TUDOR Timeline
Founded as a low-priced alternative to Rolex, Tudor emancipated itself from its sister and has really taken off in its own right in recent years.
1926
The beginnings are slightly complicated. Although Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf is the mastermind behind Tudor, the brand is registered by “Veuve de Philippe Hüther”. Wilsdorf secures the exclusive naming rights.
1932
On the first models, the crossbar of the T in the Tudor lettering ran all the way to the R. Some rare collectors’ items also sport the name of the ‘big sister’, vouching for the quality of the younger sibling.
1936
Hans Wilsdorf takes over Tudor completely – with the idea of establish ing a low-priced but high-quality alternative to Rolex. During this period, the rose of the British royal house of Tudor appears on the dial for the first
1946
After World War II, Tudor becomes independent: on 6 March, Wilsdorf founds the company Montres Tudor S.A. and gives the brand its own
1952
The “Tudor Oyster Prince” line is launched – with technical features that were otherwise exclusively reserved for Rolex: the legendary Oyster case and the self-winding mechanism with Perpetual rotor.
1954
An important year: the “Oyster Prince Submariner” is the first Tudor diving watch to conquer the market. So impressive are its qualities that the French Marine and the US Navy also adopt it.
1957
The new Tudor “Advisor” is the only model in Tudor’s history to feature a built-in alarm.
1969
Tudor treats itself to a new logo (which is still valid today): the shield stands for sturdiness and technology, solidity and absolute reliability. 1969 also marks the birth of the striking Snowflake hand.
1970
Tudor introduces its first mechanical hand-wound chronograph: the “Oysterdate” is very well received, in part because of the vivid colours and the characteristic pentagonal hour indices.
1976
The third chronograph series includes a self-winding mechanism for the first time. Because of its size, the “Prince Oysterdate” is nicknamed the “Big Block”.
1990s
Little by little, Tudor liberates itself from its big sister’s shadow, relying on its own strengths, and in the mid-’90s prescribes itself a comprehensive rebranding, which is expressed in details such as the Tudor rose on the winding crown.
2010
Launch of the “Tudor Heritage Chrono”, a visually and technically modified throwback to the cult models from the early 1970s.
2012
The first “Tudor Black Bay” models are launched. They capture the spirit of the times – especially for a younger clientele. And spark a ‘modern retro’ trend in the industry.
2015
Launch of the “Pelagos” diving watch, water- resistant to 500 metres. Unusual: there is also a version for left-handed wearers, with the winding crown on the left. In addition, Tudor begins to develop watches with its own in-house movement – which are a sensational success.
2022
Tudor presents the “Ranger” model to mark the 70th anniversary of the British North Greenland expedition. The tool watch references the Tudor “Oyster Prince”, which was worn on the 1952 expedition.
TUDOR: BORN TO DARE
Like Rolex, Tudor is owned by the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation. After the brand sank into oblivion in the 1990s and early noughties, the rebranding took place around 2007. True to the motto “Born to Dare”, they seem to be getting a lot right: today, Tudor is one of the fastest-growing quality brands. Vintage models in good condition are also extremely popular and are usually traded at a higher price than new models.
There are many fascinating Tudor models to choose from: the beyond team reveals its favourites.
1 RENÉ BEYER, Owner: “I’d like to travel more. The ‘Black Bay GMT’ with a second time zone at least reminds you what time it is somewhere else. With me, it usually shows New York time.” (top left)
2 PHILIPPE MEYER, Head of Marketing: “I like the ‘Pelagos Lefthander’ even though I’m right-handed. The crown on the left is unusual, and the model is timelessly sporty.” (top right)
3 ADRIAN HABLÜTZEL, Art Director: “For a long time I felt freer without a watch on my wrist. But ever since I treated myself to this ‘Oyster Prince Submariner’ Ref. 7928 from 1962, I haven’t wanted to be without it.” (buttom left)
4 MATTHIAS MÄCHLER, Editor: “I am really taken by the ‘Black Bay Chrono Silver & Gold’: the colour combination is quite bold, almost a little quirky – that’s what makes it so special.” (buttom right)
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