No 187 - Tudor Chronograph 79273P

Received this one in a trade for my Ball Skindiver back in August 2013. I’d really start to love the Tudor chronographs after owning the 79270. Such great watches! So when I got the opportunity to try out the same chrono but in a twotone version it was a no-brainer. I actually thought it looked awful when I first saw it with the white dial and its red details but I knew it had potential to become something else. I think I received the watch on a black leather strap, not sure, but I had it replaced with a 22mm croc strap that I managed to squeeze in without having it look too terrible. A watch colleague helped me to source a black dial with gold indexes for it which turned out to be a perfect match. Looked fantastic!  And when I had had the new dial installed I changed the strap to a brown crocodile leather which made the watch look even more awesome. Some thought that a black leather strap would have been a better match but seriously, there are few things that look uglier than black leather straps. I had plans trying to find a working twotone bracelet for it but never found one. That would have been so cool. 

#187 - The Tudor Chronograph ref. 79273P.

Having a beer in our old kitchen.

I honestly don’t know why I sold this one. It was even complete with box and certificate. It looked freakin’ fantastic! I probably needed cash for something else or just got bored as usual. Stupid. But damn, looking back on the pictures I really feel that I could go another round with this one. It’s crazy how the prices for these 90’s Tudor chronographs completely have gone through the roof. I even lost about $350 when selling this one because of the dial change. God that hurts. 

With the white dial it came with. Not a big fan.

Here on the 22mm croc strap.

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.

No 167 - Tudor Chronograph 79270

Was I going through a Tudor phase here? Well, yesterday I told you I felt a bit reluctant wearing the Tudor Submariner. This chronograph was a different story. “But that’s a Daytona rip off!” some of you might say. But is it? Really? No, I don’t think so. OK, the case design and the pushers might make you think of the Daytona but the 79270 has a 6/9/12 subdial setup (Valjoux 7750 movement) while the Daytona has the 3/6/9 setup. The 79270 also have a date and a bezel that turns. I would say it might be inspired by the Daytona but the 79270 definitely stands on its own legs and does not feel like a wannabe Rolex. On the other hand, the reference 79280, with steel tachymeter, would be a closer call. 

#167 - The Tudor Chronograph ref. 79270.

Tudor shield on the crown.

I loved this one. It was great to look at. Beautiful! It felt like a good allround beater chrono. The lug-holes for example; a great feature! Just as the turning bezel. A much more useful chronograph than the Rolex Daytona. I’m happy I got it on the oyster bracelet. I’m usually a big fan of jubilee bracelets but Tudor’s version of the jubilee just looks awful. I bought it as a full set in the end of March 2013 with box, books and certificate in great condition. The watch itself wasn’t far from being NOS. I had plans to buy a black dial with white subdials for it but it didn’t get to stick around that long. This model is another great example of a watch that has more than doubled its value in the last three years.

This watch ended up in a trade for a NOS Omega SM300 (Watchco) which I will present in the near future.

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.

No 166 - Tudor Submariner 79090

What the hell is happening? I know that everyone has a story of how they bought a watch a couple of years ago and now it is being sold for a ridiculous amount. I got tons of stories like that. I feel like that is happening to me ALL THE TIME. Sometimes I’ve even been struggling to get things sold and have even accepted a low ball offer just to get the goods start moving. Then, a couple of years later, it’s a goddamn collector’s item and sells for $XXXX! Jeez...

Here is another perfect example for you. Got this Tudor Submariner in March 2013. Bought it head only for about $1500. Now these fuckers sell for around $3500! The reference 79090 of the Tudor Submariner were made in the early 90’s so we’re not even talking about a vintage watch here. I’m sorry but WHAT THE FUCK?! It’s a steel submariner from Tudor made in the 90’s! And people are actually paying these figures. Seriously, enough with the hype! There are plenty of funnier watches to spend that kind of money on.

#166 - The Tudor Submariner ref. 79090.

Case back.

On a blue nato (which looks more like purple).

OK, so it basically is a light version of the Rolex 1680. Matte dial with painted index and an acrylic crystal. It sure does play the part of being a vintage sub I give it that. And for $1500 I think it was a great watch. I tried it on an aftermarket oyster bracelet but quickly realized it was much funnier to have a bunch of nato straps to switch between just to get some variety. But wearing this model gave me mixed emotions. Tudor has a whole line of watches with their own design that I’d rather wear instead of this one. Don’t try to convince yourself that a Tudor 79090 will satisfy your need for a Rolex 1680 because it won’t. 

Here on a blue & grey Bond nato.

 

Sideview showing the Rolex crown.

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.

No 98 - Tudor Hydro 1200

What can I say about the Tudor Hydro 1200? It’s brutal and a goddamn beast that’s my best way of summarizing it. If I’m not mistaken I got this one from Claus the Dane at CT Watches in October 2011. I like Claus because he, as well as myself, goes for the funny dive watches and not the regular boring stuff. The Tudor was delivered to me with the white dial but came with an extra black dial that I had installed before even trying it on. I hate white dials. Unfortunately I only got it on the rubber and not the bracelet. I’ve never got to try the Hydro 1200 on the bracelet but from what I can tell by the pictures it looks really cool and comfortable. The rubber on the other hand… How thick can you make a rubber before it looks stupid? To me this is a good example of what's just about to cross the border of being too thick. The rubber was almost as thick as the actual watch itself. I'm guessing the Hydro 1200 is working best on its bracelet but as I haven’t tried it I can’t say for sure. It looks better on the bracelet anyhow.

Borrowed product picture of the Tudor Hydro 1200 on the bracelet.

The aesthetics is really something. I’ve never seen anything looking like the Hydro 1200. It got its own design for sure and it only delivers one message: “I’M A DIVE WATCH!”. What else could it be? I love the fat hour markers and the hands are one of a kind. The action of the bezel is so nice and smooth it makes you want to sit around all day just turning it. I really did love this watch. The only problem was its size. It’s at least 45mm wide without the crown. I had a really hard time selling mine and finally got rid of it in a trade but I lost at least $400.

#98 - The Tudor Hydro 1200. Here in its box.

Look at the thickness of that rubber strap!

I think the watchmaker who changed the dial scratched the case back. Amateur!

If I would have been a professional diver the Tudor Hydro 1200 is a watch that I really would have liked to wear while working. I’m not sure at all if it's a good watch for diving but it sure as hell plays the part of looking like it. It’s a watch that never will go unnoticed and even if it might not go together with your everyday suit at work it would serve perfectly as the weekend watch for the beach with a t-shirt and a pair of shorts. I paid about $2700 back in 2011 for a full set without the bracelet but with two dials and judging from the prices I see today they doesn’t seem to have changed very much. I actually found a brand new one with all the plastic and tags left and with the bracelet for $2300. That’s great! It even made me considering getting one while they haven’t become rare and expensive. I can only encourage all dive watch fanatics to try one if you haven’t already done so. It’s a must!  

Fishing for perch out on the Royal Djurgården in the middle of Stockholm city. This was the closest the watch got to water.

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.