Tudor

Who are Tudor?

Tudor is a Swiss watchmaker based in Geneva and a sister brand of Rolex. Hans Wilsdorf, who founded Rolex, had the Tudor name registered in February 1926, and Montres Tudor SA has made Tudor watches since 6 March 1946 (Tudor, official history). Like Rolex, it belongs to a group owned by the Fondation Hans Wilsdorf. This page covers its history, collections and ownership, then what to check when buying a pre-owned Tudor in the UK.

Wilsdorf conceived Tudor as a line that authorised Rolex dealers could sell, with Rolex-like reliability at a lower cost (Wikipedia, Rolex). Today Rolex SA and Montres Tudor SA design, make, distribute and service the two brands (Wikipedia, Rolex). Tudor is best known now for the Black Bay and Pelagos dive watches launched in 2012 (Wikipedia, Tudor Watches).

The history of Tudor

Tudor’s history runs from a trademark filed for Hans Wilsdorf in 1926 to a Geneva company that has made its own movements since 2015. The key dates are the registration of the name (1926), the founding of Montres Tudor SA (1946), the first Tudor Submariner (1954), the relaunch of the brand (2009 to 2012) and the first in-house movement (2015).

The name. In February 1926 the Geneva watch house Veuve de Philippe Hüther registered “The Tudor” trademark on behalf of Hans Wilsdorf, who had acquired the rights to the mark from its previous owner (Tudor, official history; Wikipedia, Tudor Watches). On 15 October 1936 the trademark was transferred to Wilsdorf himself, and the logo changed to Gothic lettering with a shield bearing the Tudor rose (Tudor, official history).

Montres Tudor SA. Wilsdorf founded the company that makes Tudor watches, Montres Tudor SA, on 6 March 1946, specialising in men’s and women’s watches; Tudor’s own history says Rolex guaranteed the technical, aesthetic and functional characteristics, as well as distribution and after-sales service (Tudor, official history). Early Tudor watches combined movements bought from the Swiss maker ETA with cases and bracelets built to Rolex standards (Wikipedia, Rolex). The Oyster collection appeared in the mid-1940s (Wikipedia, Tudor Watches).

Post-war tool watches. In 1952 Tudor launched the Oyster Prince, its first self-winding model, using a Rolex self-winding mechanism. Twenty-six went with the British North Greenland Expedition of 1952 to 1954 (Wikipedia, Tudor Watches). In 1954 came the Oyster Prince Submariner, Tudor’s first dive watch, waterproof to 100 metres and to 200 metres from 1958. Tudor made Submariners for the US Navy in 1964, and from the 1960s to the mid-1980s supplied tool watches to the French Navy (Wikipedia, Tudor Watches). Its first chronograph, the Oysterdate, followed in 1970 (Wikipedia, Tudor Watches).

Away from the UK and back. Tudor stopped selling in the US and the UK in the early 2000s (Wikipedia, Tudor Watches); Wikipedia’s Rolex article dates the US withdrawal to 2004. A relaunch began in 2009 with the Grantour Chronograph and Glamour collections, and in 2012 Tudor introduced the Heritage Black Bay and the Pelagos. It returned to the US in 2013 and to the UK in 2014 (Wikipedia, Tudor Watches).

Its own movements. In 2015 the North Flag introduced calibre MT5621, Tudor’s first in-house movement, and in-house calibres spread across its sports watches in 2016 and 2017 (Wikipedia, Tudor Watches). In 2017 Tudor signed a cooperation agreement with Breitling (Wikipedia, Tudor Watches); SJX reports that the two have supplied each other with movements, with Breitling making the chronograph movement Tudor uses (SJX Watches). In 2021 the Black Bay Ceramic became Tudor’s first METAS-certified Master Chronometer (Wikipedia, Tudor Watches).

What is Tudor known for?

Tudor is known for its link to Rolex, its dive and military watches from the 1950s onward, the Black Bay and Pelagos of 2012, and its own movements since 2015. Some recent models also carry METAS Master Chronometer certification. The details below are each sourced.

The Rolex connection. Tudor was created by Rolex’s founder and has always been part of the Rolex group (Wikipedia, Rolex). Early models used Rolex technology: the 1952 Oyster Prince had a Rolex self-winding mechanism (Wikipedia, Tudor Watches). Tudor’s own UK retailers describe the brand as founded by Hans Wilsdorf to offer Rolex-level quality at a lower price point (Watches of Switzerland).

Dive and military watches. The Oyster Prince Submariner of 1954 was Tudor’s first dive watch, and Tudor supplied the US Navy and the French Navy in the 1960s and later (Wikipedia, Tudor Watches). The 2012 Black Bay drew on that history; it won the Revival prize at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in 2013 (Wikipedia, Tudor Watches).

In-house movements and Kenissi. Since 2015 Tudor has fitted its own movements (Wikipedia, Tudor Watches). They are made by Kenissi, a movement company whose directors include Tudor’s chief, Eric Pirson. Chanel bought a 20% stake in Kenissi in 2018, announced in January 2019, and Kenissi was due to move into a new factory in Le Locle shared with Tudor (SJX Watches). Our guide to in-house and outsourced movements explains why the difference matters to buyers.

Chronometers and Master Chronometers. Many Tudor movements are COSC-certified chronometers; the Black Bay GMT of 2018, for example, has the COSC-certified MT5652 (Wikipedia, Tudor Watches). Since 2021 some models have gone further and passed METAS Master Chronometer tests (Wikipedia, Tudor Watches). Our guide to COSC certification explains what the basic test measures.

Which Tudor collections are there?

Tudor’s current range is led by the Black Bay dive watches, with the Pelagos, Ranger, Royal, 1926 and Clair de Rose collections alongside. UK retailers group the Black Bay 54, Black Bay Chrono and Black Bay Ceramic within the Black Bay family (Watches of Switzerland).

The collections table on this page gives the year each family began and a one-line description. A few points help when you are reading listings:

• Black Bay is many watches. The Black Bay family includes the Fifty-Eight, GMT, chronograph, ceramic and smaller models such as the Black Bay 54 (Wikipedia, Tudor Watches; Watches of Switzerland). Each has its own size and movement, so check the full reference, not just the name.
• In-house or bought-in movement. Black Bay and Pelagos models made before the in-house calibres arrived in 2016 and 2017 can have a bought-in movement, while later versions of the same family have Tudor’s own (Wikipedia, Tudor Watches). Ask which calibre a watch has.
• Older names. The Oyster Prince, Oysterdate, Prince Date, Submariner, Monarch, Hydronaut and Heritage Advisor are earlier Tudor names (Wikipedia, Tudor Watches), and they appear in pre-owned listings.
• Reference numbers. Each version has a reference number that identifies the exact model. The serial number identifies the individual watch.

Who owns Tudor?

Tudor is part of the Rolex group, which is owned by the Fondation Hans Wilsdorf, a private shareholder foundation in Geneva created in 1945. Montres Tudor SA is a subsidiary of Rolex, and Rolex and Tudor are designed, made, distributed and serviced by the two companies. Tudor has no outside shareholders and is not listed.

Wikipedia describes Montres Tudor SA as a Rolex subsidiary and names the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation as Tudor’s parent (Wikipedia, Rolex; Wikipedia, Tudor Watches). The foundation describes itself as the owner of the Rolex group (Fondation Hans Wilsdorf). Wilsdorf left all his shares to the foundation, and it has owned the group since his death in 1960; our Rolex page explains how it works. Because the group is private, it does not publish accounts. Wikipedia gives an output of about 200,000 Tudor watches in 2015, an outside figure rather than a company one (Wikipedia, Tudor Watches).

Kenissi, which makes Tudor’s movements, is a separate company: SJX describes its majority shareholder as an industrialist outside the watch brands, with Chanel holding 20% (SJX Watches).

Buying a pre-owned Tudor in the UK: what to check

Check that the serial and reference numbers on the watch match its guarantee card, that the papers and any service records are genuine, and that the watch is not recorded as stolen. Then check which movement the watch has and how much of the guarantee is left: watches sold from 1 January 2020 carry a five-year guarantee. Our guide to buying a Tudor new, grey or pre-owned compares the routes.

