The Complete TUDOR Watch Buying Guide

The trademark of “The TUDOR” for Hans Wilsdorf, founder of Rolex, was made in 1926 when Wilsdorf acquired the exclusive usage rights from a watchmaker of the time in Geneva, Switzerland. The first watches bear a simple TUDOR signature on the dial, with the horizontal bar of the T lengthened above the other letters. On some rare pieces, the name Rolex also appears. The TUDOR-signed watches were mainly rectangular, barrel-shaped or with beveled sides.

In 1936, the logo was updated and inscribed within a shield. This logo symbolized the invincible union of strength, the watch’s robustness with grace and the beauty of its lines. Following WW2, in 1946, Wilsdorf created the “Montres TUDOR S.A.” company, specializing in models for both men and women. From 1947 onwards, a year after the official launch of TUDOR, the shield gradually disappeared from the logo. Henceforth it would consist of only the company name and the rose; finely drawn or as an applique in relief, thus emphasizing the brand's elegance and style.

Learning from the history, experience and expertise of Rolex’s centuries-long knowledge, TUDOR watches are high-quality timepiece with a great finish, equipped with an in-house movement a more accessible price point. In the beginning, TUDOR watches were made with Rolex parts, only fitted with different dials and off-the-shelf ETA movements in order to make them more accessible in price. Rolex would effectively guarantee the technical and aesthetic quality of TUDOR watches until TUDOR attained autonomy in this field.

Fast forward to today, qualities of a TUDOR watch include a free-sprung balance, a full balance bridge, an anti-magnetic silicon hairspring, in-house movements and a long power reserve. The dial of the TUDOR Style plays an essential expressive role and TUDOR has devoted extreme care to this aspect of the watch, which is lacquered to create greater depth and available in three-color variations: glossy black, champagne-color sunray or silver colored sunray. Each comes in a version set with three diamonds or a non-gem-set version. While eminently contemporary in both functional and aesthetic terms, the TUDOR Style nonetheless draws on certain benchmark features of the 20th century wristwatch, including 1950s-inspired hour markers, such as the double hour markers at 12 and 6 o’clock favored by TUDOR. Its inherently modern nature also stems from the extremely high-quality treatment of its now three-dimensional hour markers beveled on four sides to endow the dial with an inimitably elegant glow. Sleek lines and readability are keynotes evidenced in the understated minute track and dauphine hands echoing TUDOR watches of the 1960s and 1970s, but they are now beveled for increased brilliance and clarity.

The TUDOR Pelagos stands out with its titanium bracelet featuring a steel folding clasp with a unique auto-adjustable spring mechanism developed and patented by TUDOR. This technical system allows the bracelet to be adjusted during a dive, contracting when the combination is compressed at greater depths, and expanding when the pressure decreases again during the diver’s return to the surface. A complimentary rubber strap is also provided, equipped with an extension system that makes it easily adjustable for all diving conditions.

The hands of the TUDOR Pelagos, particularly the hour hand with its characteristic square tip, allow the wearer to distinguish it from the minute hand, at a glance. Known in collectors’ circles as “Snowflake”, this feature is emblematic of TUDOR divers’ watches from 1969 onwards. The TUDOR Pelagos models are powered by TUDOR Manufacture Calibres, providing high performance robustness, reliability and precision. Their power reserve of approximately 70 hours means that the owner can, for example, take off the watch on Friday evening and put it on again on Monday morning without having to wind it. In addition to the hour, minute and central second functions, some models provide an instantaneous jump date display visible through an aperture positioned at 3 o'clock. TUDOR Pelagos models are guaranteed to a depth of 500 meters and equipped with a helium escape valve, an essential device for preserving the watch during so-called “saturation” dives. The ceramic disc of the titanium unidirectional rotating bezel features luminous markers that allow for all information to be read even in extreme conditions of low visibility.

