the Rolex.Tudor connection

[Rolexman13]

I recntly found out that Tudor is actually a brother company of Rolex but are the ties between them still there? I'm a believer..

Note the similarities of both brands' diving models, chronographs and recently that of the sky dweller and the aeronaut (see pictures).
*Disregard the fact that Rolex has far superior craftsmenship than Tudor.


Does anyone believe that Rolex uses Tudor to test new models or features:
- Will we see a Submariner with luminous bezel, or no date magnifier and luminecent marker at 3 o'clock?
- Or perhaps a Daytona with a date either at the iconic 3o'clock positions where most Rolex date complications are displayed, or at the 6?

[tdegroot]

I have no idea.

[gwalker]

Tudor has had Chronos with dates for decades. Don't think Rolex will ever put a date on the Daytona. Tudor doesn't use Rolex cases anymore. Tudor has never used Rolex movements. It isn't as closely connected as it was to Rolex. I don't think those predictions will ever happen but what do I know.

[Alfredo14]

It seems logical to me that Rolex would use Tudor as a Test Dummy before launching something special or a new feature. My .02

[ecsub44]

Far superior craftsmanship? I don't think so...

[Frogman4me]

Originally Posted by ecsub44

far superior craftsmanship? i don't think so...

+1

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Alfredo14

It seems logical to me that Rolex would use Tudor as a Test Dummy before launching something special or a new feature. My .02

And why would you think that.?

The Tudor line go back to the 1920s then mainly sold in Canada and Europe, Rolex or Tudor watches were not sold then in the USA,it was very much later the the Rolex brand arrived for sale in the USA.Hans Wilsdorf from the RWC first opened Tudor watch to world wide production in 1946. And one of the main reasons why he chose the brand name Tudor. Was that he wanted to pay tribute to the Tudor history period of old England.

The Tudor line prior to around 1990 was all Rolex except for movement,Tudor watches are made by Rolex. The major difference between a Tudor and a Rolex is that Rolex contracted the manufacturing of the movement out to a 3rd party manufacturer (ETA in 95% of them) much like Rolex did with there chrongraphs before 2000 they used ETA Valoux and Zenith movements. The ETA ebauche movements were made to Rolex's specifications and signed Tudor. This movement was then sent to Rolex where it was assembled into a watch with all Rolex remaining parts (Rolex case, bezel, strap or bracelet,dial, crystal and crown, seals, etc.). These parts are the same parts used in the Rolex line of watches. The Tudor movements are high grade 17, 21, 25, or 26 jewel Automatic or Manual movements which when correctly cleaned, timed, and oiled, will keep time almost as well as any normal Rolex.

The case screw backs were engraved original oyster case by Rolex,on all the oyster models.In the gold or TT models Tudor uses genuine solid gold Rolex bezels and crown caps, but their bracelets are normally only gold filled,to reduce the cost while Rolex uses solid gold in their bracelets.The French Navy (among others) opted for the Tudor Submariner,instead of the Rolex Sub.
The French Navy demanded rigorous testing and tested several brands These watches were tested to carefully calibrated abusive tests in an attempt to destroy them to see how much abuse it could take before losing accuracy or malfunctioning .After testing they choose the Tudor and the only thing the French navy didn't order was the Oyster bracelet.They chose a nylon strap because it would be much more easy to change,and easily replaced if broken.And today the only step down in quality with Tudor watches in general is the price.The the main difference between a Rolex Sub and say a Tudor Sub is they used a top range Chronometer grade ETA a first class all in-house built movement but not Rolex made,and in watches like the Tudor Prince they used a light Oyster bracelet, on Subs they used the heavy Oyster bracelet.Now today the Tudor line has quite a heritage with Hans Wilsdorf the founder of Rolex.

In todays market quite a few vintage Tudor watches command higher prices than there Rolex brothers same could be said for Rolex, many of the most collectible Rolex dont have a Rolex made movement but ones from ETA Valjoux and Zenith .The Tudor line are still made in the same now highly automated factory as Rolex.While now would agree the Aeronaut,Hydronaut range are not quite as good as the Oyster cased ones but its still very very close.Tudor are still a very important part of the Rolex history and are great watches in there own right.

[nowzen]

"Disregard the fact that Rolex has far superior craftsmenship than Tudor."

Really? That's news to me and probably the owners of Rolex.
Tudor is Rolex’s 'other' brand.

