Tudor has always lived in the shadow of its big brother brand Rolex for many years. Nowadays, