Tudor Submariner : Since 1954 – Vintage Meets Brilliance
First introduced in 1954 with the legendary Tudor Oyster Prince Submariner 7922 – Tudor, Rolex’s sister brand has been making Tudor Submariner since 1954. Designed from its origin to fulfill exceptional criteria of durability, reliability, precision and water resistant at a moderate price, it quickly positioned itself as an instrument of choice for professionals.
Table of Contents
History
Foundation of Tudor
Source : Wikipedia
Registered in 1926 by a Swiss watchmaking company Veuve de Philippe Hüther on behalf of Hans Wilsdorf, founder of Rolex – Montres Tudor SA, or simply Tudor, remains as a sister brand to Rolex; both companies owned by the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation. Tudor was initially known for watches produced for the military and professional divers. From 1960s to 1980s, several navies issued Tudor Submariners to their divers, including US Navy SEALs and the French Marine Nationale.
Introducing Tudor Submariner
In 1954, Tudor would set out to a new path that would contribute to forging its legend. It was in this year that Tudor launched its first ever diver watch, the Tudor Oyster Prince Submariner 7922. They are widely conceived as a budget friendly alternatives to their cousin – Rolex Submariners. Matte dial, tritium hands, sapphire crystal, quick set date, drilled lugs- it has everything you might want in a vintage watch. The collection was eventually discontinued in 1999 with the very last Tudor Submariner 79190, released in the mid 90s.
Design and Development of the Submariner
The first generation of Tudor Submariner saw numerous changes, and through them, a notable advance in terms of performance. Over the next 45 years after the launch of first Submariner, multiple experiments were conducted to design the ideal watch for divers. It was in the first half of 1960s that the general lines and technical specification that shaped the Tudor Submariner were established – recognizable by its round crown guard.
Price
In spite of its Rolex like quality and a history of producing widely recognizable luxury divers watches, Tudor is famous for its moderately priced watches that are believed to offer more than what the cost demand. The prices of Tudor Submariner ranges from the lowest of $2000 to approximately $16,000 with the most expensive Tudor ever sold being the Tudor Big Crown Submariner 7924 sold at $162,500.
Price : $2,250
Source : Chrono24
Price : $4,500
Source : Chrono24
Price : 16,708
Source : Chrono24
Watch Specifications : Tudor Big Crown Submariner 7924
Price : $40,712 to $162,500
Source : Tudor Collector
The 7924 was the first official Big Crown Submariner from Tudor. Launched in 1958, the reference 7924 shares a similar fate to it’s two older brothers – the 7922 and 7923 in terms of a very short production run – the following 7928 was introduced in 1959! All the 7924 have 1958 case-backs. As with the MN prototype 7922 they are featured in thick cases with an 8 mm ‘big crown’. The watch is 20 mm between the lugs and the case-back uses the standard Rolex 29.5 mm case opener. The crystal on the 7924 is the tropic 17 and is therefore grouped together with the Rolex 5510, 6200 and 6538 in the catalogues.
approx. Price : $9,000 to $45,000
Source : BOB’s
Watch Specification : Tudor Vintage Submariner 7928
| Reference Number | 7928 |
| Year of Introduction | 1959 |
| Case Size | 39 mm |
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Bezel Rotation | Bidirectional |
| Bezel Colour | Black Aluminium |
| Bezel Scale | 60 minute |
| Dial | Black with luminous hour marker |
| Luminous Material | Radium or Titanium |
| Crystal | Acrylic ( Domed ) |
| Movement | Caliber 390 ( Self-winding ) |
| Water Resistance | up to 200 m ( 600 ft ) |
| Strap / Bracelet | Stainless Steel Oyster Bracelet |
| Price | approx. $9,000 to $45,000 |
| Function | Time with running seconds Rotating timing Bezel |
Product Variants
Source : Tudor Watch
From 1954 to 1999, Tudor has produced multiple versions of the submariner, each contributing to forging the legend and making Tudor Submariner as one of the most prominent divers watch in the market at the time. The Submariner allowed Tudor a chance to shine into the shadows of Rolex, its sister brand, and make a name for itself. With the newer models of Submariner, the gap between Tudor and Rolex gradually shrunk, making it one of the leading choice for many professional divers because of its Rolex like quality in a fairly moderate price.
Conclusion
A glance into Tudor Submariner and you can see the 98 years long history of the company reflected. Since first launched in 1954, the collection has went numerous changes, each adding to its legacy and making it one of the most sought after watch in the market. Today, Tudor is not simply a cheap copy of Rolex. It is a brand that has established itself as a luxury watch manufacturer which is still able to provide great watches at moderate prices.
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