There was once a time when the line between Rolex Tudor was blurry.
Rolex made cases housed Tudor dials and movements. As a result, the consumer could access a ‘Rolex’ product at a more accessible price.
One could say that Tudor from the start was destined as the ‘poor man’s Rolex’ - a moniker that carries negative connotations yet holds some objective truth.
If you’re like me though, and find yourself with a Tudor on your wrist, you should be proud of its heritage and history. The rose and shield has been a staple in the mind of watch geeks for decades, and even today it’s one of the most exciting brands to follow.
I’d like to take a moment this Friday to chat about the Tudor Oyster, and highlight one of the most prospective markets in the vintage watch world as I share my enthusiasm with a few exceptional examples.
I Started Out With Tudor
My first ‘serious-serious’ watch was one I worked for, one that took time to achieve. That watch was a Tudor Oyster 74033.
I started off this perpetual watch journey by buying and flipping different watches; it’s like I had champagne taste on a beer budget.
I ever admired the pricey and historically significant timepieces found on prolific wrists, worn by those who hunted and commandeered elusive vintage pieces.
The 74033 I owned was a part of that culture, being a proper neo-vintage piece. Hard to believe I started with a mere Casio, and through a series of trades, I made my way to a Tudor Oyster.
That Tudor was special, and I’m forever grateful for the time I spent with it and what it taught me about the watch community.
Because of this, I’ll always admire the Tudor Oyster, and the market it represents.
There are seemingly endless configurations that span many decades within this line.
Tudor Oysters from the 1950s show the brand in its infancy. They are almost direct copies of Rolex timepieces, as both brands began to solidify their design language.
An image from the British North Greenland Exhibition where explorers wore Tudor Oysters in the 1950s before the Rolex Explorer was even a thought
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Rolex developed a timeless design to them. Just think, the modern Rolex watches don’t look too different from their vintage cousins.
Tudor, in this sense, is no different. Tudor was still using Rolex parts to manufacture their oysters, but off-the-shelf ETA movements that were modified by the brand to include more advanced shock protection, hairspring, finishing, etc.
In part, the value with Tudor Oysters stems from two distinct factors. One - how explosive the modern Rolex/Tudor market is where even OPs are trading over retail, and two - because of what a Tudor Oyster represents.
A Tudor Oyster has such a strong resemblance to the modern OP, yet can be found within the sub 2k price point. Considering that these Oysters are directly tied to this history, feature brand recognition and prestige, and are easily serviceable, they provide a fantastic opportunity for those that want the most bang for their buck.
One cannot deny, however, that for the money, dollar for dollar, the features and specifications that represent the Tudor Oyster remain unparalleled within the current vintage market.
I could go on and on talking about unique dial variants, the specs behind different movements, and gush about timeless design. That’s too boring - instead I’m going to show off two examples that I’ve owned to prove this point of appreciation.
A Historic Tudor Reference 7909
This Tudor blends the old world sophistication found in 1950’s Rolex with the feel of a classic 34mm oyster.
Inside, the movement is an enigma; taking just one look and you’re left wondering what the hell it even is.
Interestingly, the movement is a modified FEF caliber known as the Tudor 390. Probably a nightmare to service if something goes terribly, but there’s a lot of lore surrounding this movement. I’ve heard stories of people claiming that this movement was modified in-house at Rolex factories, and that it’s regarded as one of the highest quality movements in vintage Tudor. In this case, you have to understand that Tudor was in their infancy in the 50s, so having a nice movement inside with ties to Rolex doesn’t surprise me considering big man Wilsdorf wasn’t messing around when he launched Tudor.
In all its glory
Overall, the movement is unique to this piece, as well as being found in some heavy-hitting Tudor subs (the ones that are marked with ‘price on request’ on Chrono24).
It doesn’t end with a unique movement, because a Tudor Oyster like this is about the closest you can get to the OG explorers watch. Striking similarities can be seen between this Tudor and the original Everest watch. However, these Tudors have a little exploring history of their own. Rumored to have conquered the arctic while accompanying explorers on the British North Greenland Exhibition (BNGE).
An NOS Underline Reference 7934
Admittingly, not all Tudor Oysters are gonna be this special, but there are definitely examples like this out there that make the hunt all that much more fun.
This is a manual-winding reference 7934 in NOS condition with a rare underline concentric dial.
Complete with the gilt caseback rose sticker, this was a true one-of-a-kind.
In the world of vintage Rolex/Tudor, underline dials are some of the most rare, collectable, and expensive. If this example had a crown on its dial and not a rose, it would easily be worth over double.
Personally, I would prefer this timepiece over any comparable Rolex, vintage or modern. There’s just so much character within examples like this that I implore collectors to discover and experience for themselves.
Appreciate What These Tudor’s Represent
At its price, not much can compete. The combination of history, heritage, design, feel, craftsmanship, and story makes these Oysters unbeatable in my eyes.
I hope that you, like me, were able to appreciate these examples for what they represent, learn about the brand’s history, and discover accessibility within a crazed market.
As essentially every Rolex model continues to climb in value, historically these Tudors have always been on the fringe right behind their cousins with the crown.
I see great potential with these Tudor Oysters, and highly recommend to any collector with an eye for value and horological significance.
There just isn’t enough material published on these for what they are, especially for a universally loved brand/design.