Rolex Submariner vs Tudor Black Bay (In House)

     Founded in 1920 by businessman Hans Wilsdorf, Rolex would grow to become a company that needs no introduction. Rolex is known worldwide for its timepieces of exceptional quality that are luxurious and are often used as examples of great accomplishments in the lives of many. The Rolex name alone has gone on to be synonymous with luxury and prestige beyond expectation. With the success of Rolex, also came rises in prices of the timepieces and for many, owning a Rolex had become somewhat unattainable. To resolve the problem, Rolex founder, Hans Wilsdorf, created a sister brand that reflected the quality of Rolex but at a cheaper cost, known as Tudor. The Tudor brand was accomplished by using Rolex cases and components, but with a cheaper movement used in place of the more expensive movements produced by Aegler. Until recent years, Tudor could have been considered a cheaper version of Rolex until the brand received a major makeover in 2012. Since then, Tudor had released many new timepieces that used Swiss ETA movements. In 2015, Tudor accomplished a company breakthrough when they announced the Tudor North Flag at Baselworld with the first Tudor in-house Manufacture Calibre 5621. Today, Tudor manufactures the parts in each timepiece independently in the same branch under the Rolex brand at a cheaper cost than its more prestigious brother. In this day in age, with a Tudor Black Bay with the Tudor in-house Calibre MT5602 retailing at under half the cost of the base model (retailing at $3,725 US Dollars) of the Rolex Submariner 114060 (retailing at $7,500 US Dollars,) a question comes to mind. Should you buy a Tudor over a Rolex?

     Having thoroughly experienced both of these timepieces in person, I would like to describe some of the similarities and differences. The Tudor Black Bay model 79230N is an all stainless steel watch that is 41mm in case size. The construction of the Oyster style bracelet is solid, yet manoeuvrable and extremely comfortable to wear. The Tudor Black Bay's 60-click aluminium bezel is filled with vintage charm. The dial exudes a warm, cheerful glow with its gold print and gold-toned snowflake hands. The large crown sits comfortably on the case without crown guards to disrupt symmetry. The operation of the movement is quick and precise, while the winding of the watch feels smooth, largely due to an amagnetic silicon hairspring. In contrast, the Rolex Submariner Date, which is identical to the Submariner, often known as the "no-date" with the exception of being in two-tone Rolesor and having a 3135 movement with a date complication as opposed to the 3130 movement. The Rolex Submariner Date measures 40mm in case size and also features a solid, highly manoeuvrable bracelet with an added patented Glidelock extension system that allows you to adjust the watch to have a perfect fit without the use of tools. It is quite unfortunate that being a diver's watch and for the price, that the Tudor does not feature any sort of extension system. That being said, the Tudor features micro-adjustment holes that allow for a small amount of adjustability with the use of a tool. The Rolex Submariner Date's 120-click unidirectional rotating bezel is smooth and features sharp knurling around the bezel to make it easy to grip in all conditions. The Rolex Submariner Date also has the bonus of being made out of scratch-resistant Cerachrom ceramic that is also resistant to fading, whereas the bezel on the Tudor may fade over time. The operation of the Rolex's movement is also quick and precise and the action is smooth when the watch is wound. The crown guards protrude out from the case of the Rolex Submariner Date ever so slightly, but it is not bothersome by any means.                         
                                                                                                                                                                 
     With that being said, a Tudor is a Rolex and is not a Rolex at the same time. They are both made in the same factories and share many of the same manufacturing techniques. The accuracy is minimally different between both watches with the Tudor being within +/- 6 seconds per day and the Rolex is not only COSC Chronometer Certified, but it is also Superlative Chronometer Certified, meaning that once tested and cased up, the watch is guaranteed to maintain an accuracy of +/- 2 seconds per day. Both watches are great timepieces for all occasions, but when it comes down to choosing, it is a personal choice. If you are looking for a watch to wear as an investment; something that will hold its value, buy the Rolex. If you are looking for something of very similar quality at a cheaper price, consider the Tudor. Both designs are iconic and they may even be mistaken for each other. Some may call the Tudor an expensive Rolex homage. But at the end of the day, if you want a Rolex for both the prestige and to be able to own one of the most iconic watches ever created, I would suggest purchasing the Rolex.

     Thank you for reading and your continued support,

     Noah Payne - Founder and Editor of Tick n' Sip