As many of you may know, I am a huge fan of vintage Tudors. To me, Tudor is a brand that truly embodies Hans Wilsdorf’s vision of creating exceptional machines without the luxury of a Rolex. The Vintage Tudor Prince Oysterdate “Jumbo” kind of scratches the Datejust itch, but with a nice modern case size.
Some people look down on vintage Tudors the same way they look down on modern Tudors, calling them “poor man’s Rolexes.” Frankly, the fact that this is still going on doesn’t bother me one bit. That actually means there are bargains on sleeper vintage watches like the watches you see today. The watch is a Tudor Prince Oysterdate “Jumbo” with a 38mm case.
Rolex Datejust Ref. 1601
family connections
For many, including myself, the 36mm Rolex Datejust is an absolute classic of watch design. My colleague Thomas has written a great feature article on this referee. 1601, which you can read here. You’ll find many similar design cues in the references. 1601 Tudor Prince Oysterdate Jumbo. However, there are some important differences worth noting, so let’s take a closer look.
Tudor Prince Oysterdate Jumbo: Goldilocks Size
For most people, a case size between 37 and 40 mm will be just right. One of the reasons the Black Bay 58 is so popular is its 39mm case, which many consider to be more ergonomic than its larger 41mm sibling. For those looking for a smaller fit, there’s also the 37mm Tudor Black Bay 54. However, the 38mm case does a unique job of not being too big or too small.
I would argue that the 38mm Prince Oysterdate Jumbo is a perfectly sized watch. The thickness is approximately 11mm and fits beautifully on 5.5-8 inch wrists. The stick hands and applied indexes echo the timeless classic design found on many Rolex Oyster Perpetual watches. The result is a sporty yet dressy Rolex/Tudor formula.
A nice touch is the large Tudor shield (instead of the Rolex crown) at 12 o’clock. Like the Datejust, it also has a date complication under the Cyclops magnifier. The fluted bezel creates a beautiful knurled look that plays with light in a mesmerizing way to complete your picture.
The Prince Oysterdate Jumbo also has 20mm lug spacing. This is great for modern wearers, as it means there are virtually unlimited strap options. For example, we think the silver-dialed Prince Oysterdate Jumbo looks especially handsome when paired with a gray NATO strap. Another great thing about these watches is that they have lug holes. This makes changing straps very easy.
amazing bracelet
For those who are particular about bracelets, Oyster will be familiar. Bracelets during this era (1960s to 1980s) were primarily made by Rolex, but over time, Tudor watches began to come with slightly inferior metal bracelets from the Tudor brand. I don’t know if this carried over to the 38mm jumbo (readers, let me know in the comments). But what I do know is that this particular model comes with a Rolex bracelet with a branded crown on the outside of the clasp and the word “Rolex” on the folding arm.
Speaking of this particular example, you might ask where I found it. Well, it’s not mine, but rather my father’s. He is a lover of vintage tool watches and this one is from his small collection. After pressure testing and servicing, he wore it at sea and it worked perfectly even under adverse conditions.
There are several types
Tudor Prince Oysterdate jumbos from this era came with fluted or non-fluted bezels. There was also a 38mm Tudor Oyster Prince Date-Day model styled after the Rolex “President”. The watch features the iconic “Rotor Self-Winding” text, indicating the use of an automatic caliber. These were third party movements such as ETA. As you can see from my father’s watch, it had the Rolex branding on the crown and the Rolex logo on the case.
The caliber was known for its high quality and accurate timekeeping right out of the factory. These had Tudor brand rotors and were at least internally regulated. Some consider it to be as reliable and robust as Rolex calibers of the time.
Tudor Oyster Jumbo on the secondary market
Now, let’s get to the core part. How much can you expect to pay for one of these larger Tudor Oyster siblings?Frankly, prices seem to vary widely depending on condition and specific design features. Prices rose due to the spread of the new coronavirus, but have now stabilized. Prices for the Tudor Prince Oysterdate Jumbo or Oyster Prince Dateday on Chrono24 range from 2,000 euros to 5,000 euros.
However, we recommend paying special attention to signs of water damage on these watches. It seems that the person who bought it before liked to let it swim without even going through the seal check! Always be careful when purchasing a vintage watch and check to see if the seller can provide documentation of its service history. Thankfully, many of these watches use relatively common third-party movements, so repairs won’t be prohibitively expensive.
final thoughts
I love Tudor Oysters from this era. I own the 34mm one and wrote about the Fratello here. I am also the proud and happy owner of a 34mm Rolex Oyster Perpetual Ref. 1002.
The Oyster case is the iconic design of the watch. As passionate enthusiasts and collectors, we are in the fortunate position of having so many choices. For those looking to experience a little bit of vintage Rolex magic on a budget, we can’t recommend these vintage Tudor Oysters enough. But what do you think, Fratelli? Would you buy one of these? Let us know your vintage watch recommendations in the comments.