1. Papers and the full set. A new Tudor comes with a guarantee card. Ask exactly which items are included with the watch and whether they are originals. Our guide to what “full set” means explains what each item proves and what it does not.

2. Serial and reference numbers. The serial number and reference on the watch should match the card and any receipts. A seller who will not show the numbers before you pay is a reason to walk away.

3. The movement. Because Tudor moved from bought-in to in-house movements between 2015 and 2017 (Wikipedia, Tudor Watches), the same collection name can cover watches with different calibres. Confirm the calibre against the reference before you agree a deal.

4. Authenticity. Fake Tudor watches exist, and vintage Tudors can have replacement dials, hands or bezels. Buy from a seller who will put authenticity in writing and accept returns, and have the watch checked by a watchmaker you choose. Our guide on how to spot a fake watch covers what a watchmaker looks at.

5. Stolen-watch check. Before you pay, check the serial number against a stolen-watch register and ask the seller to confirm the watch is not reported lost or stolen. Our stolen-watch check guide lists the UK registers and how to use them.

6. Guarantee and servicing. Tudor’s guarantee is five years for watches sold from 1 January 2020. Watches sold between 1 July 2018 and 31 December 2019 had 42 months, and earlier watches two years (SJX Watches). Whether the remaining guarantee passes to a second owner, and the conditions attached, are set by Tudor’s terms. Ask when the watch was last serviced, by whom, and for the paperwork. See watch warranties explained.

7. Who you buy from. There are three main routes in the UK:

Sources: SJX Watches, Tudor extends warranty on all watches to 5 years; Watches of Switzerland, pre-owned Tudor (checked 29 October 2026).

Rolex Certified Pre-Owned is Rolex’s programme for Rolex watches; we found no equivalent run by Tudor. For how independent dealers compare with appointed retailers, read grey market versus authorised dealer.

For the full process from setting a budget to collecting the watch, see the guide to buying a luxury watch.

Frequently asked questions

Is Tudor owned by Rolex?

Yes. Montres Tudor SA is a subsidiary of Rolex, and the group is owned by the Fondation Hans Wilsdorf (Wikipedia, Rolex; Wikipedia, Tudor Watches).

Who founded Tudor?

Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Rolex. The Tudor name was registered on his behalf in 1926, and Montres Tudor SA was founded in 1946 (Wikipedia).

Why did Wilsdorf create Tudor?

To give authorised Rolex dealers a watch with Rolex-like reliability at a lower cost (Wikipedia, Rolex).

Does Tudor use Rolex movements?

Not today. Early Tudors used movements bought from ETA, and the 1952 Oyster Prince used a Rolex self-winding mechanism. Since 2015 Tudor has used its own movements, made by Kenissi (Wikipedia; SJX Watches).

Is a Tudor a Rolex?

No. Tudor is a separate brand with its own designs, movements and guarantee, made by a separate company in the same group (Wikipedia, Rolex).

When did Tudor come back to the UK?

In 2014, after stopping UK sales in the early 2000s (Wikipedia, Tudor Watches).

How long is the Tudor guarantee?

Five years for watches sold from 1 January 2020 (SJX Watches). Check the date on the guarantee card.

What is the Black Bay?

Tudor’s dive-inspired family, launched in 2012. It won the Revival prize at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in 2013 and now includes the Fifty-Eight, GMT and chronograph versions (Wikipedia, Tudor Watches).

Are Tudor watches chronometers?

Many Tudor movements are COSC-certified, and since 2021 some models are METAS Master Chronometers (Wikipedia, Tudor Watches). Check the dial and papers of the watch you are buying.

This page is general information. Watch60 is independent and has no commercial relationship with Tudor or Rolex.

We check the facts on this page against the sources listed, and it is correct to the best of our knowledge as of October 2026. Brands change their warranty, servicing and sales terms, so confirm them with the brand or the seller before you buy.