Tudor Watches: A More Affordable Entry To the World of Rolex

Rolex is one of the best known and most respected luxury watch companies in the world.  But, few Americans know that Rolex has a complementary sister brand called Tudor.  That's unfortunate.  Tudor brand watches offer a different value proposition than Rolex and it's a value proposition that many Americans might find attractive.

In 1926, the founder of Rolex, Hans Wilsdorf, founded a company based on the idea that Rolex-style and reliability could be brought to customers at a more modest price.  Instead of using in-house Rolex-made movements, Tudor watches utilize other high quality Swiss-made movements.  While some Tudor watches are similar to Rolex models, others are designed expressly for more youthful buyers who are just entering the prestigious and exclusive world of Rolex.

Tudor Prince - Photo By Sputniktilt (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Tudor also offers some style options that are a little different than Rolex.  For example, the Tudor Heritage Black Bay brings a slightly sinister commando look to the Rolex-style diver.  It has an aged black leather strap and a black dial.

Tudor Heritage Black Bay

If you'd like to read more about the business background of Tudor and the re-introduction of Tudor to the American market, here is a good article on Forbes:

Watch Out America, Tudor Has Arrived (Again) to Invade Your Wrists

If you are looking for a slightly different entry into the rich heritage of Rolex watches, Tudor-brand watches might be a more nuanced choice.