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Tudor Baselworld 2019 Predictions – Is Tudor About to Bring Back the OysterDate Submariner?

Following our Rolex predictions, it's time to imagine what Tudor might possibly launch at Baselworld 2019.

| By Brice Goulard | 3 min read |

Following the publication a few days ago of our Rolex 2019 Predictions, we keep the tradition alive and now take a closer look at sister company Tudor. We’ve done it already in the past, with our predictions in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and in 2018 – some were pretty accurate, some not so much. This year, however, we had (unintentional) help from Tudor itself, thanks to a teaser on its Instagram feed – and, you know us, that gave us some ideas about what Tudor might be unveiling at Baselworld 2019… Did we hear an OysterDate Submariner 79090 revival?

A recent post on Tudor’s Instagram feed, revealing a close-up of a triangular-shaped marker at 9 o’clock followed by the words What’s next? Just two months to go to Baselworld for more #TudorWatch #Baselworld2019, really got us thinking. See the post in question below:

 

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Looking at past models by Tudor, there are few watches that sport a triangular index at 9 o’clock. In fact, one immediately came to our minds; the Tudor Prince OsyterDate Submariner ref. 79090, a watch produced by the brand in 1989. Basically, we’re looking at a 39mm Tudor-branded Submariner, with 200m water-resistance, a black or blue dial with matching bezel, painted indexes (not applied), a “Mercedes” hour hand and primarily, a date window under a cyclops. See two examples of the ref. 79090 below:

The black and blue versions of the Tudor Prince OysterDate Submariner ref. 79090 – Image by Christie’s.

Bearing this in mind, we expect Tudor to reintroduce the Submariner Date in the collection, not as a true re-edition but as a watch with some elements inspired by the ref. 79090. Knowing that Rolex offers a date version of the Submariner and that Tudor has only two (and rather specific) Black Bay models with date – the Steel and the Two-Tone – we believe this could be a natural evolution of the collection.

Tudor Baselworld 2019 – The Black Bay Date

PS credits to @watchkenneth for giving us the initial idea of this OysterDate Submariner revival, which he named the Tudor Black Bay Eighty Nine (cool name indeed…)

Our Tudor Baselworld 2019 Black Bay Date is slightly different from the standard, no date Black Bay ref. 79230. While the case and the bezel could be retained, we expect some drastic changes dial-side. As for the movement, no evolution, as this new Baselworld 2019 version should be equipped with the in-house MT5612 calibre – the same as the Black Bay Steel.

What changes can be expected? Well, first of all, the indexes and hands will be different. The indexes will be triangles at 6, 9 and 12 o’clock with dots for the other hours. Indexes would no longer be applied but painted, for a cleaner look – as seen on the Instagram post. The hour hand would also be classically shaped with a “Mercedes” tip, something inspired by the OysterDate Submariner 79090.

The main evolution, of course, concerns the addition of a date and a cyclops over it – something that is very Rolex indeed, but Tudor admitted during Baselworld 2018 that there will be more references to Rolex in its future watches. In addition to that, it isn’t the first time that Tudor uses a magnifier over the date. Last but not least, the minute markers would be different too, with simple, elongated batons instead of a railroad track.

Being part of the Tudor Black Bay family, we also expect Tudor to launch this new date version of the Black Bay in the three signature colours – Black, Burgundy and Blue, as seen in our mock-ups above.


Note: this article is based on our own Photoshop mock-ups, nothing has been provided officially from Tudor. These are predictions, based on our imagination and expectations. All images are under license of MONOCHROME and should not be used without agreement or copyright (©Monochrome-Watches, 2019).

If you liked this Tudor Baselworld 2019 – Tudor Predictions 2019 article, we would love to hear your thoughts and reactions. Please use the comment box below. You can also share via our Facebook page, our Instagram account (@monochromewatches) and our Twitter page (@monochromewatch).

https://monochrome-watches.com/tudor-baselworld-2019-predictions-tudor-new-watches-2019-oysterdate-submariner-revival/

20 responses

  1. Tudor have got their own handset and will never use Rolex’s again.

  2. *YAWN*…..so boring and plain to me….nothing like playing it safe I guess….but they really need to up their ante on new releases….so uninspiring and plain….not my cup of tea

  3. If tudor makes this watch it will be nothing more than another Rolex sub homage. Tudor was praised so highly for distinguishing themselves with unique style that copying Rolex, I think, would hurt their brand. Changing the hands and adding a cyclops date would be a disaster. And if they only changed the 3, 6, 9 are markers to triangles that would be lazy design. It may excite a lot of people to get a cheap Rolex, but that’s exactly what they’d be getting.

  4. I think it is very likely Tudor will reintroduce the Oyster Date Submariner but I agree that the “ “Mercedes” handset is not likely to return nor for that matter the “cyclops” on either a revised Black Bay or the Submariner particularly if the Submariner is reintroduced because that would make the two watches indistinguishable to casual buyers. Also a Tudor Submariner with a “cyclops” and “Mercedes” hands would cannibalise sales of the Rolex equivalent. Instead I suspect that Tudor will go for a Black Bay Fifty Eight style thinner case, snowflake hands in steel together with a date window but using the Submariner design cues pulse a different style perhaps polished centre link bracelet to dress up the Submariner.

  5. I’m pretty sure that Tudor would match the color of hands and indexes though… but with the teaser in mind this may indeed be pretty spot on.

  6. The Heritage/Vintage trend continues to drag on, keeping Tudor in Rolex’s shadow. The 58 is solid but the Pelagos and North Flag appear to be the only true strides forward. All while the dress watch collection really needs some spark, especially given the reputation of oldies like the Tudor Tuxedo

  7. I love the Tudor brand and really like the Black Bay line, but 41mm is just far to small for the bigger wrist!! Why do they not want to sell to the customer with the bigger wrist? At least give us the option like Breitling!!

  8. IF they bring it back it won’t be with the Black Bay case, but with the Pelagos….

  9. And why would it have to be an Oysterdate Submariner? Some versions of the 94010, which had no date, were also coming with triangle indices at 3-6-9-12 and Mercedes hands.

    I could very well see a BB58 (no date) sporting those indices.

  10. Adding to my previous comment: why not a BB58 (no date) with triangular indices at 3-6-9-12, and a lollipop hour hand to boot?

  11. If they made the Tudor BB Oyster date Sub like your photo and the black dial version of the chrono like you predicted in your 2018 post..I’d literally go out and buy both tomorrow! You should ask them for a job 😂😂

  12. With the price of a modern Rolex Sub @ $10,000, a Tudor that is closer to it for $4,000 would make a lot of sense. But a new, even more sub-like model kinda reverses their policy of Tudor being distinct from Rolex. If it’s just a new dial with a cyclops, I don’t see people getting all that worked up over it. I seriously doubt Rolex would approve the Mercedes hands at this point. I see that the BB price on the Grey market has dropped to well below $3,000, so they do need something to get sales moving.

  13. looks like you guys were wrong again, as with all your predictions

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