![]() The first Tudor diving watch was released in 1954, the Oyster Prince Submariner Reference 7922, a year after Rolex released its first Submariner. It was taking Rolex cases and packing them with off-the-shelf, non-chronometer movements. There’s nothing wrong with that, but Tudor wasn’t innovating or taking design risks during this era. It was a watch meant for those who couldn’t - or wouldn’t- pay for a Rolex. Honestly, until almost 1970, the Tudor Submariner aesthetic was meant to evoke that of a Rolex Submariner, albeit at a fraction of the cost. Each reference in the initial 7900 series thus featured subtle specifics, making them perfect fodder for collectors. ![]() During this period, multiple experiments were conducted to determine which characteristics were indispensable to the ideal divers’ watch. ![]() At this time, Tudor became a research and development partner of the French Navy, giving feedback on how the watch could be improved ( le, it’s too heavy on my wrist and I cannot wave le white flag). They started by launching the waterproof Tudor oyster collection, followed by the Tudor Prince collection in 1952. Initially, Tudor watches used Rolex cases and off-the-shelf movements to product cheaper alternatives to watches from the Crown (okay, they still do this a little bit). The Tudor name was officially registered in 1926, and Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf took it over in 1946. With the seemingly imminent release of a Tudor Submariner, it’s a good time to recap the history of the Submariner, its most important references, and everything else a collector needs to know. ![]() ![]() And since rumors are also swirling that a new Rolex Submariner is in the works for next year (new movement and all), many buyers may end up with a Tudor Submariner if they can’t stand to wile away on an authorized Rolex dealer’s waitlist. On January 21 on its Instagram, Tudor posted a macro shot of a dial, zooming in on an hour marker that looks an awful lot like some of the vintage Tudor Submariners that enthusiasts are hoping inspire a new Submariner release. Tudor has done little to dissuade these rumors, and now seems to be actively encouraging the hype (and of course, its Black Bay collection shows the brand’s affinity for re-releasing old hits). There’s been a lot of conjecture that in 2019, Tudor will re-release a new reference of its iconic Tudor Submariner collection. ![]()
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