I get it. You’re looking for a vintage dive watch. They’re so hot right now. A transitional matte dial Submariner, that’d be sweet. You’ll probably find yourself looking at 1680s, maybe 16800s. Naturally, they look awesome. Then you look at the price. What if I told you that you could get all of that vintage goodness, but for a lot less money? Have you heard of the Tudor Submariner 79190?

Tudor, Rolex’s sister brand, has been making Submariners since 1954, starting with the reference 7922. They were conceived as a moderately priced alternative to the Rolex Submariner and were eventually discontinued in 1999. In the mid 90s, the very last Tudor Submariner was released: the 79190, which is the watch I’m talking about today.

Full disclosure, I was never interested in getting a Tudor Sub. I knew they existed and I knew I wanted a birth year Rolex Sub or SeaDweller at some point, but that was it. It wasn’t until one of my mates – who happens to be a watch dealer – brought this Tudor Submariner 79190 to a Get-Together. I couldn’t believe the condition this beauty was in. Matte dial, tritium hands, sapphire crystal, quick set date, drilled lugs. It had everything I wanted in a vintage watch!
Everything about this watch is Rolex. Case, crown, hands. The only thing that sets it apart from its’ Rolex cousin is the movement. Beneath the 39mm case you’ll find an ETA 2824-2 with a 42 hour power reserve. While some might turn up their noses at that, I’d argue it makes the watch a lot easier to service.

Yes, the snowflake hands might be more desirable. The Rolex Subs are much more collectible.
But for me, this is the perfect Sub. It’s arguably cooler than its’ Rolex counterpart and extremely easy to wear with the slim profile and 39mm size.

Oh, I had 41mm a Black S&G in the collection when I got the Sub. I have since sold it. It felt like a dinner plate on the wrist. Thanks, Tudor Sub!