Tudors

Tudor Heritage Advisor Watch

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.

Tags: 2011, advisor, heritage, Tudors, watches

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Tudor Heritage Chrono Watch - Big Deal?

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Lots of people have been making a big deal out of the new Tudor Heritage Chrono watch. Yes it comes with that cool brown and orange "seat buckle" strap (metal bracelet as well), and looks '70s retro chic, but is it really that big of a deal? I got to check out this piece at Baselworld recently and don't understand all the fuss. For Americans, Tudor is a "baby" Rolex brand that is no longer sold in the US. Tudor pulled out of the US maybe 10 years ago or longer. Why? Not totally sure, but I can guess. Probably because the lower cost brand would either compete with, or lower the image of Rolex. Tudor watches are not made with the same high quality refinement that Americans have come to expect and enjoy from Rolex. Tudor watches are pretty much inferior, less expensive alternatives. So to protect the rock-solid Rolex image, Rolex probably decided to pull the Tudor brand out of the US.

While the Tudor Heritage Chrono looks decent enough, it is nothing special. For what it likely costs there are dozens of better options. The dial on the original is flat and merely printed, with the new version updated with applied hour markers and a removal of the cyclops. Finishing on the case is merely OK, and the hands and dial aren't spectacular in quality. I have a feeling that nostalgia is the best marketing force for timepieces like this. Once the initial "wow" of the design wears off, I don't think a piece like this has too much staying power on one's wrist.

The watch itself is 42mm wide and has an automatic 45 minute chronograph. Not sure what the movement is, but it is likely a modified ETA or alike. Probably an ETA 7734 or similar. There is a black on black or gray on black dial, and an interesting placement of a date magnifier lens at 6 o'clock. The bezel rotates in both direction, and looks a bit too retro if you ask me. Overall, not the worst watch over, but certainly not the "modern classic icon" people make it out to be, from a design and finishing perspective. See images of the new version in the gallery below.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Gallery: Tudor Heritage Chrono watch