sit in the GBP 4,000–6,000 band; 14K and 18K examples track higher; bi-color and pink-gold examples typically clear above the comparable single-material gold prices. The 2017 platinum is its own data point.

	The Sotheby's L19070 lot 42 (18ct YG, serial 13,009, Glasgow 1933) and the Phillips NY080223 lot 92 (18K YG, case 13,009, c.1933) carry the same case number and may be the same physical watch resold rather than two examples — verify before quoting them as distinct provenance.		The Sotheby's L19070 lot 42 (18ct YG, serial 13,009, Glasgow 1933) and the Phillips NY080223 lot 92 (18K YG, case 13,009, c.1933) carry the same case number and may be the same physical watch resold rather than two examples — verify before quoting them as distinct provenance.

Admin: Layout: restore the original lead caption

2026-09-06T22:58:29Z

Layout: restore the original lead caption

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:58, 6 September 2026
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	<div class="rp-lead">		<div class="rp-lead">
	[[File:Ref 1490 hero.webp\|thumb\|center\|640px\|alt=~~Rolex 1490 Prince~~\|~~Rolex 1490 Prince~~]]		[[File:Ref 1490 hero.webp\|thumb\|center\|640px\|alt=Beyer-double-signed steel NOS, c.1928, found 1998 in Beyer Zurich storage\|Beyer-double-signed steel NOS, c.1928, found 1998 in Beyer Zurich storage]]
	</div>		</div>

Admin: Layout: hero refreshed

2026-09-06T22:52:41Z

Layout: hero refreshed

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:52, 6 September 2026
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	<div class="rp-lead">		<div class="rp-lead">
	[[File:Ref 1490 hero.webp\|thumb\|center\|640px\|alt=~~Beyer-double-signed steel NOS, c.1928, found 1998 in Beyer Zurich storage~~\|~~Beyer-double-signed steel NOS, c.1928, found 1998 in Beyer Zurich storage~~]]		[[File:Ref 1490 hero.webp\|thumb\|center\|640px\|alt=Rolex 1490 Prince\|Rolex 1490 Prince]]
	</div>		</div>

Admin: Layout: hero promoted to lead

2026-09-06T22:27:53Z

Layout: hero promoted to lead

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:27, 6 September 2026
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	<small>[[Reference:prince\|Prince]] › '''1490'''</small>		<small>[[Reference:prince\|Prince]] › '''1490'''</small>

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			[[File:Ref 1490 hero.webp\|thumb\|center\|640px\|alt=Beyer-double-signed steel NOS, c.1928, found 1998 in Beyer Zurich storage\|Beyer-double-signed steel NOS, c.1928, found 1998 in Beyer Zurich storage]]
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	The 1490 is the canonical Brancard Prince — the rectangular Art-Deco "stretcher" Rolex that ran from the 1928 Prince launch into the mid-1940s. It carries an Aegler shaped movement in chronometer-grade finishing, sub-seconds at six on a duo-dial, and a flared case profile that reads at arm's length as obviously a Prince and obviously not anything else Rolex was making at the time. Surfaced in stainless steel, in 9K, 14K, and 18K gold, in pink-gold and bi-color "Tiger Stripe" two-tones, and in one documented platinum example, the 1490 is the most heavily catalogued of the Prince references and the cleanest entry point for collecting the line.		The 1490 is the canonical Brancard Prince — the rectangular Art-Deco "stretcher" Rolex that ran from the 1928 Prince launch into the mid-1940s. It carries an Aegler shaped movement in chronometer-grade finishing, sub-seconds at six on a duo-dial, and a flared case profile that reads at arm's length as obviously a Prince and obviously not anything else Rolex was making at the time. Surfaced in stainless steel, in 9K, 14K, and 18K gold, in pink-gold and bi-color "Tiger Stripe" two-tones, and in one documented platinum example, the 1490 is the most heavily catalogued of the Prince references and the cleanest entry point for collecting the line.

	~~[[File:Ref 1490 hero.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Rolex Prince 1490 Beyer steel NOS 1928\|Beyer-double-signed steel NOS, c.1928, found 1998 in Beyer Zurich storage]]~~

	==Core facts==		==Core facts==