Tudor Submariner 'Ghost'

Tudor has been hitting it out of the park these past few years with its modern line and return to the U.S. market, and appreciation for its vintage models is at an all-time high.

Particularly desirable is its Submariner collection, which was produced for decades alongside its sibling, the iconic Rolex Submariners. Tudor Subs feature the same cases, crowns, and build quality as their "big brother" Rolex models, but were fitted without the in-house movements that gave those their heftier price tags.

While Tudor Submariners from the 1970s and early '80s are incredibly cool, here's something earlier and even more impressive: A earlier reference 7928 Tudor "Rose" Submariner with a gilt dial and chapter ring!

Dating from the 1960s, it measures 39mm in stainless steel with a signed Rolex crown, pointed crown guards (PCG), an acrylic crystal, and a bidirectional dive bezel featuring a faded insert that has turned a pleasing light grey. Its black gilt dial features a gilt chapter ring and dial typography, including the old Tudor 'rose' logo. Luminous dot, triangle, and dash indices are joined by a mercedes handset and a distinctive 'lollipop' seconds hand. 

Paired to a Rolex Oyster bracelet with riveted links and a Rolex-signed fold-over clasp and powered by the Fleurier cal. 390 automatic movement, this rare version of a bulletproof Tudor tool watch is still a bargain next to its gilt-dial Rolex cousins. Beautifully proportioned and comfortable, one can only imagined the life it's lived over the past 60 years. 

Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf created Tudor in 1926 for the everyman — for miners, construction workers and all sorts of tradesmen. For your everyday person Rolex was sometimes — and is now more so than ever — out of reach. It was meant for the explorer and the businessman, whereas Tudor was to be a different creature entirely.

In creating Tudor, Wilsdorf wanted to offer “a watch that our agents could sell at a more modest price than our Rolex watches, and yet one that would attain the standards of dependability for which Rolex is famous.”

Tudors were in many ways Rolexes in all but name, with the same waterproof Oyster cases and similar styling. However, in order to keep costs down, the brand used off-the-shelf Swiss movements rather than their own in-house calibres. What resulted were watches that were more affordable than Rolexes to the consumer, but still uniformly tough and reliable.

Today Tudor has certainly defeated any impression of being the redheaded stepchild of the Rolex family, and their current timepiece collection — as well as their vintage counterparts — are getting the recognition and respect they most rightfully deserve. From the colorful “Home Plate” chronograph to the complicated Advisor, these models often picked up where Rolex left off, daring to be more bold and playful in their design. And now that the brand has introduced in-house movements while still managing to keep pricing modest, the company is better poised than ever to win the hearts and minds of millions of new watch enthusiasts.

Our Pledge

Analog:Shift stands behind the authenticity of our products in perpetuity.

Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a two-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.