About TUDOR Submariner Watches
Along with its sibling brand, Rolex, TUDOR also has a history of making Submariner diving watches. Produced from 1954 until 1999, TUDOR Submariner watches shared many design traits with the Rolex Submariner — and were even furnished with Rolex-made components — but were powered by different movements. The preowned TUDOR Submariner market has flourished in recent years, driven by increased interest from watch collectors.
TUDOR Submariner History
The TUDOR Submariner made its debut in 1954 as the brand’s flagship diving watch. Over the next four decades, TUDOR continuously updated the watch and expanded the range to include several sizes, dial designs and colorways.
The earliest TUDOR Submariner references are characterized by 37mm cases without any crown guards. By the end of the 1950s, TUDOR updated the Submariner with a larger 39mm case, complete with crown guards protecting the winding crown. In 1969, TUDOR updated the Submariner with newer movements and also furnished the watches with the now-famous “Snowflake” geometric-style hands and square hour markers. That same year saw the introduction of the TUDOR Submariner with a date window, which would eventually replace Submariner no-date variants.
According to the brand, more than 20 TUDOR Submariner references were manufactured from 1969 until 1999. It’s also important to note that the French Navy, U.S. Navy and other military organizations furnished their recruits with TUDOR Submariner watches in the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. TUDOR stopped making the Submariner in 1999.
TUDOR Submariner Timeline
1954: TUDOR debuts the Submariner diving watch.
1959 TUDOR updates the Submariner to include crown guards and a larger case size.
1969: TUDOR introduces Submariner watches with date windows.
1969: TUDOR introduces the “Snowflake” hands dial to the Submariner collection.
1976: TUDOR introduces midsize Submariner models with 35mm cases.
1981: TUDOR discontinues the “Snowflake” dial variants.
1989: TUDOR discontinues no-date Submariner models.
1999: TUDOR discontinues the Submariner collection entirely.
TUDOR Submariner Models and Features
TUDOR Submariners are dive watches with rotating timing bezels, water-resistant cases and luminous dials. With the exception of one reference (7923), all TUDOR Submariners are automatic watches. From 1954 to 1999, TUDOR manufactured dozens of different Submariner references, evolving the watches with each new generation.
Some important variations across TUDOR Submariner models include:
- Cases with or without crown guards
- Dials with or without date windows
- Dials with Mercedes-style hands accompanied by mostly round hour markers or Snowflake-style hands accompanied by mostly square hour markers
- Dials with Oyster Prince (no-date variations), Oyster (no date, manual winding), Prince Oysterdate (date variations) or Prince Date (later date variations) markings
- Dials with vintage TUDOR rose logo or updated TUDOR shield logo
- Submariner Date models with cases measuring 39mm or 35mm
Vintage TUDOR Oyster Prince Submariner 7900 series (1954-1969): no-date variations, TUDOR rose logo on the dial, Plexiglas crystal
- 7922: first TUDOR Submariner, 37mm case, 100-meter water resistance, automatic Caliber 390 movement
- 7923: 37mm case, 100-meter water resistance, manual-winding Caliber 1182
- 7924 “Big Crown”: 37mm case, 8mm winding crown, 200-meter water resistance, automatic Caliber 390 movement
- 7925 “Big Crown”: 37mm case, 8mm winding crown, 100-meter water resistance, automatic Caliber 390 movement
- 7928: first Submariner with crown guards (square, pointed or round), 39mm case, 6mm winding crown, Plexiglas crystal, rose logo, Mercedes-style hands, 200-meter water resistance, automatic Caliber 390 movement
Vintage “Snowflake” TUDOR Submariner models (1969-1975): 39mm, Plexiglas crystal, shield logo, geometric snowflake-style hands, square indexes, ETA-based movements, 200-meter water resistance
- TUDOR Oyster Prince Submariner 7016 with Caliber 2483 (no-date)
- TUDOR Prince Oysterdate Submariner 7021 with Caliber 2484 (first Submariner date)
TUDOR Submariner models from early 1970s to mid-1990s: 39mm, Plexiglas crystal, shield logo, blue or black dial/bezel colorways
- TUDOR Prince Oysterdate Submariner 9411/0 (aka 94110): introduced in 1973, Snowflake handset only, Caliber 2784
- TUDOR Oyster Prince Submariner 9401/0 (aka 94010): introduced in 1975, Snowflake or Mercedes handset, Caliber 2776
- TUDOR Prince Oysterdate Submariner 76100: introduced in 1984, Mercedes handset, “lollipop” second hand, Caliber 2824-2
- 76000 is the midsize 35mm variant.
- TUDOR Prince Oysterdate Submariner 79090: introduced in 1989, Mercedes handset, Caliber 2824-2
- TUDOR Prince Oysterdate Submariner 75090 is the midsize 35mm variant.
Last TUDOR Submariner models from 1995 to 1999: sapphire crystal, unidirectional bezel, shield logo, blue or black dials, blue, black or steel bezels, Mercedes handset, Caliber 2824-2
- TUDOR Prince Date Submariner 79190: 39mm case
- TUDOR Prince Date Submariner 75190: 35mm case
For the last model, TUDOR dropped “Oysterdate” from the name and called it the TUDOR Prince Date Submariner.
Aside from the midsize and full-size Submariner models, TUDOR also made smaller versions such as the Mini-Sub and Lady-Sub.
TUDOR Submariner Prices and Collectibility
Thanks to the watch’s rich history, Rolex-adjacent pedigree and popularity of modern TUDOR dive watches, the market for discontinued and vintage TUDOR Submariner has grown significantly in recent years. Interest from serious collectors is fueling demand for TUDOR Subs, which has made some collectible references exceedingly valuable. In 2017, an ultra-rare TUDOR Submariner 7923 sold for just under $100,000 on eBay. In 2018, a TUDOR Big Crown Submariner 7924 sold for over $162,000 — breaking the record for the most expensive vintage TUDOR ever sold.
However, aside from these record-breaking prices, there are still more affordable preowned TUDOR Submariner watches out there — especially when compared with the prices of Rolex Submariners. Yet, prices and values are going up. In 2021, expect to pay the following prices for some popular TUDOR Submariner references:
- Preowned TUDOR Submariner 75090: Starting at $4,000
- Preowned TUDOR Submariner 79090: Starting at $7,300
- Preowned TUDOR Submariner 75190: Starting at $4,500
- Preowned TUDOR Submariner 79190: Starting at $8,400
- Preowned TUDOR Submariner 76000: Starting at $5,000
- Preowned TUDOR Submariner 71000: Starting at $7,500
The Submariner Snowflake variants are the most collectible, thus valuable, TUDOR Sub models, with prices typically ranging from $10,000 to $20,000.