This is a beautiful example of a Rolex Oyster Royal Ref. 2280 “England Dial,” manufactured in the early 1940s.
It features what is known as an “England Dial,” a three-dimensional dial design also seen on Bubble Backs and Flat Backs of the same era, distinguished by applied indexes and an applied outer rail track. While center-seconds configurations are common and small-seconds versions are rare on unique dials of this period, this model is the opposite: small-seconds dials are common, making the center-seconds layout found here particularly scarce.
The classic early-era center-seconds design—with its characteristic triangular hands and fully applied Arabic numerals—gives the watch an exceptional vintage character. Despite its compact 30 mm size, it retains the solid presence typical of Oyster cases, further enhanced by its rare big crown and excellent preservation.
It is equipped with the Cal. 10-1/2, a movement widely used in many hand-wound Rolex models of the same period.