There’s no doubt that most watches live a hard life and some watch brands makersinvest a lot of time and money ensuring that their time pieces will cope with all that the world can throw at them. Back in the 1950s, the TUDOR Oyster Prince was put through its paces including on the wrists of a coal miner during 252 hours of excavation, a builder while using a pneumatic drill for 30 hours, a stonecutter for three months, and a motorcycle racer who took the watch on a journey of over 1,000 miles.
Impeccable provenance
Since its creation by Hans Wilsdorf in 1926, and in line with his vision of an ideal watchmaking product, TUDOR has never stopped producing the most robust, durable, reliable and precise watches possible.
Created as a brand in 1926 in Switzerland, TUDOR has always set out to create watches that are “robust, durable, reliable and preThe TUDOR Oyster Prince from 1953 was testament to this, as the iconic timepiece proved its resilience during the scientific British Naval expedition to North Greenland; withstanding extreme conditions to maintain its precision and durability.
A tribute to its origins
Take the 1926 collection – so called in honour of TUDOR’s origins – which delivers class, elegance and refinement, together with quality and affordability. Swiss self-winding technology is combined with a domed dial, embossed centre and smooth minute scale. Offered in silver, opaline, white or black, some versions even feature odd numbered hour markers set with diamonds. With the updated 1926 line, TUDOR renews its commitment to the traditional values of fine Swiss watchmaking – a world where mechanical excellence goes hand in hand with enduring sophistication. The 1926 line is named after the year when “The Tudor” was registered as a brand on behalf of Rolex Founder Hans Wilsdorf. It captures TUDOR’s philosophy and continues down the very same path that it has trodden ever since its inception, emerging as a high-quality watch technically and aesthetically, with a level of sophistication that transcends any apparent limitations.
The first TUDOR diver’s watch in gold
The Black Bay collection introduces some technological advances, open case backs and a variety of materials with its 2021 novelties.includes Tthe new Black Bay Ceramic model, is METAS certified, which enhances its level of precision, comes in a mono-block matt black ceramic case with its case in matt black ceramic, sand-blasted surfaces with bevelled edges, and mirror-polished for a striking contrast and secured with a hybrid black leather and rubber strap. If gold is more your thing, there’s also the Black Bay Fifty-Eight 18K which is the first diver’s watch from TUDOR to be made in 18ct gold, and a tribute to the first TUDOR diver’s watch made in 1958 andwaterproofed to 200 metres.
It’s this nod to the brand’s history past that sets TUDOR apart from many other watch makers says Sharron, TUDOR ambassador at Cheltenham based jeweller Martin & Co: “I love that history is so important to TUDOR. The Black Bay collection is inspired by the original 1950s divers’ watches and you can spot the references to that era on today’s watches.” The watches are so sort after there is often a waiting list, however it is worth the wait and is a true investment to own a watch with proven reliability and unique value for money. , but if you’re patient, you will end up with an enduring classic timepiece and confident that it will tell good time whatever you throw at it.
