Comparing Tudor and Rolex
Tudor Black Bay GMT Stats
Rolex is one of the most recognized watch brands today. Almost anyone on the street can name Rolex as a luxury watch, but what about Tudor? The sister brand used to be seen as the ‘poor man’s Rolex’ but today the brand has a popularity that is continuing to grow.
Discover the history of Rolex and continue reading to discover:
> Differences Between Tudor and Rolex
> Are Tudor Watches As Good As Rolex?
A Brief History of Tudor
Tudor has been around almost as long as Rolex. The brand dates back to 1926 when the name was registered as a trademark. However, it wasn’t until 1936 that the founder of Rolex, Hans Wilsdorf, became the primary owner of the brand. Wilsdorf wanted to make a more affordable, yet just as reliable, version of the Rolex. The name comes from the English Royal Family, the Tudors. The logo of the watch manufacturer is the Tudor Rose from the family crest. The Shield now seen on Tudor watches came about later, and they show the strength and aesthetics of the brand. Today, the shield is the primary logo marker for Tudor.
In the beginning, Tudor utilized many Rolex parts such as the Oyster case or bracelet. In 2015, Tudor started using in-house calibers. Continue reading to learn more about Tudor mechanics and style when compared to Rolex.
Differences Between Tudor and Rolex Watches
Tudor is only a few years younger than Rolex but there have been a few notable differences between the manufacturers. Tudor was always designed to be an affordable watch option, but this came at a price. Tudor originally used ETA movements in its watches, which allowed the price point to be more entry-level when compared to a Rolex. Rolex has created in-house movements since developing the perpetual movements were developed by Aegler in Switzerland, who was the exclusive Rolex movement manufacturer until 2004 when Rolex officially acquired the company. Tudor went through changes in the early 2000s, ceasing distribution in the United States completely. The mid-2010s saw a rebirth of Tudor, this time launching its own in-house movements while Rolex has continued to have a strong presence globally.
Tudor:
- More entry level price point
- Similar secondary market values
- Robust cases, varying styles
- Sportier design across almost all model families
- Some in-house movements, but not all
- COSC certification
Rolex:
- High entry price point
- Higher secondary market values for many models
- Oyster case design
- Sporty models but many can be worn more formally
- In-house movements
- Superlative Chronometer certification on models in addition to COSC
Younger Style & Materials
Being the ‘younger sibling’ Tudor is known to experiment more with its style, especially after the relaunch of the brand in the 2000s. One way the brand is different is the use of materials. Today, Tudor experiments with bronze, titanium, and ceramic cases while Rolex typically sticks to stainless steel or precious metals when developing their watches. Tudor also markets their watches on a variety of strap types, whether a matching metal bracelet or uniquely designed or patterned NATO-style strap.
Color is also a unique difference between the brands. Tudor watches have incorporated the use of color more into their styles over the years. However, Rolex is catching up, taking a leap with the use of green in the Kermit and Hulk and most recently stepping out from the more conservative greens, blues, and blacks with the colorful Oyster Perpetual watches launched in 2020 and influenced by the vintage Stella dial.
Tudor launched the Born to Dare campaign a few years ago, originally featuring David Beckham and Lady Gaga. These two celebrities are known for pushing boundaries, Beckham in football and style with a sophisticated, rough, appearance and tattoos, while Gaga is known for her music and provocative, edgy, style. These two have helped push Tudor to new demographics and younger collectors.
Both Rolex and Tudor balance the line between vintage-inspired and modern marvels. Rolex has not made massive changes to their design; an original Rolex Certified Pre-Owned Submariner is still very similar and recognizable when compared to the modern iterations. Tudor is known to reference vintage designs when releasing new collections, such as the Pelagos which was released in 2012 and features vintage-inspired hands and indices.
Mechanics & Construction
In older Tudor models, and in some current production models, you will still find original modified-ETA movements. Just like Rolex, all Tudor watches are mechanical meaning they are either self-winding automatic or manual wind; although at both manufacturers most watches fall into the automatic movement category. There are of course always exceptions to the norm; Rolex, for example, produced the Oysterquartz for a period of time.
Both brands produce rugged watches. All Tudor watches, including their dress models, feature a water resistance of 100m or more. Rolex watches also feature high water resistance, however, the Cellini dress line only features a resistance of 50m.
