Tudor’s generally regarded as Rolex’s less distinguished younger sibling, the kind that it needs to help reach the top shelf. In some ways that’s true – Rolex is the powerhouse of the pair – but to think that means Tudor isn’t worth your time is just… well, wrong.
Tudor has always been the more accessible version of Rolex, but not to its detriment. ‘Accessible’ as a buzzword has driven the likes of Nomos Glashutte to success and you don’t here them compared except positively.
And by ‘always’ I mean for almost as long as Rolex has been around itself. The original Submariner? That was a Tudor, and the current North Flag has its roots in a 1952 watch that conquered the North Pole. Just because they burst back into the UK in recent memory, it doesn’t mean they have no heritage.
Tudor Heritage Black Bay Black © Bulang & Sons
“For some years now, I have been considering the idea of making a watch that our agents could sell at a more modest price than our Rolex watches, and yet one that would attain the standard of dependability for which Rolex is famous.”
That was Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf’s mission statement when he created Tudor in 1926. That’s just 6 years after Rolex themselves were registered in Geneva. Not only does that show that the two have the same level of pedigree, but it illustrates just what the relationship between the two watchmakers was then and is today.
The key difference is that Tudor could be considered the sports watch equivalent of Rolex. All of their pieces are designed to not only be accessible, but to survive the elements and be available to anyone willing to take them on.
Rolex Deepsea Sea-Dweller Ref. 126660
Rolex on the other hand certainly have hard-wearing pieces, but the fact that they’re nearly all available in gold shows that they’re more of a style option rather than to be used. Except the Rolex Deep Sea of course, that thing’s a professional diving necessity.
That key difference comes across in how they present themselves. Tudor’s all about challenging extreme environments; Rolex is about being Rolex – which is great. We’ve come to expect certain levels of excellence from Rolex and they achieve that on a remarkably regular basis. It’s just that Tudor have more freedom, freedom they use to great effect.
Oh, I hear you cry, but surely the quality has to be different? Well, yes and no. Tudors, being the endurance watches they are, do tend to be more basic. That’s no fault of theirs, but it is a key reason Rolex are more expensive, even precious metals aside.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master II
Mechanically, that’s less the case. Tudor’s nowadays use in-house movements. Given that Rolex as a group makes everything itself, that means you’re getting Rolex quality movements, made specifically for Tudor. Again, they’re a little more basic in terms of bells and whistles, but what they do have is just as well-made.
Just don’t expect to see them building regatta timers any time soon; Tudor’s only just worked its way up to a GMT function. Apparently haute horology doesn’t survive the arctic all too well. Speaking of which, let’s look a little closer at the Tudor Black Bay GMT alongside its modern equivalent from Rolex, the new GMT Master II Pepsi Cola.
Straight off the bat there are a good number of similarities. They both have that iconic red and blue bezel; they both have the same indexes and they both have red-handed GMT functions. What separates them is the details.
Tudor Black Bay Blue Edition For Bucherer
Side by side, the Tudor seems flatter, more basic. The Rolex has an engraved bezel, more prominent indexes and generally feels more three-dimensional, deeper and more detailed. The case too, while similar in size, has more nuanced, curved shoulders on the Rolex rather than the simpler shape of the Tudor. None of these things matter to the workings of the watch, but they make the world of difference to the wearer. £4,010 word of difference to be precise.
Really, it’s easy to think that Tudor and Rolex are more different than they are, that Tudor is a cheaper, inferior version. That’s missing the entire point of what Tudor is to Rolex. Less expensive does not mean worse; it just means a different aim in what they’re building.
Rolex will continue to be the world’s most important watchmaker. Hell, they’ll continue to earn their place as one of the world’s most important luxury brands. But don’t let that blind you; if you’re looking for a phenomenally well-built sports watch, Tudor is the brand for you.
More at: www.rolex.com; www.tudorwatch.com
