Ever bought a Tudor and wished it was Rolex instead?

[TearsOfTheSun]

Hi all - something that has been on my mind as I am only recently started getting into watches. I am on waiting list for a BLNR (should get it in 6 months) which will be my first Rolex and first ever expensive watch.

A little bit of background – I work in finance and am at a relatively junior position. The BLNR is quite flashy with the PCLs and I am still not 100% sure whether I will wear it at work.

I have been taking a good look at the Tudor Black Bay 58 for the last 2 months. The Rolex equivalent of the BB58 is of course the submariner which I would like to own one day, however financially it doesn’t make sense at the moment. I also think the submariner and the BLNR have quite a lot of similarities so for me it doesn’t make sense to have both if those are the only two watches I have. The Tudor is less flashy, love the look of it and the snowflake element, it is quite different from the BLNR as a whole. Another positive is that it will be easier to sell the idea to my wife!

The two negatives are that it will not retain value well if I want to sell it and the bigger worry is whether I will wish it was a Rolex instead...

Please share your thoughts!

[beshannon]

No.

I learned a long time ago to buy what I really want and not to settle for something else.

[faz]

You are over thinking it.

BLNR is nowhere near as 'flashy' as people make it to be. It is a fantastic watch and extremely handsome in person, and done well, it works very well in an office environment.

Tudor is new to me, and I love the black bay red that I recently picked up, so much so that I crave it more than my other rolexes in rotation.

You will learn to love each watch for its own unique characteristics and will someday stop comparing one to the other and wishing it was the other. But at the early stage of your expensive watch life, I can see how that might be something on your mind.

I can tell you this: you WILL wish it was Rolex and you will not enjoy it as much at this stage. Just the fact that you have started this thread says so. My recommendation: if you can find a Tudor on the used market, get it for now as a place holder and keep your place on the BLNR list. Once it comes in, sell the Tudor with minimal losses (if any), or keep it as a second watch.

[AK797]

Sure, I wish most things I bought were half the price.

[Muxi]

Choice of watch is highly dictated by brand and model in my opinion. It is for the most part an emotional purchase since there are durable and pretty watches at any pricepoint. Thus, if you dream of a sub, nothing else will substitute that desire for it.

[~JJ]

Nope, but I love Tudor! I never get any of the annoying questions that some here never seem to get (eg is that real, how much was it, doesn’t your phone have time, etc.). However, if your true desire is a Rolex, then keep your eye on the prize... no matter how good a Tudor may be, it will always lose if your heart is not truly in it.

Also, I’ve always received 10-15% off my Tudors (and they are half the cost as Rolex), so take that into account for resale.

[F900LX]

Originally Posted by TearsOfTheSun

The BLNR is quite flashy with the PCLs and I am still not 100% sure whether I will wear it at work.


Please share your thoughts!

Having had my BLNR for almost two years now, believe me, very few people will notice it at all.

[jb335]

It sounds like the Tudor would be "settling" for you, so don't buy it. It's better not to buy anything than to settle for something you don't really want and will never fully be happy with.

Also, don't worry about any BLNR flash. It's not flashy. At all. No one but other WIS will notice it. Seriously, no one. You will go from worrying about it being too flashy, to wishing people would notice it!

[Dan Pierce]

Nope.
dP

[droptopman]

To some degree yes. I really, really like many of Tudor's designs and have tried a BB and Pelagos. Cool watches but just did not fit me the way I wished they did. I ended up always grabbing a Rolex to wear instead so eventually sold both of them.

[douglasf13]

But the Rolex first, or you'll always wonder about it. Only after owning several Rolex watches did I realize that I actually prefer a Tudor.

[oldman2005]

Nothing wrong with Tudor but it's Rolex 2nd line, if you want a Rolex get a Rolex because Tudor is no Rolex.

Don't care much for Tudor, I think we should a different sub forum for Tudor, they're very different from Rolex!

[Kainz]

Nope! Why would I? I wanted a vintage inspired watch with gold hands and hour marker and no Rolex offers that at my price point. (actually they don't offer the vintage I was looking for, at any price point new)
There is no substitute for what you want, the thing is you need to know what you want, is it the branding? is it a look? is it the performance? is it a mix of things? you get the idea.

So no, I did not buy my Tudor wishing to be a Rolex, far from it. I do want a Rolex, but I did want my Tudor more

oh and the Tudor might be less flashy, but I get tons of compliments on it, due to the gold indices I think

[derekhayden]

I would say as others have said buy the Tudor now and sell it or keep it when the BLNR comes in. I was in line for the BLNR and removed myself once the Tudor GMT was announced since I wanted that more.

In most non WIS eyes Rolex means expensive (this is also relative) and most haven't even heard of Tudor much less know that its anyway at all related to Rolex. Buy what you like and will get the most enjoyment out of.

