Originally established in the early 20th century, but refreshed and relaunched in 2013, Tudor watches have been cooking up a storm in the world of timekeeping. Founded by the same man behind Rolex, Tudor epitomizes the phrase ‘affordable luxury’, effortlessly delivering on both style and quality.
Buying a watch can be a minefield in itself, but choosing the right brand is just half of the struggle. If you’ve managed to settle on Tudor, you’ll find a huge variety of watches on offer, from stylish vintage pieces to casual sports watches, all of which share the same reliable timekeeping and high-quality designs.
With a brand name as well established as Tudor, it can be tricky to decide whether to go for a piece from one of their classic collections or something from the relaunch. To make that decision a little easier, we’ve written one of the most comprehensive Tudor reviews around.
Best Tudor Watches
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Best Overall
3Tudor Heritage Black Bay Men's Watch
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Best For Higher Budgets
4Tudor Black Bay S&G Men's Watch
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Best For Low Budgets
5Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight Men's Watch
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1. Tudor Heritage Ranger Men's Watch
If you’re looking for a beautiful and durable watch, the Tudor Heritage Ranger is a fantastic option! Starting from the inside out, the watch features 3-hands Swiss Automatic movement that’s accurate for as long as the self-winding rotor is working.
The mechanism is protected by a stainless steel 41mm case and a scratch-resistant sapphire lens. Also, to make it easy to read, the dial is painted black and the hands and hour markers feature a light silver, creating a nice-looking contrast. The colors also work great with the brown leather Bund strap, delivering a manly and elegant design.
Overall, the Tudor Heritage Ranger is a beautiful stainless steel watch with close-to-perfect accuracy. In addition, it is delivered in an elegant box, so you can also offer it as a gift!
Specifications
Pros
- Manly & elegant design
- Swiss automatic movement with impressive accuracy
- A screw-down crown system
- Good water resistance
- Very comfortable to wear for long periods of time
Cons
- No other functionalities besides time tracking
2. Tudor Pelagos Men's Watch
- Water resistance to 500 meters.
- Available in black or blue.
- Scratch-proof dial.
- Snowflake hands.
The Tudor Pelagos watch is undoubtedly one of the most versatile watches on the market. Designed to be used in a smart office environment or during an adventurous SCUBA dive in the Bahamas, this one won’t disappoint on any sort of practical level.
Its sleek design with snowflake hands, easy-to-read hour markers, and titanium case pair perfectly with a suit, while its impressive water resistance, helium escape valve, and auto-adjustable bracelet allow you to don it with a wet suit as well.
The vivid blue dial has become an iconic feature of the Tudor Pelagos and is one of the watch’s most unique features. Perfectly paired with a steel bracelet this is a watch that stands out on your wrist. Of course, if you’re looking for the same watch in a more classic color scheme, the dial is available in cool black too.
Looking past its aesthetics, the Tudor Pelagos features the brand’s relatively new in-house caliber which has it functioning like a dream.
Specifications
Pros
- Very durable design.
- Comfortable wear.
- Long-life battery.
- Two different straps for two versatile looks.
Cons
- Lots of text on the dial.
3. Tudor Heritage Black Bay Men's Watch
- Powered by ETA 2824-2.
- Self-winding mechanical movement.
- Luminescent hand and hour markers.
- Unidirectional rotating bezel.
The Tudor Heritage Black Bay is perhaps one of the brand’s most sought after watches. It exudes everything that Tudor represents, from its aesthetics to its functionality, from its practicality to its price, this is the watch that Tudor is all about.
It’s particularly praised for its wearability, converting from a smart, professional office wearing watch, to a stylish vintage piece to impress your mates with.
First things first, boasting water resistance to 200 meters, luminous indications, and a rotating bezel to track dive times, the Tudor Heritage Black Bay is considered to be a proper dive watch.
Secondly, using the vintage 1960’s Tudor watches as inspiration, the strap comes in two varieties: a steel folded riveted bracelet or vintage leather strap.
Of course, the Tudor Heritage Black Bay still retains classic features of the Tudor brand including the stylish snowflake hands, domed crystal, and a few gold accents dotted in here and there.
