Outfitting millions of men with timepieces during the Second World War was an inordinate task, the result of which are auction sites and forums positively littered with the type of diminutive field watches that were common during that era. While historically compelling and of a wide range of designs, most of these timepieces present little in the way of utility. Fast-forward just two decades, however, and the military watch landscape is very different — a Rolex or Tudor Submariner from that era, for example, looks and functions nearly identically to one made today, and with a bit of maintenance, can still be used as a piece of ocean-going kit.
Fleurier caliber 390 -(Image by Tudor)
The story of the Tudor Submariner begins in 1954, right around the same time that sister brand Rolex launched its own Submariner in Basel. The launch reference, 7922, was powered by the automatic Fleurier Calibre 390 and featured 100m of water resistance. The oddball Ref. 7923 — a manually-wound watch — briefly followed, succeeded around 1958 by the Ref. 7924 with 200m of water resistance. In 1960, Tudor released its Ref. 7928: Functionally a rough equivalent to Rolex’s own Ref. 5513, it was powered by the Fleurier Calibre 390 and featured larger 39mm steel case, a scalloped bezel with dive insert, and a matching steel Oyster bracelet. Produced from roughly 1960 through 1968, it has since become a highly sought-after tool watch classic.
Tudor Submariner USN Issued 'SEAL Sub' - IN THE SHOP
Tudor began supplying its Submariner to military units almost as soon as it debuted — indeed, by the end of the model’s tenure in the brand’s catalog in 1999, it had been used by the French, Israelis, Americans, Canadians, South Africans, Jamaicans, and others. Of these, those issued to the Marine Nationale are perhaps the most well known to collectors — having resulted in/coincided with Tudor’s now-signature “snowflake” handset, they’re genuinely historically important watches upon which the brand bases much of its modern production. However, the Ref. 7928, issued to numerous militaries during its long production run, has plenty of tricks up its sleeve. And though it lacks the signature “snowflake” hands, its more demure aesthetics were nevertheless perfect for one of the world’s best special operations forces, the U.S. Navy SEALs.
Tudor Oyster-Prince Ref.7928 caseback engraved
Dating to the 1960s — the height of America’s direct military involvement in Vietnam — this Ref. 7928 is in honest condition, attesting to its use by one of the world’s premier naval units. Measuring 39mm in stainless steel, it features drilled lugs, an acrylic crystal, a bidirectional dive bezel with an aluminum insert, and a screw-down crown. Its matte black dial — in excellent condition considering its age — features an open white minute track, tritium 'dot,' 'dash,' and triangular indices, a 'Mercedes' handset with ‘lollipop’ seconds hand, and the 7928's signature 'Rose' logo and distinctive dial text layout. The pièce de résistance is revealed on the caseback, however: Flip it over and “NTS” (Naval Training Station) and “USN” (U.S. Navy) as well as its serial number are boldly engraved and still visible after six decades.
Powered by the Fleurier cal, 390 automatic movement, this piece comes with both a stainless steel folded-link Oyster bracelet with a Tudor-signed clasp as well as a grey Phoenix NATO strap. A functional, handsome, and enduring symbol of Tudor’s long standing partnership with the U.S. military, it’s a timeless design that can be worn day-in and day-out. And given its important history and excellent looks, we’re not sure why you’d ever want to take it off!
