Reference:1490 - Revision history

Klaudiusz: Internal linking: related references + component links

2026-07-18T12:51:51Z

Internal linking: related references + component links

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	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.



			== Related references ==

			* [[Reference:1491\|Prince 1491]] — 1930–1945
			* [[Reference:1527\|Prince 1527]] — 1930–1945
			* [[Reference:1862\|Prince 1862]] — 1928–1942
			* [[Reference:971\|Prince 971]] — Brancard Art-Deco (1928–1938)
			* [[Reference:1343\|Prince 1343]] — Classic Rectangular (1928–1935)
			* [[Reference:3361\|Prince 3361]]

			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]].

	==Sources==		==Sources==

Admin: SEO: clickable title + og:image + timestamps

2026-06-29T01:17:34Z

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	\|og_type=article		\|og_type=article
	\|published_time=2026-04-28T03:48:44Z		\|published_time=2026-04-28T03:48:44Z
	\|modified_time=2026-06-~~04T04~~:38:~~59Z~~		\|modified_time=2026-06-29T01:16:11Z
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2026-06-29T01:16:11Z

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	{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 1490 Prince}}		{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 1490 Prince}}
	{{#seo:		{{#seo:
	\|title=Rolex 1490 ~~Prince~~ — Production, Dial ~~Variants, Serial Ranges~~ \| BezelBase		\|title=Rolex Prince 1490 (1928–1945) — Production & Dial Guide \| BezelBase
	\|description=The Rolex Prince Brancard 1490 is the canonical rectangular Art-Deco Prince — flared "stretcher" case, duo-dial with sub-seconds at six, Aegler shaped movement (Cal. 300 / 350 / T.S. 300) in chronometer-grade finishing, produced from the 1928 Prince launch into the mid-1940s in steel, 9K/14K/18K gold, two-tone, Tiger Stripe bi-color, and a single documented platinum example.		\|description=The Rolex Prince Brancard 1490 is the canonical rectangular Art-Deco Prince — flared "stretcher" case, duo-dial with sub-seconds at six, Aegler shaped movement (Cal. 300 / 350 / T.S. 300) in chronometer-grade finishing, produced from the 1928 Prince launch into the mid-1940s in steel, 9K/14K/18K gold, two-tone, Tiger Stripe bi-color, and a single documented platinum example.
	\|keywords=Rolex, Prince, 1490, Brancard, Chronometer, Beyer, Bucherer, Eaton, Tiger Stripe, Aegler, Cal. 300, T.S. 300, Ultra Prima, Extra Prima, vintage, Art Deco, doctor watch, reference guide		\|keywords=Rolex, Prince, 1490, Brancard, Chronometer, Beyer, Bucherer, Eaton, Tiger Stripe, Aegler, Cal. 300, T.S. 300, Ultra Prima, Extra Prima, vintage, Art Deco, doctor watch, reference guide
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	\|published_time=2026-04-28T03:48:44Z		\|published_time=2026-04-28T03:48:44Z
	\|modified_time=2026-04-~~29T02~~:47:~~04Z~~		\|modified_time=2026-06-04T04:38:59Z
	\|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large		\|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
	}}		}}

Admin: SEO: capitalize schema.org @type to "Article" for rich-result eligibility

2026-06-04T04:38:59Z

SEO: capitalize schema.org @type to "Article" for rich-result eligibility

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	\|image=Ref 1490 hero.webp		\|image=Ref 1490 hero.webp
	\|image_alt=Rolex Prince 1490 Beyer steel NOS 1928		\|image_alt=Rolex Prince 1490 Beyer steel NOS 1928
	\|type=~~article~~		\|type=Article
	\|og_type=article		\|og_type=article
	\|published_time=2026-04-28T03:48:44Z		\|published_time=2026-04-28T03:48:44Z

Admin: Remove Category:Working Draft — published pre-2020 in-scope reference

2026-05-31T02:06:43Z

Remove Category:Working Draft — published pre-2020 in-scope reference

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	[[Category:Prince]]		[[Category:Prince]]
	~~[[Category:Working Draft]]~~

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2026-05-31T01:43:37Z

Add DISPLAYTITLE: drop NS_REFERENCE prefix from H1 (SEO/UX, site-wide pass)

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			{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 1490 Prince}}
	{{#seo:		{{#seo:
	\|title=Rolex 1490 Prince — Production, Dial Variants, Serial Ranges \| BezelBase		\|title=Rolex 1490 Prince — Production, Dial Variants, Serial Ranges \| BezelBase

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2026-04-30T04:21:00Z

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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\|~~340px~~\|alt=Rolex Prince 1490 Beyer steel NOS 1928\|Beyer-double-signed steel NOS, c.1928, found 1998 in Beyer Zurich storage]]		[[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==

Admin: Text audit: voice, clarity, source links

2026-04-30T00:26:11Z

Text audit: voice, clarity, source links

Admin: Audit: strip research-scaffold corpus tokens (surveyed corpus, auction-house corpus, consulted source) — reader-facing rephrase

2026-04-29T21:44:02Z

Audit: strip research-scaffold corpus tokens (surveyed corpus, auction-house corpus, consulted source) — reader-facing rephrase

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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 ~~the surfaced corpus~~ 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. 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.