Specifications
Pros
- Scratch-resistant crystal.
- Great for diving.
- Waterproof to 200 meters.
- Versatile for everyday wear.
Cons
- Leather strap will wear over time.
4. Tudor Black Bay S&G Men's Watch
- Two-toned with steel and yellow gold.
- 200-meter water resistance.
- Crowned with a golden plate.
- Window display for the date.
Nothing short of a show stopper, there’s no doubt that the Tudor Black Bay S&G is going to be causing a few double-takes on the street.
Reminiscent of Rolex’s Daytona watch, the Black Bay Chronograph S&G most striking feature is its contrasting sub-dial and other two-tone elements that prove just how perfectly a combination of steel and yellow gold sits together.
Other iconic features similar to those seen throughout the Tudor range are its snowflake hands, domed crystal, and round markers.
Like many of Tudor’s collections, the Tudor Black Bay S&G has been designed to replicate a diver’s watch from the 1950s, with a perfect blend of practicality and vintage, and of course a hint of modern charm.
What sets it apart from its counterparts at the slightly more affordable end of the scale is its in-house MT5813 automatic chronograph movement, which offers technical brilliance as well as a 70-hour power reserve.
Specifications
Pros
- Chronograph movement for reliable timekeeping.
- Large dial for easy reading.
- Long-life battery.
- Highly water-resistant.
Cons
- Can feel bulky.
5. Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight Men's Watch
- Water resistance to 200 meters.
- In-house movement.
- Stainless steel or leather strap.
- 39mm case.
Perhaps the most talked-about watch in all of Tudor’s series is the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight. The reason for its popularity is that it holds much of the same qualities of Tudor’s top watches, but with a slightly smaller sized case, allowing for extra comfort, more versatility, and, as an added bonus, a lower price-tag.
The reason for its newly-founded slimness is thanks to Tudor’s in-house movements, which offer both a reduced thickness and diameter, allowing your watch to slip seamlessly under your cufflinks.
Its stylish manner can be seen mainly in the dial that is finished with hints of gold and Tudor’s classic snowflake hands.
The watch takes its inspiration from Tudor’s 1950’s vintage collection. With the choice of a leather strap or steel bracelet, and boasting a water resistance of 200 meters, you can enjoy the watch whether you’re heading out for an afternoon of adventure or one full of board meetings.
Specifications
Pros
- Not as bulky as other Tudor watches.
- Changeable straps.
- Great for everyday use.
- Comfortable to wear.
Cons
- Smaller watch face.
Tudor Watch Buying Guide
Tudor Watches History
The origins of Tudor Watches go back nearly 100 years, to the year of 1926. At this time, Rolex founder and owner, Hans Wilsdorf, was looking to design an affordable alternative to his already established luxury watch company.
That year, the Tudor brand was born.
To keep the price low but the quality high, Tudor used the off-the-shelf watch parts from Rolex, equipping them with standard ETC movements.
For more than 50 years, the Tudor brand went from strength to strength, releasing endless models of watches with timeless designs at affordable prices.
For reasons unknown, Tudor disappeared from the US market in 1996, and relaunched in 2013, coming back stronger than ever.
Design & Movement
Today, all Tudor watches are manufactured in Switzerland to a high standard. While the exact details vary from model to model, there are several aspects that make a Tudor watch, a Tudor watch, including:
- Mechanical Movements. Every Tudor Watch is mechanical, whether it be utilizing the in-house movements or modified ETA movements.
- Durable Design. Impressive water-resistance ratings, highly-rated anti-shock systems, and sapphire crystals make the Tudor watch one of the most durable on the market, especially if you opt for their dive watch models.
- Materials. Tudor tends to shy away from using precious metals on their watches, primarily using steel for most of their designs, with a touch of bronze and carbon on selected models.
- Sturdy Straps. The majority of Tudor watches come with a durable bracelet strap, but they also offer the choice of leather and fabric straps on some of their heritage models.
Tudor vs Rolex
Both founded by the same man, Tudor and Rolex offer up products that look incredibly similar but are priced quite differently.
