Why This Watch Matters

The Ranger is to Tudor what the Explorer is to Rolex: a no-nonsense sport watch that is perfectly suited for all occasions.

The Full Story

Tudor introduced the Ranger in the 1960s, and it would be offered by the Swiss firm until the late 1980s. Tudor reintroduced the Ranger in 2014 in a larger 41mm case, with design cues directly inspired by the watch's original appearance. The original Ranger was cased in a fairly-thin 34mm Oyster case without a date function and was manually wound. Tudor eventually updated the Ranger to have an automatic movement, either with or without a date. The version we have here today has the date. These automatic date versions add a useful complication and a self-winding movement for easy wearability.

The Ranger features a Rolex-signed case, crown, and bracelet, with a Tudor-signed dial and movement. It was common for Tudor to use Rolex-branded parts, other than the dial and movement, until the 1990s.

The case and bracelet designs (both corresponding to the year 1966) are borrowed from Rolex with the three-body stainless steel Oyster case with a smooth bezel made by C.R. Spillman S.A (CRS), the same casemaker as Rolex at the time. CRS also famously made cases for the manual-wind Rolex Daytonas of the era. And to keep with the vintage theme, this watch carries over the riveted bracelet, which we all love for its nostalgic appeal. The bracelet on this Ranger is super comfortable, and the same reference of bracelet can be found on many 1970s Rolex Daytona watches.

The design of the Ranger is very similar to the Rolex Explorer. These Rangers were seen as excellent field watches, since they were highly legible, waterproof, and the 34mm case wouldn't get in the way. The Ranger Date has some really great details that set it apart from its Rolex counterpart and other field watches of the time. It features Arabic numerals at six, nine, and 12 o'clock as well as a unique shovel hour hand. The dial reads "Tudor Prince Oysterdate" in the upper portion and "Ranger" in the bottom. 

If you’re in search of your own Tudor Ranger, be careful out there, as vintage Rangers are some of the most faked vintage watches. Original examples, like this one, are more difficult to come by than you think.

Overall, the Ranger is a great option for a classic stainless steel vintage sport watch with plenty of character. This one is even more special than usual due to its beautiful patina.

The Fine Print

What We Love And What You Should Know

Things We Love:

Things To Know:

This Ranger is in overall great condition. The case is strong with scratches; it has been lightly polished in the past. The rear of the lugs show some scratches from strap and bracelet changes over the years. The caseback engraving remained crisp over the years. 

The dial and hands are in great condition and have developed some patina. Most of the hour markers and the hands have aged to a nearly uniform yellow color. With the hour markers and the unique handset very much front and center, the lume color being consistent adds greatly to the overall aesthetics of the watch.

The bracelet is a period correct addition to the watch and is marked "3 67" on the clasp to indicate its manufacture in the third quarter of 1967. The bracelet is in good condition with some light stretch. The dial and movement are signed by Tudor. The crown, case, and bracelet are signed by Rolex.