Rolex CEO Gian Riccardo Marini attended the launch of the Tudor sponsorship of Ducati in July. He made a special point of stressing that Tudor was “Rolex’s other brand – not second brand". The same point that Wilsdorf made when he launched the Tudor brand.

[HORNBLOWER]

study study study, all will become clear.

[John in MA]

Rolex has IMO used Tudor as a testing brand for some ideas. Maybe not all of them.

While they might be coincidences, here are a few.

The Tudor Submariner was the first to be offered with a blue dial/stainless combo.

The Tudor Submariner was the first to be offered with a quick set date feature.

The Tudor was the first to be "jumbo" size in the standard oyster case.

if I'm wrong on these, please let me know but those have always been the assumptions I had.

[Frogman4me]

Originally Posted by padi56

And why would you think that.?

The Tudor line go back to the 1920s then mainly sold in Canada and Europe, Rolex or Tudor watches were not sold then in the USA,it was very much later the the Rolex brand arrived for sale in the USA.Hans Wilsdorf from the RWC first opened Tudor watch to world wide production in 1946. And one of the main reasons why he chose the brand name Tudor. Was that he wanted to pay tribute to the Tudor history period of old England.

The Tudor line prior to around 1990 was all Rolex except for movement,Tudor watches are made by Rolex. The major difference between a Tudor and a Rolex is that Rolex contracted the manufacturing of the movement out to a 3rd party manufacturer (ETA in 95% of them) much like Rolex did with there chrongraphs before 2000 they used ETA Valoux and Zenith movements. The ETA ebauche movements were made to Rolex's specifications and signed Tudor. This movement was then sent to Rolex where it was assembled into a watch with all Rolex remaining parts (Rolex case, bezel, strap or bracelet,dial, crystal and crown, seals, etc.). These parts are the same parts used in the Rolex line of watches. The Tudor movements are high grade 17, 21, 25, or 26 jewel Automatic or Manual movements which when correctly cleaned, timed, and oiled, will keep time almost as well as any normal Rolex.

The case screw backs were engraved original oyster case by Rolex,on all the oyster models.In the gold or TT models Tudor uses genuine solid gold Rolex bezels and crown caps, but their bracelets are normally only gold filled,to reduce the cost while Rolex uses solid gold in their bracelets.The French Navy (among others) opted for the Tudor Submariner,instead of the Rolex Sub.
The French Navy demanded rigorous testing and tested several brands These watches were tested to carefully calibrated abusive tests in an attempt to destroy them to see how much abuse it could take before losing accuracy or malfunctioning .After testing they choose the Tudor and the only thing the French navy didn't order was the Oyster bracelet.They chose a nylon strap because it would be much more easy to change,and easily replaced if broken.And today the only step down in quality with Tudor watches in general is the price.The the main difference between a Rolex Sub and say a Tudor Sub is they used a top range Chronometer grade ETA a first class all in-house built movement but not Rolex made,and in watches like the Tudor Prince they used a light Oyster bracelet, on Subs they used the heavy Oyster bracelet.Now today the Tudor line has quite a heritage with Hans Wilsdorf the founder of Rolex.

In todays market quite a few vintage Tudor watches command higher prices than there Rolex brothers same could be said for Rolex, many of the most collectible Rolex dont have a Rolex made movement but ones from ETA Valjoux and Zenith .The Tudor line are still made in the same now highly automated factory as Rolex.While now would agree the Aeronaut,Hydronaut range are not quite as good as the Oyster cased ones but its still very very close.Tudor are still a very important part of the Rolex history and are great watches in there own right.

Well said with facts. Thank you

[SS Oyster]

Are Tudor cases, bracelets, etc. made of 904L?

Originally Posted by padi56

And why would you think that.?

The Tudor line go back to the 1920s then mainly sold in Canada and Europe, Rolex or Tudor watches were not sold then in the USA,it was very much later the the Rolex brand arrived for sale in the USA.Hans Wilsdorf from the RWC first opened Tudor watch to world wide production in 1946. And one of the main reasons why he chose the brand name Tudor. Was that he wanted to pay tribute to the Tudor history period of old England.

