The Birth of Tudor!
Tudor was created by Rolex’s founder, Hans Wilsdorf in 1926 in Geneva, Switzerland, 20 years after he debuted (Rolex). Tudor’s aim was to offer a more affordable watch that would preserve Rolex’s reputation for quality.
Initially, Tudor employed off-the-shelf movements in their watch but used Rolex-quality cases and bands, allowing them to offer the same reliability and dependability as Rolex, at a lower price.
Even though Tudor is serviced and distributed by Rolex there are differences in style and design, as well as mechanics. This influences pricing and recognition. Tudor is Rolex’s less expensive sibling. Despite this, Tudor was overshadowed by Rolex for many years. But that soon changed.
The Heritage Model: Tudor's Turning Point
In the 2000s, Tudor rebranded itself with the release of its Heritage line and finally gained independence from Rolex and has firmly established itself in the horological world.
Tudor's Heritage Chronograph watch bears the telltale signs of Rolex DNA: a distinctive, one-of-a-kind design that pays homage to their shared great past. Tudor Heritage became an instant hit.
The Heritage line illustrates Tudor's reputation for innovative, forward-thinking design that helped with the luxury brand's resurgence in appeal with its contemporary and antique collections.
Then in 2012, Tudor further cemented its position as an independent watch brand with the introduction of the Tudor Black Bay.
We've compiled a list of five Tudor watches that are great for daily wear and available now on AW365.com.
Tudor's Black Bay Fifty-Eight is the pinnacle of the brand's work. It debuted in 2012 and quickly became the most popular and well-known model from the Swiss company.
The Black Bay is a tribute to the Rolex Submariner, yet Tudor develops a new and entirely original design. The case's polished bevels stainless steel band with rivets, and domed crystal glass, all of which are reminiscent of classic vintage clocks.
Tudor Black Bay is a retro-styled Swiss dive watch. Tudor's Heritage series encompasses this piece.
The snowflake hands and anti-reflective sapphire crystal glass lens identify the models. In-house motions with a 70-hour power reserve are also built-in.
Blue is The New Black
The new Black Bay is available in navy blue, a color inspired by Tudor Submariners provided to the French Marine National and other navies in the 1960s and 1970s.
Even though Navy Blue is a relatively recent color option, it has a considerable impact on the watch's exterior. Tudor isn't afraid of the color blue.
Bracelets and Straps of the Finest Quality Tudor bracelets are silky but durable, and their leather and fabric bands are high-end exclusives that cost over $100.
Great Prices While there is some overlap, Tudor's pricing ends at the same time as Rolex's, about $7,000.
On the 40th anniversary of Tudor’s first chronograph, the 7033, Tudor unveiled the Heritage Chrono series.
The Valjoux 234, a manual winding movement, is used on these watches, making this watch very expensive. These colorful timepieces were nothing like a Daytona, but collectors view them. It’s no surprise that when the Heritage Chrono debuted with a similar design, the watch world went insane.
A bidirectional rotating 12-hour bezel and a date at 6:00 are featured on this 42mm watch. Tudor chose an ETA 2892 with a Dubois-Depraz module on the inside instead of a manual winding movement. An automatic movement with a 42-hour power reserve is a part of this timepiece.
The Tudor Royal series, which debuted in 2020, is a light retro timepiece with an integrated band that looks almost like a luxury sports watch but costs far less.
The Royal Automatic Black Dial, like many of Tudor’s more budget watches, is powered by a Sellita movement, rather than the in-house movements featured in the high-end models. However, the Royal retains the brand’s high craftsmanship, particularly in the case and bracelet.
The case on this timepiece is stainless steel with 18kt yellow gold links on the bracelet and a yellow gold bezel.
The Royal comes with an Oyster casing that is top-notch in terms of construction, finish, and style with a wide variety of variations.
The collection's vast selection of available dials gives it a unique individuality. There are sunray finish options in black, silver, champagne, or blue, with or without diamonds. Gem-set mother-of-pearl dials are available on the 34 and 28mm Royals. The Royal sports a sapphire crystal over the dial and a closed back in all cases. This clock is exceedingly dressy and is considered the most appealing new Tudor among watch connoisseurs.
With a range of mechanical timepieces that are timeless and exquisite, the 1926 Tudor collection pays homage to the company's early heritage. An iconic watch for both men and women.
The 1926 model is available in four sizes: 41, 39, 36, and 28mm to accommodate a wide range of wrist sizes and tastes. A gold bezel secures the silver-tone stainless steel case and 18kt yellow gold links band. A black dial with yellow gold-tone hands and Roman numeral hour markers completes the look.
The Tudor 1926 is 34% off on AW365.
The Fastrider Chrono is the brand’s latest supplement to the motor racing genre. The luxury brand shows a more colorful side.
Tudor continues to create a new image for itself as a future-minded brand and the Fastrider series is a reminder of Tudor reinventing itself.
The Case
The Fastrider is waterproof to 150 metres, the stainless steel case is created to parallel the sportiness of the Ducati Scrambler.
The contrast between the matte black ceramic bezel and the pvd-treated pushers and crown adds to the overall matte appearance. The watch has a rubber or leather strap, which gives it a more refined appearance.
The Movement
The Fastrider Chrono uses a 7753 self-winding mechanical movement with a power reserve of approximately 46 hours. It also has a calendar with a date display at 4.30 o'clock.
While antique Tudor models were a cheaper alternative to vintage Rolex watches, collectors now seek Tudor exclusively, resulting in high pricing and demand in recent years.