Tudor Heritage Advisor Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed)
Apr 9th 2011 at 12:01PM

For 2011 there was not much new in the Tudor watch department. The most noteworthy piece was the Heritage Advisor watch. In a nutshell it is a retro-styled timepiece with a mechanical alarm complication module over a base ETA automatic movement. That alone is fine, but the design and personality of this watch leave much more to be desired from the baby-Rolex brand.

Tudor isn't a brand available in the US. There is a good reason for that. It would harm Rolex's market position as they are less-expensive, but made in the same place. Unlike Rolex pieces, Tudor pieces don't use in-house made movements. Usually they offer their own, more entry-level versions of Rolex favorites, but Tudor has been trying to move away from that model as of late.

The Heritage Advisor is their answer to the retro re-hash watch and it feels like a ripoff of something between a Patek Philippe and Jaeger-LeCoultre. Not only is the dial unbalanced, but the piece doesn't at all feel original or good looking. They try to bill it as something your grandfather's boss would have worn, but the execution feels limp. There is nothing super innovative about a mechanical alarm. Given their tricky operation, I would say that out of all the classical complications a watch has that have been supplanted by features on your mobile phone, the alarm is the most obsolete. Snooze or volume anyone? Don't get my wrong, I am in love with mechanical watches much more than your average person, but I wouldn't buy a watch simply because it features an alarm. Even my Casio does it better.

As far as alarms go the one in the Heritage Advisor seems rather well positions. There is a clear on and off window, and a power reserve indicator for the alarm's spring. The red hand around the dial is for setting the alarm. But like most alarms on mechanical watches, you can't set them very precisely. The watch also has a dial for the date. If you want a mechanical alarm watch with a old-fashioned look that is pretty straight forward in its operation, Tudor has you covered. But for mass appeal I just don't get it.

The watch itself is in steel and titanium, and is 42mm wide (not too small thankfully). Will likely be a few thousand bucks when they are available soon. If you simply must have one, best if you travel to a place like Hong Kong to get one.

Ariel Adams publishes the wrist watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: 2011, advisor, heritage, Tudors, watches