When holding a Tudor next to a Rolex, looking at similar models such as the Black Bay GMT and Rolex Pepsi, you will begin to notice some more differences. Rolex fills their Cerachrom bezels with white gold or platinum numerals. Rolex has also designed the Easylink or Glidelock systems on the bracelet, found on most bracelets, but Tudor only offers an easy adjust system on the Palagos. Rolex watches add an extra layer of finishing touches to the design when compared to most Tudor watches.
Pricing
Tudor and Rolex have been designed for two different markets and the price points line up with this fact. At retail value, Tudor watches start at around $2,300 for a ladies Clair de Rose, while an entry-level ladies Rolex Oyster Perpetual is priced over $5,700.
When looking at the auction market, the difference in price becomes even more apparent. In 2018, a vintage Tudor Big Crown Submariner ref 7924 sold at auction for $162,500, making it the most expensive Tudor sold. Rolex, on the other hand, has often seen watches at auction fetch multiple millions of dollars at auction. In 2017, Paul Newman’s own ‘Paul Newman’ Daytona ref. 6329 sold at auction for $17.8 million.
Taking a step back from auctions, the pre-owned market for both Rolex and Tudor is quite strong. However, due to the brand name and desirability of Rolex watches, models typically trade for over-retail. For example, a Rolex Submariner 116610LN is priced around $14,500 on today’s pre-owned market while a comparable Tudor Pelagos 25600TN is priced at a moderate $5,025 new from an authorized Tudor retailer.
Are Tudor Watches As Good As Rolex?
Yes, Tudor watches have always been just as good as Rolex. While the brands will always be unique in design, the differences between the two are shrinking every year as Tudor continues to grow. Tudor was never designed to compete with Rolex, instead, it was to offer collectors a more affordable option.
When comparing Tudor in-house movements, specifically the 32xx series, to those of Rolex there are a number of similarities even though the manufacturers are different. Some similarities between the movements include:
- Non-magnetic hairsprings
- Bearing-mounted, bidirectional rotors
- 70-hour power reserve
Rolex in-house movements all feature a ‘Superlative Chronometer’ certification, which is a brand-specific standard similar to the COSC standard that Tudor in-house movements are certified by. Both COSC and Superlative Chronometers have tight tolerances in timekeeping and testing. Even though price points are different between the brands, Tudor in-house movements keep time and perform almost identically to Rolex watches.
Tudor Heritage Black Bay GMT vs Rolex GMT-Master II Pepsi
When looking at the Tudor collection in comparison to the Rolex catalog, there are a few pieces that jump out with noticeable similarities. One of these is the Tudor Heritage Black Bay GMT next to the Rolex GMT-Master II ‘Pepsi’.
Although Tudor states that the Black Bay was inspired by the Tudor Submariner from the 1950s, there is no doubt some inspiration from Rolex. Both watches feature a similar case size and profile, Tudor measuring 41mm vs Rolex 40mm. The Tudor red and blue GMT bezel is also a matte finish, which is more of an homage to the original 1950s releases than the glossy red and blue found on the Rolex Pepsi.
The bracelet style is also different between the Black Bay GMT and the GMT-Master II Pepsi. The Tudor bracelet is a three-link design more similar to the Oyster bracelet seen on other Rolex models. Watch our full hands-on comparison by watch expert Tim Mosso.
- 41mm stainless steel case; satin and polished finish
- Manufacture Calibre MT5652; self-winding, automatic
- GMT function
- Date
- COSC Certified
- 70-hour power reserve
- Screw-down crown
- 200m waterproofness
- Bidirectional bezel
- 3 link riveted bracelet, manufacturer brown leather or two-tone fabric strap available
- MSRP: $4,175
- Pre-Owned Price: $3,500 – $4,500
Rolex GMT-Master II Pepsi Stats
- 40mm Oystersteel case
- Manufacture Calibre 3285; self-winding, automatic
- GMT function
- Date with cyclops magnifier
- COSC Certified + Superlative Chronometer
- 70-hour power reserve
- Screw-down crown; Triplock
- 100m waterproofness
- Bidirectional bezel; Cerachrom
- Jubilee bracelet or Oyster bracelet with Easylink
- MSRP: $11,600
- Pre-Owned Price: $30,000+
Tudor Submariner vs Rolex Submariner
In the 1950s and 60s, diving became a popular sport and both Rolex and Tudor created watches designed specifically for deep depths. Rolex released it’s Submariner in 1953 and just a year later in 1954, Tudor launched the Oyster Prince Submariner ref. 7922. When looking at the first releases from both brands, there are quite a few similarities in design, the only missing piece for Tudor was an in-house movement.