Admin: Category casing fix per audit. Normalize: working-draft → Working Draft; Explorer-Ii → Explorer II; Oyster-Perpetual → Oyster Perpetual; Daytona Manual-wind → Daytona Manual-Wind; Daytona In-house Gen 1 → Daytona In-House Gen 1. Drop redundant Category:References (not part of convention; family-and-status categories are sufficient).

2026-04-29T19:56:54Z

Category casing fix per audit. Normalize: working-draft → Working Draft; Explorer-Ii → Explorer II; Oyster-Perpetual → Oyster Perpetual; Daytona Manual-wind → Daytona Manual-Wind; Daytona In-house Gen 1 → Daytona In-House Gen 1. Drop redundant Category:References (not part of convention; family-and-status categories are sufficient).

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	[[Category:Prince]]		[[Category:Prince]]
	[[Category:~~working-draft]]~~		[[Category:Working Draft]]
	~~[[Category:References~~]]

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	}}		}}

	<small>[[Reference:prince\|Prince]] → '''1490'''</small>		<small>[[Reference:prince\|Prince]] -> '''1490'''</small>


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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:

	* ~~'''~~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.
	* ~~'''~~9K bi-color~~'''~~ (yellow + white gold) — documented at Antiquorum 2006 lot 324, Glasgow 1931.		* 9K bi-color (yellow + white gold) — documented at Antiquorum 2006 lot 324, Glasgow 1931.
	* ~~'''~~10K yellow gold~~'''~~ — added to the documented material list by collector reporting on VintageRolexForum thread 28392; not in the auction-catalog corpus.		* 10K yellow gold — added to the documented material list by collector reporting on VintageRolexForum thread 28392; not in the auction-catalog corpus.
	* ~~'''~~14K yellow gold~~'''~~ — documented in the T. Eaton 1/4 Century Club examples (Antiquorum 2010, c.1945).		* 14K yellow gold — documented in the T. Eaton 1/4 Century Club examples (Antiquorum 2010, c.1945).
	* ~~'''~~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). 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).
	* ~~'''~~Platinum~~'''~~ — one documented example only, Bonhams December 2017 lot 135Y, c.1930, hammer GBP 32,500. Platinum 1490s are at the absolute top of the reference's rarity hierarchy.		* Platinum — one documented example only, Bonhams December 2017 lot 135Y, c.1930, hammer GBP 32,500. Platinum 1490s are at the absolute top of the reference's rarity hierarchy.

	==The movement==		==The movement==
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	Caliber attribution for the 1490 is the area where literature gets messiest. Three named calibers appear in surfaced 1490 auction catalogs:		Caliber attribution for the 1490 is the area where literature gets messiest. Three named calibers appear in surfaced 1490 auction catalogs:

	* ~~'''~~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. 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.

	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:

	* ~~'''~~Prima~~'''~~: a Cooke & Kelvey (Calcutta) steel example c.1930 sold by Rolex Passion Market.		* Prima: a Cooke & Kelvey (Calcutta) steel example c.1930 sold by Rolex Passion Market.
	* ~~'''~~Extra Prima~~'''~~ (the most common grade on 1490s): the Sotheby's Bucherer 1937 (17 jewels), the Heritage 5177-60121 18K example labeled "Extra Prima Observatory" 15 jewels, and most published Bonhams examples.		* Extra Prima (the most common grade on 1490s): the Sotheby's Bucherer 1937 (17 jewels), the Heritage 5177-60121 18K example labeled "Extra Prima Observatory" 15 jewels, and most published Bonhams examples.
	* ~~'''~~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; 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.
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	Dial signatures documented on surfaced 1490 examples:		Dial signatures documented on surfaced 1490 examples:

