I have touched on the relationship between Rolex and Tudor in some of my previous Fifth Wrist reviews. Tudor is the sister company of Rolex. Their watches have always been intended to be as tough as a Rolex but at a more affordable price point. I think the Tudor Prince Oysterdate really embodies this philosophy. The watch features a 34mm Rolex Oyster Case with a plexi crystal and an off-the-shelf movement. It has a classic Rolex Datejust look, but at the time that I bought it, it was about a quarter of the price.

This was my first foray into vintage watches. Well, buying vintage watches anyway, I do have a couple of watches that I have owned for long enough that they are now technically vintage. The Tudor Prince Oysterdate that I picked up from All Vintage Watches is from 1978. This date holds no special significance for me, I was just interested in buying the watch because of the look and shared history with Rolex.

It is certainly a handsome little watch with a light patina on the Champagne dial. It’s also a lot smarter than the usual dive watches I gravitate towards. The 34mm size is surprisingly comfortable on the wrist, it wears well and is perfectly legible. My wife has also borrowed the watch a few times as well, it is larger than her usual Fitbit but still a reasonable size for her. I have generally worn the watch on a leather or suede strap. I have worn it a few times with a suit at work. Even occasionally on holiday when I’ve wanted a finer option.

The Tudor Prince Oysterdate is much loved for its style and heritage. It is a watch that I would like to wear more often but I always have an element of fear with it. It is a vintage watch and it is not as robust as a modern watch. I worry that it will get a knock or wet and it will stop working. I also know that spares will become rare and repairs expensive. The trials of vintage.