The history of the TUDOR divers’ watch dates back to 1954 and the launch of reference 7922. The first in a long line of ergonomic, legible, accurate and robust divers’ watches, it perfectly embodies the approach formulated by the American architect Louis Sullivan, according to whom the form of an object must follow its function. Furthermore, it laid down the aesthetic and technical foundations of an ideal divers’ watch, those of an understated, functional and reliable tool. The TUDOR Black Bay is powered by a mechanical movement manufactured by TUDOR. The TUDOR Black Bay draws its most characteristic features from past models in the brand’s history. Its general lines, domed dial and crystal were inspired by the first TUDOR diving watches. It features the particularly prominent winding crown from the famous 7924 reference of 1958, aka the Big Crown, while its characteristic angular hands, known as “Snowflake”, were borrowed from the TUDOR watches used by the French National Navy in the 1970s. The TUDOR Black Bay is available with a steel bracelet, an aged leather strap and folding clasp or a fabric strap with buckle. The steel bracelet has been reworked taking inspiration from the brand's riveted bracelets from the 50s and 60s. These were famous for having rivet heads for attaching the links in evidence on the side of the bracelet, as well as a stepped construction. The TUDOR Black Bay Ceramic is available with a hybrid leather and rubber strap and a complimentary black fabric strap.

With the 1926 line, TUDOR pays tribute to its early history with a range of mechanical watches that are timeless and elegant. A classic watch for women and men, the TUDOR 1926 comes in four sizes with a wide choice of dials. Named after the year that the TUDOR brand was created, the timeless and elegant TUDOR 1926 line captures the essence of the brand, reflecting a world of fine Swiss watchmaking where mechanical excellence goes hand-in-hand with enduring sophistication. Domed for a vintage touch and adorned at the center, the delicately embossed design of the TUDOR 1926's dial is in subtle contrast with the smooth minute scale. Numeral appliques, arrow-shaped hour markers and sword-shaped hands offer a wealth of details that create an intricate play of light on the dials. The TUDOR 1926 line offers a bracelet designed with comfort, refinement and quality in mind. Made up of seven links of varying size, it closely follows the curve of the wrist. Its outer links are satin-brushed while those in the middle are polished – a variety of finish that enhances the elegant appearance of the watch. Meticulously assembled in accordance with TUDOR’s longstanding skill in the field, the bracelet is flexible as well as strong. As an alternative to the bracelet, all the models in the TUDOR 1926 line are also available fitted with a brown leather strap lined with rubber for additional comfort and enhanced durability.

With its integrated metal bracelet, notched or diamond-set bezel and automatic movement, the TUDOR Royal range is the epitome of versatile and affordable sport-chic. TUDOR Royal is a name first used by TUDOR in the 1950s to emphasize the superior quality of its watches. With this heritage in mind, the TUDOR Royal range offers self-winding sport-chic watches with integrated bracelets that are as affordable as they are uncompromising. Boasting first-class technical performance and a refined aesthetic, this line sits at the crossroads between classic and sports watches. The TUDOR Royal is the ultimate in balance, elegance and versatility. The characteristic notched bezel, with its alternating surface polish and cut grooves, is just one of the design details, rooted in the History of the Brand, which gives the TUDOR Royal its unique personality. The TUDOR Royal range has adopted the sunray motif for its dial, creating elegant lighting effects and reflections that accentuate the chic character of the TUDOR Royal. For a final touch of chic, TUDOR has added applied Roman numeral hour markers to its TUDOR Royal watches. The TUDOR Royal features an integrated metal bracelet ensuring an uninterrupted line with the case, TUDOR Royal embodies fluidity and unmistakable style. Characterized by its three wide satin-brushed links set between two slimmer polished elements, the smooth quality of its surfaces and edges emphasizes the importance that TUDOR places on ensuring its comfort on the wrist.

The partnership between Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry stores and TUDOR watches dates back to 2013 when TUDOR relaunched in the United States. Since then, we have been honored to carry a selection of the most popular and bestselling TUDOR watch styles at select Lee Michaels locations. TUDOR watches can be shopped at our location in Mississippi, at Lakeside Shopping Center in Metairie outside of New Orleans in Louisiana, at our Bocage Boulevard location on the corner of Jefferson Highway and Corporate Boulevard in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at our location at ABQ Uptown in Albuquerque, New Mexico and in San Antonio, Texas the Shops at La Cantera. The relocation of our Lakeside Shopping Center store to a free-standing store brought about a new concept to enhance the presence of TUDOR, we built a shop-in-shop. This luxurious space allows us to showcase a wider variety of TUDOR watches as well as the craftsmanship, precision and grandeur of this attainable luxury watch brand. Shop the latest collection of the best TUDOR watches online with complimentary shipping and gift wrapping or at a Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry store near you.

The emergence of waterproof wristwatches dates back to the 1920s.