Tudor is a Swiss watchmaker based in Geneva. The brand was registered in 1926 in the name of Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Rolex. To this day Tudor remains a sister company of Rolex, and both are owned by the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation. From the start the aim was clear: watches of Rolex-level quality at a more affordable price. Tudor is known for watches made for the military and for professional divers. From the 1960s to the 1980s, several navies issued the Tudor Submariner to their divers, including the US Navy SEALs and the French Marine Nationale. For secondhand buyers, Tudor appeals because of its tool-watch character, from vintage Submariners to the newer Black Bay.
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The Tudor brand was registered in 1926 by the Swiss watch company Veuve de Philippe Hüther in the name of Hans Wilsdorf. In 1936 Wilsdorf took over the brand, and in 1946 he founded Montres Tudor SA. Tudor was created to offer a watch cheaper than a Rolex without giving up quality. It did this by pairing ready-made movements with cases and bracelets made by Rolex. In the mid-1940s the Oyster collection arrived, with waterproof cases that had previously been used only by Rolex. In 1952 Tudor released the Prince, its first automatic watch, which used Rolex's automatic mechanism. Twenty-six Oyster Princes took part in the British North Greenland Expedition from 1952 to 1954.
From there Tudor moved into tool watches. The Oyster Prince Submariner, its first dive watch, came out in 1954 with 100 meters of water resistance, raised to 200 meters in 1958. The series later adopted a large crown and "snowflake" hands. In 1964 Tudor began making a Submariner specifically for the US Navy. The French Navy was also involved in research on its dive watches. From the 1960s to the mid-1980s, Tudor watches were supplied in large numbers without bracelets so that military straps could be fitted. In other lines, the Advisor with an alarm appeared in 1957, and the first chronograph, the Oysterdate with a Valjoux 7734 movement, in 1970.
In 2009 Tudor relaunched its brand. The Heritage line revived the look of its older models, and in 2012 the Black Bay and the Pelagos arrived. The Pelagos has a 42 mm titanium case and was the first titanium watch from the Rolex group. In 2015 the North Flag became the first model with an in-house movement, the MT5621 caliber. Through 2016 and 2017, "Manufacture" movements were fitted across all of Tudor's sport watches.
- Oyster Prince Submariner: Tudor's first dive watch (1954), water resistant to 100 meters and then 200 meters in 1958, and supplied to several navies.
- Oysterdate "Montecarlo": the second chronograph series (1971), nicknamed that because its dial resembles a roulette wheel.
- Advisor: an alarm watch launched in 1957, the first Oyster model to amplify the sound of the alarm.
- Black Bay: a reinterpretation of the early Submariner, released in 2012 and now Tudor's main line.
- Pelagos: a dive watch with a 42 mm titanium case and 500 meters of water resistance.
What we check before listing
We match the logo to its era. Tudor has used the rose and the shield in several forms. In 1947 only the rose appeared alongside the brand name, and since 1969 the shield has been used on the dial, while the rose is now on the crown. We inspect the crown, the case, and its rubber seals, because water tightness on vintage watches cannot simply be assumed. We match the caliber to the model and year. Older watches usually use ETA, Sellita, or Valjoux movements, while in-house movements only exist from 2015. On ex-military watches, the original bracelet is often simply missing, so we make sure the bracelet or strap fitted matches the lug width and is not loose. We check the dial, hands, and lume to see whether the colors match, because replacement parts easily look mismatched.
Caring for it
A dive watch still needs attention to its rubber seals. Ask for regular servicing and a water resistance test before swimming with it. Make sure the screw-down crown is locked tight each time you finish setting the watch. Fabric straps are best washed with mild soap and left to air dry. A metal bracelet only needs a gentle brushing and a dry wipe.
FAQ
Is Tudor the same as Rolex?
They are not the same brand. Tudor was registered by Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Rolex, and to this day it is a sister company of Rolex under the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation. Tudor was meant from the start to be a more affordable watch.
Do all Tudors use in-house movements?
No. Some of its classic watches use movements from ETA, Sellita, or Valjoux. Tudor's first in-house movement appeared in 2015, and from 2016 to 2017 it was fitted across all of its sport watches.
What is the difference between the Black Bay and the Black Bay 58?
The Black Bay takes its reference from Tudor's early Submariner. The Black Bay 58 is named for the year 1958, when the first 200-meter Submariner came out. Its movement is the MT5402, a smaller and thinner version of the MT5602.
Do secondhand Tudor watches always come with a bracelet?
Not always. On older watches supplied to the military, the bracelet was often not included. Fabric straps are also common on some Tudor models, so we note clearly what is fitted on each watch.
References
Facts summarised and rewritten from the sources above (CC BY-SA licence).