What keeps the prices lower on Tudor products is that while they may use the same high-quality materials as a Rolex, it’s the movement that they save money on.
While Rolex has an in-house movement, Tudor watches generally use a modified ETA movement.
If you’re still struggling to choose between a Tudor and a Rolex, here are a few important things to consider:
- Quality vs Price. Once upon a time, Rolex’s highly-regarded in-house watch movements positioned them way above Tudor’s pieces, justifying their high price point. Now, as Tudor begins to develop and roll-out their own high-tech in-house movement, it’ll be interesting to see what happens. Other than the in-house movement, little sets Tudor and Rolex apart in terms of material and quality.
- Style. There’s no doubt that Rolex’s style is so iconic that even those without the faintest interest in watches will be able to recognize them in a few seconds. While some of Tudor’s designs do imitate those you’ll see in Rolex’s collection, they also have a far more wide-ranging selection of designs that break away from the traditional diver watch design.
Tudor Watch Collections
Each Tudor watch collection has something unique to offer the end wearer. While their collections may be limited compared to other popular brands, you can rest assured that the quality-to-money ratio is unparalleled throughout.
Here’s just a taster of what some of their iconic collections can offer you.
Tudor Black Bay Collection: First released in 1954, Tudor’s Black Bay collection has become one of the brand’s most iconic. The collection is recognized for its domed dial, crystal, and snowflake hands.
Tudor Pelagos Collection: Perfect for the explorer, Tudor’s Pelagos watch collection is one of the best on the market today. All watches feature a titanium bracelet with an auto-adjustable spring, water resistance to 500m, and escape valve features, which means you’ll always be ready for adventure while looking super stylish.
Tudor North Flag Collection: Sporty types and casual-wear watchers will love Tudor’s North Flag Collection, which took inspiration from the Oyster Prince watches used during the Brits expedition to Greenland in 1954.
Tudor Heritage Chrono Collection: Taking inspiration from the early 20th century, Tudor’s Heritage collection has a vintage edge, that still works to the utmost precision. Pair with a leather strap, and you’ll be good to go.
Tudor Glamour Collection: Though the majority of Tudor’s watches are catered towards a more masculine audience, The Glamour Collection, with its sophisticated and dainty design is made to honor the lady.
Pricing Range
While the Tudor brand is known as the affordable sister to Rolex, it is still a quality product, and you should still be prepared to fork out a few thousand dollars, even for the lower end of the range.
Some of the more basic models start at around the $1,800 mark and offer simplicity and style all rolled into one. Limited edition pieces can be over double that price, but most of the Tudor watches price brackets tend to be under the $7,000 mark, which is where you’ll also find the beginning of the lower-end of Rolexes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tudor watches are made by the same company as Rolex, known as the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation. The brand was actually founded in 1926 as an affordable alternative to Rolex watches, but in recent years has become increasingly popular as the brand experienced a renaissance of sorts.
While Rolex watches are well-known for holding their value, the same can be said for some, but not all, of Tudor’s collection. It’s thought that some of the most popular collections, including the Tudor Heritage Black Bay and the Tudor Pelagos, both of which include a range of timeless pieces, are more likely to retain their value.
As a company that is nearly a century old, there is also a huge demand for vintage Tudor watches, the prices of which have increased impressively over the last decade. Some of the best vintages to increase in price include the Submariner and the Tiger.
The Tudor Saga app is a free mobile application offered by Tudor that provides owners with a handy on-the-go guidebook to their watch, along with other essential history and information about the brand. Tudor is also one of the only watch brands in the world to offer this up service.
Our Verdict
Choosing your perfect watch isn’t a decision that should be taken lightly. A watch is likely to become a staple of your wardrobe and you’ll need to consider not only style but the practicality of a watch for your needs too.
While we can’t tell you exactly which Tudor watch is for you, we can confidently say that there’ll be something to suit your style and needs in Tudor’s varied collections.
Whether you’re searching for a subtle, timeless piece that can be worn every day or something a little more flashy to show off to your mates, Tudor truly caters to everyone.
These in-depth reviews have hopefully narrowed your choices down a little and given you a helping hand to finding the perfect fit for your wrist.
