Rolex 2490 Oyster Perpetual Bubbleback "Army Dial"
Oyster Perpetual › 2490
The 2490 is a tonneau-shaped stainless-steel Oyster Perpetual documented by Antiquorum as made in 1945. In its Hong Kong lot 218 description, Antiquorum calls the black mixed-numeral dial an “Army Dial”; that is the auction house’s label, not a Rolex model name. The lot describes center seconds, an “Oyster Patent” crown and a stainless-steel petites-mailles bracelet with deployant clasp. The catalogue presents those parts together, but it does not prove that the bracelet was original to the watch.
Core facts
| detail | value |
|---|---|
| reference | 2490 |
| family | Oyster Perpetual (Bubbleback) |
| common name | "Bubbleback"; Antiquorum catalogued its documented example as an "Army Dial" Rolex |
| production | documented example dated 1945 |
| case | tonneau-shaped, stainless steel, water-resistant Oyster case; 32mm diameter and 14mm thick in the documented lot |
| movement | self-winding; Antiquorum gives no caliber number or jewel count |
| dial (documented) | black with luminous Arabic and Roman numerals, baton indexes and outer minute track; original hands noted by Antiquorum |
| documented examples | Antiquorum lot 218, Hong Kong, 8 June 2008, case no. 423682 |
Where it sits in the line
“Bubbleback” is a collector nickname for early Oyster Perpetual watches with the domed caseback used around the automatic rotor. Most examples are round, while the documented 2490 has a tonneau-shaped case. Its family placement rests on the auction description, which identifies it as an Oyster Perpetual and self-winding; Antiquorum does not publish a caliber number. The case shape alone is therefore not enough to identify the movement family.
Production outline
In the public records checked for this audit, the traceable example is case no. 423682, dated 1945 by Antiquorum and sold in Hong Kong on 8 June 2008 as lot 218. The estimate was HKD 50,000–65,000 and the result HKD 60,000. Antiquorum cites comparable watches in Franca and Guido Mondani’s 1908-2008, 100th Anniversary of Rolex (p. 15), but those references are not second auction records. Antiquorum graded the case “good, scratched,” the movement “good, overhaul recommended, at buyer’s expense,” and the dial “good,” with original hands noted.
Movement notes
Antiquorum's lot description states only that the movement is self-winding; no caliber number or jewel count is given, and the movement grading ("good, overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense") indicates the example was sold as-is rather than freshly serviced.
Dial map
The catalogue describes a black dial with luminous Arabic and Roman numerals, baton indexes and an outer minute track. It identifies the watch as center-seconds and notes original hands. The exact numeral positions and hand colours should be treated as observations from the lot images, not as a general 2490 dial specification.
Case, bezel, crystal, and crown
The documented case is a two-body, tonneau-shaped stainless-steel Oyster case with a domed polished bezel, concave lugs, screwed caseback and crown. Antiquorum gives a 32mm diameter and 14mm thickness and describes an “Oyster Patent” crown. The lot included a stainless-steel Rolex petites-mailles bracelet, deployant clasp and a box; the catalogue does not establish the bracelet’s original delivery with the case.
Related references
- Bubbleback 3130 — same generation, round case, self-winding
- Bubbleback 3133 — same generation, round case, self-winding
- Bubbleback 3725 — same generation, documented in multiple metal configurations
See also the Oyster Perpetual family index, movement reference, bracelet & clasp guide, and serial numbers by year.
Auction record
| Sale | Lot | Case no. | Configuration | Estimate | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antiquorum, Hong Kong, 8 June 2008 | 218 | 423682 | Stainless steel, tonneau-shaped, self-winding, center seconds, "Army Dial," Oyster Patent crown, petites mailles bracelet with deployant clasp, box included | HKD 50,000–65,000 | HKD 60,000 |
The 2490 remains thinly documented in the public sources checked here. This page records one auction lot; it does not establish a complete census of the reference or rule out other examples in private collections.
Sources
- "Ref. 2490, 'Army Dial' Rolex, 'Oyster Perpetual, Self-Winding', case No. 423682", lot 218, Hong Kong, Antiquorum, 8 June 2008
- Franca Mondani and Guido Mondani, 1908-2008, 100th Anniversary of Rolex, Mondani Editore, p. 15 (per Antiquorum's lot notes, citing comparable examples)
- Anthony Traina, "The Rolex Bubbleback And Why It Still Matters", Hodinkee, 2024
- Oren Hartov, "Rolex Bubbleback Watches: A Collector's Guide, From 1931 to the 1950s", Robb Report, 2024