Here we go.. after wearing it for almost a week and looking at more details, here is what i think of it.
Also you will find many images!
To start off my review. I love that watch. It's the frist modern saffire watch that does not get's flat and boring on my wrist after 2 days.
So maybe it's better to first start with my back-ground. So you understand my comments.
I am madly in love with vintage Rolex. And love the superdomed plexi's and special look the old subs and chrono's have. In my years i tried several modern watches like Daytona. Submariner and Seadweller. And also i bought special versions like matte dial 16660, early Zenith Daytona's in great condition. I always felt like the watch went dead on my wrist. Cool on images. But on the wrist it's just flat and not alive. Because of the saffire. As it makes the watch look the same. No matter which angle you look at it. Special on Sub's as they have little detail on the dial the watch looses all it's magig for me. A superdomed makes the dial alive. Change of angle and the indexes start to dance... etc.
Well this Tudor Heritage Chrono is very alive! 42 mm alive! So for me as plexi lover, vintage freak saying 'I love this watch' means something. But indeed my feeling is of course colourer
I was very lucky to get one of the first on the market. Big thanks to one of the best AD's of Europe. Juwelier Martens in Maastricht. They not only sell great new watches,... but my contact also loves vintage watches like Patek and Rolex. So the passion is on both sides.
Here we go...
The Legacy:
The Tudor Homeplate is for me one of the most iconic wtahces of the 70th. And you can feel it in all it's design and colours. Like the Newman dials it had a lot of details. The orange is a very dominant colour in the design. As is the grey. The combination with the black subdials gives it a lot of depth. Iconic is the shape of the indexes. The refer to the baseball homeplates. That's how it got his name. But it's also called Porsche-dial. The references where 7031 and 7032. One with steel and one with bakelite bezel. For the new one the bakelite bezel was the reference. There was also a black dial version. Like the new one now. It is ultra rare and surposed to be a first series made for Asia market first. As far as i was told. 2 collector friends own such a watch. They are truly magical.
The Feeling and Design:
The feeling of the watch is great. Somehow it has a great mixture of that vintage feeling and a modern watch. They did not just copy the old design. But changed some parts. The bezel and pusher give that more modern feeling. Great details. The hole package feels like quality. The box looks great and feels a bit luxery. Nice details also. Inside is the watch on steel bracelet and the nato strap.
The watch has a nice case. Higher then the old one. 42 mm. But not looking extreme big. As i don't like the Deepsea. This one feels much more in balance. It is less curved then the older ones. It is quite straight.
The dial has a lot of details. The indexes and subdials are 3 dimensional. The orange of the numbers and second hand feels a bit vintage. Not to bright. Just that bit faede look. Love it.
On the nato strap, which really looks fantastic the watch has a more toolwatch-look. Even more like a dive watch then a chronograph. The bezel shows a scale from 1-12. Which is more for a second timezone then the vintage one had a speed-scale. Which is a bit of a pity. The more typographic details would have looked great. I am sure.
The steel bracelet is well designed. And fit's great to the case. When put on a nato the look from side is a bit strange at first. As the space between the lugs is quite high and visible then. But after wearing it for a whil i don't see that as a problem. The saffire misses the cyclope of the old version. But i don't miss it.
Ok it's only a Eta movement. But i don't mind. As they are good enough for daily use. And as the vintage ones also had 'simple' movements and still run today i don't worry to much about that. It's an Eta 2894.
The total feeling of the watch feels like quality! A lot of nice details. The case shows nice curves and polished lugs. As said i feel it's a great balanced design.
Between the 2 versions with black and grey dial.... the difference is that the grey one lokks more vintage. More warm. The black one is more 'bang' in your face. But for me also a bit more boring. As the contrast is bigger and less variation. But that is personal.
The Details:
The dial has so many nice details. Great colour of grey. Indexes that stand out. Nice typography in the outer track. But the bezel, pushers and crown have the greatest detail. The structure really looks cool. It adds a lot of quality.
The straps look fantastic. The nato has a fantastic claps. ANd special are the 'build-in' pushers. The material is real nice. And the striping adds a lot to the toolwatch/professional look.
But also the steel bracelet looks well designed. 22mm but not looking bulky. When i remember the Deepsea bracelet they did a way better job at this one.
Compared to a GMT:
Well look for yourself ...
My Conclusion:
Well i guess you know what i feel about it. Why all this fuzz about a 3K euro Tudor.
For me it is the perfect all day watch! As i was looking for a modern no issue watch for swimming, work, tennis etc. It's the perfect combination of that and the vintage/heritage feeling. A perfect mix between that cool vintage look and modern size and standard. So why not just buy a 14060 or LV sub. Also great watches. But they always remind me of my vintage subs and miss that superdomed sex.
The new Submariner... mhhh haven't seen it live. But paying about 5700 euro... i start thinking vintage gilt sub again.
So for me the Tudor is the perfect holiday/daily watch. Chronograph style. A lot of great detail. Quality looks.
And on the nato it's such a eye-candy. But also a real toolwatch. More like a cool dive-watch.
To be honest... i have owned a vintage one. A real nice one. But with this one... i feel no need to get an old one anymore. The vintage feeling is all there. But at a price... you can get one without worry and get a great vintage Rolex also. I prefer the grey over the black one.
I think Rolex really did a great job with it. And maybe it's a test or prediction that Rolex is taking it's own heritage more and more serious. As we vintage collectors are hoping so long that Rolex will cherish it's own heritage more. As the brand and the brandname is build on that! So maybe more exciting stuff will arrive in the future.
I think any vintage Rolex freak should have one.
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