Over the years since the original launch, the Tudor Submariner saw quite a few changes, while the Rolex Submariner has stayed pretty much the same across the years except in 2020 when the case size increased from 40mm to 41mm. The Tudor Submariner can be found with a large onion crown, crown guards, domed or flat crystal, snowflake style hands and either the ETA movement or Fleurier caliber. The date movement was introduced into both models in the 1960s, and today the Rolex Submariner can be found with or without a date function.
The Tudor Submariner lasted three generations, ending with the 79000 series. This version saw the snowflake hands disappear and replaced with Mercedes style hands, like the Rolex Submariner. This version was discontinued in 1999, leaving just the Rolex Submariner still in production.
Vintage Tudor Submariners are popular among collectors, especially since being discontinued. Today, the style of the Tudor Submariner lives on, many aspects are seen within the Black Bay Heritage family, which is most comparable to a Rolex Submariner.
Other Popular Models
Tudor and Rolex both have an extensive lineup of watch families and models, both in current production or models that have been discontinued. Some other popular models from each brand include:
Tudor Pelagos
While the Tudor Black Bay may be the closest to a Submariner, the Tudor Pelagos is another similar model and also competes with the Sea-Dweller. The Pelagos features a matte blue or black dial and matching bezel. The case is a 42mm stainless steel and titanium case. To make this a dive watch, the bezel is uni-rotational with a 60-minute graduated bezel. The model is water resistance to 500m.
Tudor Black Bay 32/36/41
The Tudor Black Bay family comes in many different styles. The Tudor Black Bay 32/36/41, features a style that is comparable to a Rolex Oyster Perpetual. These models range in sizes like the Oyster Perpetual and also feature a classic 3-hand design with no date. The current Black Bay 32/36/41 models do not use the in-house Tudor movement. When compared to the Oyster Perpetual, there are also fewer options even though the model is produced in various sizes. The Tudor Black Bay 32/36/41 features a sportier case design and dial style when compared to the Oyster Perpetual.
Rolex Daytona
The Rolex Daytona is another extremely popular Rolex collection dating back to 1963. While Tudor produces the Black Bay Chrono and Heritage Chrono, neither give quite the same feel as a Daytona as these models feature a 2-register chronograph rather than the Daytona’s three subdials. The current Rolex Daytona ref. 116500LN is an upgraded version of the original release. This model is a collector favorite and is available in either a black or white dial with black ceramic bezel. The Daytona collection comes in a variety of case materials and dial colors.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual
A classic watch going back to the start of the Rolex brand, the Oyster Perpetual is the original Rolex. The watch ranges in size from 24-41mm, although some smaller sizes have been discontinued. This collection is often thought as the most playful Rolex family, even if the watches are time-only. Across the years, many different dials have been introduced to complement the stainless steel case. The recent release of a Turquoise blue, Coral red, and even a bright yellow are just a few of the ‘hot’ colors collectors are going crazy for on this classic watch. When compared to the Tudor Black Bay 32/36/41, the model is more formal in design.
Should You Buy A Tudor or Rolex?
The real decision of which brand to buy will need to come down to a few personal things. First, the budget. Rolex watches typically start at double the retail price when compared to Tudor watches when buying new from an authorized retailer. On the pre-owned market, most Rolex watches trade for over retail, which can make entry into the brand harder.
Once you decide on the budget, the rest comes more easily. Both Rolex and Tudor offer a variety of models to choose from. Rolex leans to the use of precious metals while Tudor typically stays within stainless steel or unique materials. Rolex strictly uses in-house movements while Tudor offers a mix of in-house and ETA. Tudor watches are COSC certified while Rolex watches undergo both COSC and Superlative Chronometer testing.
Tudor offers a more rugged design with inspiration drawn from historic models. Even dressier watches from Tudor, like the 1926 collection or Style collection, still have a sportier feel to them when compared to the Rolex Cellini or Day-Date families.
At the end of the day, the watch will be worn by you and should work within your style and budget. Both Rolex and Tudor are reliable watches and are known for precision in the watch world, and owning either brand wouldn’t be a mistake.
Ready to start your journey to finding the perfect Rolex or Tudor watch? Shop the The 1916 Company Tudor Collection or the complete Rolex Certified Pre-Owned Collection.
Continue reading to learn more:
> History of the Oyster Perpetual
> A History of Rolex Innovations
Please note that pricing is based on the new and secondary market as of February 2022. Pricing is subject to change.