[xspect]

I brought a blue snowflake tudor about 10 years ago because I couldnt afford a sub. I still have it. But I guess thats just dumb luck on my part

[tudorbaja27]

I bought a Tudor and love my Tudor. Have no desire to get a Rolex anytime soon.
As others have said, if you're already thinking you wish it was a Rolex, you may be better off waiting for the Rolex.

[Brew]

I'm not sure why you would buy the BLNR, if you're not sure you'll be comfortable wearing it. That's a whole bunch of money to spend, just to enjoy it on the weekends (if then).

[Innocenti]

i have a 58 incoming. considering the alternative for me from rolex would be a 5510 ,, i doubt ill have regrets

[douglasf13]

Originally Posted by xspect

I brought a blue snowflake tudor about 10 years ago because I couldnt afford a sub. I still have it. But I guess thats just dumb luck on my part

That's awesome. I'm often looking at the Tudor Subs from the 90s, because it seems like people will eventually catch on that they're essentially Rolex Subs from the 70s with an ETA movement...and usually in much better condition.

[teb1013]

When I got my first “good” watch I got a Tudor BBB (ETA) in part for financial purposes, I couldn’t imagine spending “all that money” for a Rolex, although I wanted one. I found the Black Bay to be a great watch and still have it (it satisfies my desire for a diver). Still it proved to be the “gateway” to spending Rolex prices and within 30 days had a Datejust and in just over a year had an Explorer II (and Grand Seiko) as well. The Tudor still has a regular place in my rotation I’m glad it’s not a Rolex, but it didn’t scratch the itch to have a Rolex, only a Rolex can do that.


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[The Libertine]

No?

[josephvman]

Get both and wear the BB58 to work. If you can't comfortably purchase both, frankly you probably shouldn't be buying the BLNR anyway. If you're already unsure that you'd wear the BLNR to work, then it's unlikely that you will. It won't be much fun to have it if you don't want to wear it where you presumably most want to wear a nice watch. The BB58 is a very cool piece and I personally prefer it to the BLNR, which was probably the least-favorite Rolex I've ever owned. Then again, I'm more into watches than brands and don't suffer from the brand-inferiority complex that so many on this forum seem to have when it comes to wearing a Tudor. I've got a few hard-to-get pieces on order right now, but the two watches I'm most excited about getting this year are the BB58 and Tudor pepsi GMT.

[TearsOfTheSun]

Thanks all for the replies!

The comment about not being sure whether to wear the BLNR at work came after catching up with a friend of mine the other day who also works in finance and said he got comments from his boss about his sea dweller. Before that I was always fully intending to wear the watch at work. Reading the comments here, I feel much better about it - thank you all!

The BLNR was partly funded by my parents & grandparents for my 25th birthday, I would think twice if I had to fund it all by myself. Overall given financial situation and ultimately wanting a submariner one day I think it might be best to not go for the Tudor for now. This might change after I try it on though!

[josephvman]

Me too, and I can't believe how much the Tudor snowflake subs have jumped in value over the past two years, and there doesn't seem to be much end in sight.

Originally Posted by douglasf13

That's awesome. I'm often looking at the Tudor Subs from the 90s, because it seems like people will eventually catch on that they're essentially Rolex Subs from the 70s with an ETA movement...and usually in much better condition.

[Blaner]

Breitling Navitimer - Blingy
Daytona Rainbow - Blingy
Invicta - Blingy (and tasteless)
BLNR = Not Blingy.

[wfreed22]

So I look at this in 2 ways because I was in a similar position as you. I'm in my mid 20's and was torn between getting a 14060 or a Tudor Black Bay.

Reason 1 I went with the Tudor is because I genuinely love the Black Bay and in no way consider it settling for a lesser watch than a Rolex. It's a prefect every day to work watch for me.

Reason 2 that I ended up going with the Black Bay is that Rolex is the one brand most people know who don't know much about watches. I like the ability to fly under the radar with a nice Swiss watch without people knowing I spent thousands on it. That was a much more secondary reason to number 1 though.

It's up to you but I will say if you really want the Rolex and talk yourself into the Tudor because you think it's the sensible play you'll end up selling it and getting the Rolex, whether that is in weeks, months, or years.

Let us know which way you go

[henrylee]

The Tudor BB 58 is a great watch. But I think you will wish you had gotten a Rolex.

[Uncle00Jesse]

Like many others most likely, I wanted a Rolex of my own. Couldn’t justify the cost and went with a black bay black eta. Absolutely love the watch but couldn’t stop thinking about it’s rolex counterparts. Enter a stroke of sheer luck and now I have a new SD43. I love it and am very happy, but truth of the matter is I think I like the black bay more lol. Weird how this hobby goes

[chlgpm]

Otherwise you would just be complicating things.

[Lamontsanders]

Get the Rolex first if that's what you want.