Rolex’s baby brother Tudor has long represented a (relatively) budget-friendly alternative to the crown. Following the release of the mil-spec Tudor Pelagos late last year, the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer has revived another hardwearing classic; the Tudor Ranger.
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Coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the British North Greenland Expedition — a two-year scientific mission studying ice sheets in the arctic — wherein members sported the then-new Tudor Oyster Prince; the Swiss watchmaker’s first timepiece that was both automatic and waterproof.
During their expedition, the members — primarily British scientists and sailors — conducted in-depth glaciological and seismic surveys at several sites while also gathering performance data for the Oyster Prince watches. Exposed to extreme conditions and glacial temperatures, the Tudor Oyster Prince watches proved they were more than able to perform under pressure. It’s the Tudor Oyster Prince watches worn over half a century ago that have inspired the new Tudor Ranger.
While the watches sported on the wrists of the scientists and sailors from 1952 to 1954 never bore the ‘Ranger’ inscription on their dials, they lay the groundwork for subsequent Tudor Ranger models. While the Ranger name had been used for decades earlier, the Tudor Ranger as we know it today didn’t appear until the 1960s. Defined by its large Arabic numerals and luminescent coating at 3 (for models without a date window), 6, 9, and 12 o’clock, the Tudor Ranger underwent several iterations before being discontinued in 2020.
The new Tudor Ranger draws heavily from the aesthetics of the 1960s versions, fusing them with technical elements such as a high-performance Manufacture Calibre MT5402, waterproofness to 100m, and the Tudor ‘T-fit’ clasp with rapid adjustment system. With a 39mm case size and 12mm width, it sits comfortably on the wrist while holding just enough heft to remind you of its tool watch status. Both the stainless steel case and bracelet are satin-brushed with a matte finish, with polished metal on the inner edge of the bezel adding textural variation. As with vintage timepieces, the new Tudor Ranger features luminescent numerals that contrast with the grained matte black dial and match the shield logo and inscriptions. The arrow shaped hands — rounded for the hours and angular for the seconds — speak to the timepiece’s history, while a burgundy-dipped tip on the seconds hand lends a novel appeal.
In addition to the satin-brushed steel bracelet with T-fit clasp that allows for rapid length adjustment, the Tudor Ranger also comes with the option of a an olive green jacquard strap with contrasting red and beige stripe, or a black rubber and leather fabric-style strap.
Now, if you think the new Tudor Ranger looks a tad…familiar, you’re not alone. The Tudor Ranger heavily resembles the Rolex Explorer I. Its tapered lugs, three-link bracelet, and oversized Arabic numerals are all characteristics found on the Explorer I. However, make no mistake – this isn’t just a watered down Rolex. The Tudor Ranger holds its own, representing a practical tool watch with nostalgic style, visually differentiated from its big brother by the burgundy-tipped seconds hand and grained dial detailing. And, where the Rolex Explorer I starts at $10,500AUD and is near impossible to get, the Tudor Ranger is priced from a modest $3,730AUD to $4150AUD (on the stainless steel bracelet).
The in-house Manufacture Calibre MT5402 is nothing to scoff at either. Designed to ensure robustness, reliability, precision, and longevity thanks to its variable-inertia balance, which is held in place by a sturdy traversing bridge with two points of fixation. As a result of this balance and the non-magnetic silicon balance spring, the Manufacture Calibre MT5402 has achieved Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) certification, with Tudor claiming the movement has between -2 and +4 seconds variation when running. Designed to be weekend-proof, the new Tudor Ranger has a power reserve of 70 hours.
A worthy value proposition, the Tudor Ranger represents not only a democratised Rolex Explorer I, but an adventurous tool watch and an interesting piece of history in its own right.
Words by John Deckard
