Description
Since 1936 when Hans Wilsdorf acquired the Tudor name, Tudor watches have been associated with Rolex. Even with the launch of Tudor as a separate company in 1946, Rolex continued to play a major role that reflected Hans Wilsdorf’s vision of a brand that would be more modestly priced than a Rolex but still maintain the high standard of dependability. Tudor’s first models, such as the 1952 Oyster Prince had features unique to the Tudor brand but still were based on Rolex components, primarily the Oyster case. This successful relationship continued with the Tudor Advisor alarm watch and the Tudor dive watch that was introduced only a few months after the introduction of the Rolex Submariner.
With the second generation of the Tudor dive watch, Tudor began to further define itself as a unique brand. The French Navy requested a modification to enhance underwater legibility, which led to the now-iconic “snowflake” hands, with a larger square on the hour hand to easily distinguish it from the minute hand. Also, the logo was changed from the previous Tudor Rose to the Tudor Shield that we recognize in a modern Tudor watch. Around this same time, Tudor introduced its first chronograph named Oysterdate, which had a strong graphic and unique design, which still attracts fans with the modern reissued watch.
Near the beginning of the new century, Tudor ceased sales in the USA due to a lower demand. When Tudor returned in 2013 with design elements from their historical models that also included larger cases, in-house movements and modern materials, watch aficionados embraced Hans Wilsdorf’s founding desire, to manufacture an affordable watch with high standards. Tudor continues to be associated with Rolex, but with its own unique collections, Tudor has made a place of its own among watch enthusiasts.
