The TUDOR Chronicles; Chapter 3 - A TUDOR Watches Collection Overview

Ever wanted to explore all of TUDOR’s key watch collections in one place? Now you can! Here is the Jura Watches introductory guide to six of the brand’s key watch collections and why they’re so renowned worldwide.

TUDOR watches have been reliably keeping time since 1926. The brand was founded by the same man behind industry giant, Rolex and was born out of Hans Wilsdorf’s goal to produce reliable watches that were also affordable. It is still these two values of reliability and affordability that set the TUDOR brand apart from others within the industry today. To achieve this goal, the famous Oyster case and Oyster bracelet by Rolex were used, whilst off-the-shelf movements from ETA were sourced to guarantee accuracy. The TUDOR name was taken from the Royal family name that reigned between 1485 and 1603. The Tudor rose emblem taken from the family crest, along with a shield logo, unite to symbolise strength and aesthetics in each TUDOR design. In TUDOR watches today, the shield can be seen on each dial at 12 o’clock, while the rose is engraved onto the crown.

TUDOR watches are undeniably luxurious and highly coveted amongst enthusiasts. Top models from the brand’s catalogue include the iconic Black Bay series – aimed at dive watch fans, the Pelagos watch collection – geared to professional and amateur divers, and the Royal – a more classic wristwatch for dressier occasions. In addition to this, the brand offers tools for exploration such as the Ranger, as well as classic models like the understated 1926 collection, not to mention the Clair de Rose line – a refined and curvaceous collection. Here is a complete guide to these 6 collections, complete with information on all the features and options available within each category.

Black Bay

The retro-inspired dive watch range named the Black Bay is a classic design reserved for modern wrists. The model became an industry icon when it launched in 2012, with unmistakable characteristics that harkened back to some of the Swiss brand’s first dive watches from a bygone era. It belongs to TUDOR’s Heritage collection and is a flagship watch inspired by the brand’s Submariner pieces designed with the famous Oyster Prince case. The Snowflake hands are a feature that you will hear many devoted Black Bay fans mention. Playing a big part in the collection, they are squared at the end and coated in lashings of Super-LumiNova for enhanced legibility at night or when underwater. Equipped with 200-meter water resistance, Black Bay watches are available on a stainless steel bracelet or black rubber strap and feature a unidirectional rotating bezel in various colours. The TUDOR Black Bay watch can also be enjoyed in a bronze-coloured version, a Chrono version and a GMT version and comes in several sizes including 31mm, 36mm, 39mm and 41mm. You can explore our range of TUDOR Black Bay models at Jura Watches HERE.

Pelagos

The Pelagos is TUDOR’s professional diving watch and is made from lightweight titanium material with a helium escape valve that is perfect for saturation diving. Since 2015, every Pelagos watch has been equipped with a Manufacture movement that provides the collector with more for his money whilst still keeping prices affordable for beginners. The TUDOR Pelagos is functional, precise and light. Its linear design was brought to the market in 2012 – the same year as the TUDOR Black Bay. Although over a decade old, the style and design of the watch has never tired. Its exceptional water-resistant capability of 500 meters is perfect for those who spend much of their time by the water, plus its helium escape valve can release a build-up of helium gas inside the case without causing any damage to the internals of the device. A patented fold-over clasp secures the TUDOR Pelagos to the wrist, ensuring its extension system and finer adjustments adhere to your needs and your heavy diving gear whenever necessary. One of the latest versions of the Pelagos to join the collection is the Pelagos FXD which stands for “fixed”, referring to the single block of metal used to craft the case and lugs of the famous hardy dive watch.

Ranger

The name Ranger was originally used as a way of referring to a type of watch rather than any particular model. The name was registered back in 1929, just three years after the company was founded by Hans Wilsdorf. Since then, however, the Ranger name appeared on models that shared similar characteristics – those that made them great for exploration and daring adventure. The linear aesthetics of the Ranger watches from the 1960s bore a close resemblance to the Rolex Explorer watches and were recognised for their Arabic numerals placed at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock. TUDOR equipped scientists of the two-year-long British North Greenland Expedition with its Oyster Prince watch back in 1952 and as a celebratory mark of the expedition’s 70th anniversary, a new version of the Ranger was released. You can check out these models here at Jura Watches, complete with a stainless steel bracelet, a black rubber and leather band, or a green, red and beige striped NATO strap.

Royal

The TUDOR Royal is a versatile sport-chic watch that is characterised by its diamond-set bezel or notched bezel. Radial brushed salmon pink and chocolate brown dials are the latest versions to join this collection. A choice between a traditional Roman numeral hour track or a mixed hour track featuring Roman numerals and diamonds adds a further touch of luxury to its sporty design, whilst an integrated stainless steel or two-tone bracelet in stainless steel and 18ct yellow gold epitomizes sporty elegance. A versatile selection of sizes is available in the Royal watch collection by TUDOR. These span from a discreet 28mm diameter to a broader 41mm size.

TUDOR 1926

If you’ve found our article on the history of TUDOR watches interesting, you may find that the 1926 watch collection by TUDOR appeals to you. The designs from this range are inspired by past TUDOR watches. It takes its name from the year in which Hans Wilsdorf founded the company and comprises a broad range of designs that pay homage to the TUDOR creator, as well as watches from the brand’s past, albeit these are modern interpretations. You can choose between opaline models with 7-link stainless steel bracelets, as well as diamond-adorned iterations, classic black models with rose gold elements, and models with a striking waffle pattern upon the surface of their dials.

If you’ve enjoyed this guide to the top TUDOR watch collections and would like to learn more, you can visit our TUDOR section here online at Jura Watches or call and speak to a member of our sales team on 01335 453453.