In 1926, Hans Wilsdorf, former founder of Rolex in 1905, started the Tudor brand with a clear objective: to create watches that maintained Rolex’s high standard of quality, but at a more affordable price. Tudor thus represented an ideal choice for those who wanted a timepiece of great precision and reliability, without sacrificing excellence, but at a more affordable cost.

In the field of chronographs, Tudor made its entry in 1970 with a reference that immediately caught the attention of enthusiasts. Since its inception, the brand has combined high performance and distinctive design, creating timepieces that, over the years, have become genuine icons in the world of watchmaking.

In this article we retrace the brand’s most famous references, models that have left an indelible mark on the history of chronographs thanks to their ability to blend tradition and innovation. We will explore the stylistic and technical evolution of these timepieces, questioning what might be the brand’s future moves in the chronograph field, considering the possibility of seeing vintage-inspired watches in the catalog.

Tudor Chronograph Oysterdate, ref. 7031, 7032 e 7033

The first Tudor chronograph was introduced in 1970 as the Oysterdate, powered by a Valjoux 7734 mechanical caliber. Aesthetically, it featured a case of considerable size for the time (39 mm). While sharing some features with the Daytona references of those years, it was distinguished by a dial with only two chronograph counters at 3 and 9 o’clock, and the date at 6 o’clock with the classic “cyclops” magnifying lens. Some components were shared with Rolex, such as the crown, screw-down chronograph buttons, case back and bracelet, on which the crowned house logo appeared.

There are three variants of this early Tudor sports chronograph, which differ in the type of bezel. Reference 7031/0 has a bezel with a Plexiglas insert and tachymeter scale graduated to 500 units, useful for calculating average speeds. Reference 7032/0, on the other hand, has a satin-finished steel bezel, also with a tachymeter scale graduated up to 500 units. Finally, Reference 7033/0 has a bidirectional rotating bezel with a black anodized aluminum insert, graduated to 12 units. The latter will never go beyond the prototype stage, unlike the other two mass-produced references.

The dials of these three models, featuring distinctive markers resembling the shape of the plate of a baseball field, have been dubbed “home plate” and have become a hallmark for collectors.

The second series: the Tudor “Monte Carlo”

A new series of chronographs was introduced in 1971 and produced until 1977. These models were nicknamed “Monte Carlo” by enthusiasts, as the dial pattern was reminiscent of casino roulette.

The 7100 series chronographs retained the case of their predecessors and the same dial features, but introduced a new movement: the hand-wound Valjoux 234. This new caliber ensured greater precision, with 21,600 vibrations per hour compared to the previous 18,000, and was more sophisticated, thanks to the presence of a clutch and column wheel.

While keeping the dial layout similar to previous versions, a new color combination was introduced, with a gray and blue dial and two different coordinated blue bezels, one with a tachymeter scale and one with a twelve-hour display.

There are three main references in this series: the 7149 with a Plexiglas bezel and tachymetric scale, the 7159 with a satin-finished steel bezel and engraved scale, and the 7169, which echoes the characteristics of the prototype 7033.

Tudor automatic chronographs

In 1977, just six years after the launch of the first chronograph, Tudor further revolutionized its line by introducing the “Big Block,” featuring a new automatic caliber, the Valjoux 7750. The case retained the lines of the previous models, but increased in thickness to accommodate the bulkier automatic movement, hence the nickname “Big Block.” These watches, named Prince Oysterdate, were also known as “Automatic Chrono Time” or simply “Chrono Time,” referring to the inscriptions on the dial. Compared to earlier models, the dial changed from two to three subdials, with the date moved to 3 o’clock.

The 9400 series also includes three references, distinguished primarily by the type of bezel. Reference 9430, in its “Exotic” version, is particularly prized by collectors for its black dial with orange accents on a dark background. In 1985 the Reference 9420 was introduced, known for its crown-protecting straps with a squarish design. The gray, blue and orange dial of this reference faithfully echoes the style of the “Monte Carlo” models.

In 1989, Tudor made a further update to the line, introducing the reference 79170, which, while retaining many features of the previous models, was distinguished by some minor aesthetic changes. The case continued to be the same, with the nickname “Big Block” again being used for these references.

A look into the future: the return of the Monte Carlo?

With its rich heritage of innovation and tradition, Tudor over the years has continued to surprise watchmaking enthusiasts.

Having successfully reinvented itself over the years, the brand may still have surprises in store for us; in fact, it would not be surprising if Tudor decides to draw inspiration from its rich heritage by updating its two-counter chronographs with the typical “Monte Carlo” design that so marked its past.

Are we dreaming too much?

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