Tudor Quietly Launches Its Own More Affordable Take on Rolex’s Hottest Style
The Royal is coming for the Crown.
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I will readily admit that I've never been a fan of the Tudor Royal. Its combination of an integrated five-link bracelet with an engine-turned bezel and Roman numeral indices combined the worst parts of 1980s watch design and simply struck me as an ugly watch. Sorry, but it's the truth.
This year at Watches and Wonders , tucked in among more talked-about releases like the improved Black Bay 58 and brand-new Monarch , Tudor launched a complete overhaul of its Royal line with three new sizes, all housing manufacture movements and coming in a wide array of options.
Watches and Wonders Geneva: Rolex, Grand Seiko and dozens of other heavy hitters gather in Switzerland every year to release their biggest watches. Catch up on all the new novelties .
I could tell immediately that the watch was vastly improved, but I still wasn't really taken with the design. It wasn't until later that week in Geneva when I was out at a Tudor dinner and spied someone at my table wearing what I first thought was a platinum Rolex Land-Dweller with its ice-blue dial. After first thinking that this guy was flexing on us, I quickly realized this gentleman, a Tudor employee, was actually wearing the new Tudor Royal in 36mm with the light blue dial.
The light blue Tudor Royal in 36mm has me particularly smitten. - Credit: Tudor
I tried it on, and immediately, the watch clicked. Seeing the new Royal outside of the controlled environment of the Palexpo allowed this watch to show its true colors, so to speak. It's sharp as hell. It's equally sporty and dressy. And it looks and feels very high-end.
The watch has been growing on me ever since, and I now think the new Royal is not only Tudor's best release this year, but it's also now the best alternative out there to a Land-Dweller. Here's what Tudor tweaked to turn the Royal into a winner.
Royal flush
First off, Tudor has refined and reimagined the proportions of the Royal. Most notably, the engine-turned bezel has received sharper and deeper engravings, along with a more striking mirror polish. This makes the bezel stand out far more than before, and, especially at a distance, its sparkle is comparable to a Rolex fluted bezel.
Improved finishing and lines have completely transformed the Tudor Royal.
Next, the case and bracelet have been reworked. Although they still have the same basic design as before, the lines are a bit sharper, and the bracelet links, while still not as flat as the Flat Jubilee bracelet of the Land-Dweller, appear to be less rounded on top.
The end links have also been reworked to create better integration with the case, eliminating any literal friction points, and the drilled lug holes are gone. The result is a more modern, sharper and more premium-looking silhoutte.
The bracelet has also gained the addition of Tudor's excellent T-Fit clasp, which boasts a signed safety clasp and a tool-free microadjustment system. Now, you could argue this style of clasp, which is quite large, doesn't suit this style of bracelet due to the bracelet's integrated, flowing design and short links. But the T-Fit clasp is arguably the best clasp you can get at this price point, and I'd take its convenience over a more aesthetically cohesive butterfly style.
The watch now features a microadjustable T-Fit clasp, even on the small 30mm variants. - Credit: Tudor
Inside, the Royal receives a Tudor Manufacture movement for the first time, with the calibre varying by size. The 30mm model, which is a time-only watch, has the Cal. MT5201 automatic with a power reserve of 50 hours. The 36mm model, which features a date window at 3:00, is powered by the Cal. MT5412 automatic, which lasts for 70 hours on a full wind. And the 40mm day-date style houses the Cal. MT5633, which also has a 70-hour power reserve.
All three movements are COSC-certified, and all models feature sapphire crystals, screw-down crowns, closed casebacks and 100m of water resistance.
Lastly, we have the new dials. There are several to choose from across all three sizes, all featuring sunburst finishes in various shades. Some have kept the Roman numeral indices and railroad minute track, which I think was a mistake, while others, like my favorite light blue version, now feature baton indices and simpler dash minute markers.
I never thought I'd say it, but the Tudor Royal is now a great-looking watch. - Credit: Tudor
This cleaner dial style really goes a long way toward modernizing the design, while also upping its sporty character. Put the ice blue 36mm Tudor Royal with its PVD blue dial furniture next to the platinum Land-Dweller, whose dial remains a bit of a mess with its honeycomb pattern and oversized "9" and "6" indices, and I think most people will point to the Tudor as the better-looking watch.
Availability and pricing
The Tudor Royal collection now comprises 23 references in stainless steel and two-tone yellow gold versions (stick with the steel). Six are in 40mm, nine in 36mm and eight in 30mm.
Prices run a fairly wide gamut, from $3,250 for a plain steel model in 30mm on the low end to $6,325 for the 40mm two-tone versions. My choice, as I have made clear, would be the 36mm model in steel with the light blue dial, reference m2836c1a0-0106. It retails for $3,425, a seriously compelling price for a Tudor with Rolex looks, outstanding finishing and a manufacture movement.
It's time we all bow down to the Royal.
Tudor Royal
Specs
| Case Size 36mm |
|---|
| Movement Tudor Cal. MT5412 automatic |
| Water Resistance 100m |
About the Author:
Johnny Brayson is an editor at Gear Patrol mostly covering watches. He enjoys watches that are packed with blink-and-you'll-miss-'em details and believes nearly every watch could stand to be a tad smaller.
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