	* ~~'''~~Rolex single-signed~~'''~~ — silvered base, Arabic numerals (most common), with "Rolex," "Oyster" wordmark omitted (the 1490 is not an Oyster), "Chronometer" designation on Extra Prima / Ultra Prima examples.		* Rolex single-signed — silvered base, Arabic numerals (most common), with "Rolex," "Oyster" wordmark omitted (the 1490 is not an Oyster), "Chronometer" designation on Extra Prima / Ultra Prima examples.
	* ~~'''~~Rolex single-signed with Observatory designation~~'''~~ — Heritage 5177-60121 (Extra Prima Observatory 15j, 18K c.1930s).		* Rolex single-signed with Observatory designation — Heritage 5177-60121 (Extra Prima Observatory 15j, 18K c.1930s).
	* ~~'''~~Bucherer double-signed~~'''~~ — Sotheby's Watches Online July 2019 lot 13. The Bucherer-Rolex retailer relationship dates from 1924 per Sotheby's catalog notes.		* Bucherer double-signed — Sotheby's Watches Online July 2019 lot 13. The Bucherer-Rolex retailer relationship dates from 1924 per Sotheby's catalog notes.
	* ~~'''~~Chronométrie Beyer Zurich double-signed~~'''~~ — Phillips CH080319/17, the Beyer-Zurich 1998-renovation NOS example.		* Chronométrie Beyer Zurich double-signed — Phillips CH080319/17, the Beyer-Zurich 1998-renovation NOS example.
	* ~~'''~~Philippe Beguin (Geneva) double-signed~~'''~~ — fabsuisse.com Beguin example, original Beguin-signed presentation box also documented.		* Philippe Beguin (Geneva) double-signed — fabsuisse.com Beguin example, original Beguin-signed presentation box also documented.
	* ~~'''~~Cooke & Kelvey (Calcutta) double-signed~~'''~~ — Rolex Passion Market c.1930 example, with the original Cooke & Kelvey box.		* Cooke & Kelvey (Calcutta) double-signed — Rolex Passion Market c.1930 example, with the original Cooke & Kelvey box.
	* ~~'''~~T. Eaton 1/4 Century Club~~'''~~ — Eaton's of Toronto issued 1490 examples to employees on 25-year service anniversaries, with a dial signature that ~~'''~~replaced~~'''~~ the Rolex name with "Eaton 1/4 Century Club" text. Almost uniquely among Rolex production, the Eaton 1490 dial carries no external Rolex branding. The earliest documented Eaton 1490 is from the mid-1930s; the latest is c.1945–1947, including the Antiquorum 2010 Walter Earnshaw example covering his 1920–1945 service.		* T. Eaton 1/4 Century Club — Eaton's of Toronto issued 1490 examples to employees on 25-year service anniversaries, with a dial signature that replaced the Rolex name with "Eaton 1/4 Century Club" text. Almost uniquely among Rolex production, the Eaton 1490 dial carries no external Rolex branding. The earliest documented Eaton 1490 is from the mid-1930s; the latest is c.1945–1947, including the Antiquorum 2010 Walter Earnshaw example covering his 1920–1945 service.

	Dial colors documented are silvered (overwhelmingly the most common), two-tone sector-style (rare), and black duo-dial (rare). Hand styles include blued steel Breguet, blued steel pencil, blued steel "Moderne" pointed-baton (Bonhams platinum), blued steel "épée" (Antiquorum Mondani Ultra Prima), and gold leaf/feuille hands on gold case examples. Sub-seconds hands are blued steel; refinished sub-seconds hands are the most commonly observed service intervention on 1490s.		Dial colors documented are silvered (overwhelmingly the most common), two-tone sector-style (rare), and black duo-dial (rare). Hand styles include blued steel Breguet, blued steel pencil, blued steel "Moderne" pointed-baton (Bonhams platinum), blued steel "épée" (Antiquorum Mondani Ultra Prima), and gold leaf/feuille hands on gold case examples. Sub-seconds hands are blued steel; refinished sub-seconds hands are the most commonly observed service intervention on 1490s.
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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. 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.

	# ~~'''~~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.

	The crown signature is a useful third check on cased examples. A gold case should carry a gold crown signed Rolex; a steel case should carry a steel crown signed Rolex. A steel crown on a gold case indicates a service replacement — period-correct in pattern but not original to the watch as built. Movement-only purchases (without case) should be cross-checked against the Aegler-family architecture before pairing with any 1490 case body.		The crown signature is a useful third check on cased examples. A gold case should carry a gold crown signed Rolex; a steel case should carry a steel crown signed Rolex. A steel crown on a gold case indicates a service replacement — period-correct in pattern but not original to the watch as built. Movement-only purchases (without case) should be cross-checked against the Aegler-family architecture before pairing with any 1490 case body.