The Tudor line prior to around 1990 was all Rolex except for movement,Tudor watches are made by Rolex. The major difference between a Tudor and a Rolex is that Rolex contracted the manufacturing of the movement out to a 3rd party manufacturer (ETA in 95% of them) much like Rolex did with there chrongraphs before 2000 they used ETA Valoux and Zenith movements. The ETA ebauche movements were made to Rolex's specifications and signed Tudor. This movement was then sent to Rolex where it was assembled into a watch with all Rolex remaining parts (Rolex case, bezel, strap or bracelet,dial, crystal and crown, seals, etc.). These parts are the same parts used in the Rolex line of watches. The Tudor movements are high grade 17, 21, 25, or 26 jewel Automatic or Manual movements which when correctly cleaned, timed, and oiled, will keep time almost as well as any normal Rolex.

The case screw backs were engraved original oyster case by Rolex,on all the oyster models.In the gold or TT models Tudor uses genuine solid gold Rolex bezels and crown caps, but their bracelets are normally only gold filled,to reduce the cost while Rolex uses solid gold in their bracelets.The French Navy (among others) opted for the Tudor Submariner,instead of the Rolex Sub.
The French Navy demanded rigorous testing and tested several brands These watches were tested to carefully calibrated abusive tests in an attempt to destroy them to see how much abuse it could take before losing accuracy or malfunctioning .After testing they choose the Tudor and the only thing the French navy didn't order was the Oyster bracelet.They chose a nylon strap because it would be much more easy to change,and easily replaced if broken.And today the only step down in quality with Tudor watches in general is the price.The the main difference between a Rolex Sub and say a Tudor Sub is they used a top range Chronometer grade ETA a first class all in-house built movement but not Rolex made,and in watches like the Tudor Prince they used a light Oyster bracelet, on Subs they used the heavy Oyster bracelet.Now today the Tudor line has quite a heritage with Hans Wilsdorf the founder of Rolex.

In todays market quite a few vintage Tudor watches command higher prices than there Rolex brothers same could be said for Rolex, many of the most collectible Rolex dont have a Rolex made movement but ones from ETA Valjoux and Zenith .The Tudor line are still made in the same now highly automated factory as Rolex.While now would agree the Aeronaut,Hydronaut range are not quite as good as the Oyster cased ones but its still very very close.Tudor are still a very important part of the Rolex history and are great watches in there own right.

[TakesALickin]

I owned a Tudor Oyster Prince 34 from the early 1950s that was powered by a Rolex cal. 390. Tudor did use that movement for a short time before the switch was made to ETA.

[wantonebad]

Tudor is not a testing ground for Rolex, Tudor makes, markets, sells their own models. Whatever perceived "experimentation" you see is Tudor making a choice to include a feature or complication. Rolex makes the same choice and more often than not they stay true to the past with an update that functionally makes sense, but not one that might fashionably make sense IMHO. If your talking about the future of Rolex being mapped out by Tudor I just don't buy that at all. It might be wishful thinking, Rolex is where they are as much for what they don't do, as what they do.

Would it be cool to have a date function on a Daytona? Maybe. Would it be neat to have a submariner bezel with lume? Sure, I guess, but they wouldn't be the same watches. Rolex is more conservative than Tudor perhaps but that's not a stodgy thing, or a restrictive thing, its a specific strategy and it works. Moreover we can see as WIS that they are capable of fashionable updates, just not on Rolex'.

[Alfredo14]

I understand both of your points and agree to an extent. I just believe since it is a smaller market that Rolex could use it to see what sells and what does not, but that's just my opinion. Cheers.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by TakesALickin

I owned a Tudor Oyster Prince 34 from the early 1950s that was powered by a Rolex cal. 390. Tudor did use that movement for a short time before the switch was made to ETA.

That is quite true a few of the early Tudors did have a Aeglar Rolex made movement.

[mikkolopez]

I've owned both Tudor and Rolex, my first swiss automatic was a Tudor Prince. And I could say the Tudor is as reliable, accurate and well-made as any Rolex. Tudor is Rolex "other" brand and hence i would not believe that Rolex would compromise on Tudors.

I have 3 Tigers, 1 Prince Date (my wife uses), 1 Hydronaut (my son uses) in my stable and I am quite happy with them. On the other hand I also have 1 Sub No Date, 1 Air King, 1 DJ TT, 1 OP Date sharing the same watchbox with the Tudors. All of them are keepers in my book. And I have never looked back.

[East Bay Rider]

Like them both

[bigrustypig]

I think when there's no more Rolex to buy, I'd switch to Tudor. I'm positioning for the new Tudor Sub release, though.

[GBOGH]

Great info. Thanks for posting.