Rolex 2490 Oyster Perpetual, "Army Dial" example
Oyster Perpetual › 2490
Antiquorum dated its steel, tonneau-shaped ref. 2490 to 1945 and called its black mixed-numeral dial “Army Dial.” That is the catalogue’s label; no Rolex source found here uses it as a model name. The lot also lists center seconds, an “Oyster Patent” crown and a petites-mailles bracelet with deployant clasp. The bracelet was catalogued with the watch; its original fitment is unverified.
Core facts
| detail | value |
|---|---|
| reference | 2490 |
| family | Oyster Perpetual; included in some collector Bubbleback lists |
| common name | Antiquorum called its 1945 example an “Army Dial” Rolex; collector charts group 2490 with Bubblebacks |
| 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 |
| reported examples | Antiquorum lot 218, Hong Kong, 8 June 2008, case no. 423682; a 2007 Vintage Rolex Forum seller described a steel 2490, serial prefix 249xxx, as a 1944 watch with a black California dial. Kikuya Camera & Watch later listed a steel 2490 with a copper dial. Neither listing has accessible case-marking evidence. |
Where it sits in the line
“Bubbleback” is a collector name for early automatic Oyster Perpetuals with a domed back to clear the rotor. A 2013 Rolex Forums chart places 2490 in its Bubbleback list. Antiquorum identifies the 1945 example as self-winding, but does not describe its caseback profile. The grouping is plausible; the auction record alone does not establish the domed caseback or caliber.
Production outline
The best-documented example is case no. 423682, which Antiquorum dated to 1945 and sold in Hong Kong on 8 June 2008 as lot 218. The catalogue cites comparable watches in Franca and Guido Mondani’s 1908-2008, 100th Anniversary of Rolex (p. 15). It grades the case “good, scratched,” the movement “good, overhaul recommended, at buyer’s expense,” and the dial “good,” with original hands noted. A 2007 Vintage Rolex Forum sale post describes a steel example with serial prefix 249xxx, dated by the seller to 1944 and described with a black California dial. Kikuya Camera & Watch lists a steel ref. 2490 with a copper dial. The forum images could not be retrieved, and the Japanese listing’s image is a missing-image placeholder. These listings are leads; the dial labels and watch identities remain unverified.
Movement notes
Antiquorum describes a self-winding movement but gives no readable caliber number or jewel count. Its condition note recommends an overhaul at the buyer’s expense.
Dial map
Antiquorum describes the dial on case 423682 as black, with luminous Arabic and Roman numerals, baton indexes and an outer minute track. It records the hands as original. The 2007 seller calls its dial “California”; Kikuya calls its dial copper. Both are seller descriptions, and neither listing provides accessible photographs for checking the dial.
Case, bezel, crystal, and crown
Antiquorum describes case 423682 as a two-body steel case with a domed polished bezel, concave lugs, screwed caseback and crown. It measures 32 mm across and 14 mm thick. The lot included a Rolex petites-mailles bracelet, deployant clasp and box. Those accessories were sold with the watch; the catalogue does not establish original delivery.
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 cited sources include one auction catalogue record for ref. 2490. Forum and dealer listings add leads, but do not establish the reference’s production span or dial range.
Sources
- "Ref. 2490, 'Army Dial' Rolex, 'Oyster Perpetual, Self-Winding', case No. 423682", lot 218, Hong Kong, Antiquorum, 8 June 2008
- w-v-m, “Rolex Model Reference Number Chart,” Rolex Forums, 5 January 2013; community list includes ref. 2490 among Bubblebacks
- Vintage Rolex Forum, 2007 seller listing for ref. 2490, serial prefix 249xxx
- Kikuya Camera & Watch, used Rolex ref. 2490 listing; describes a stainless-steel case and copper dial
- 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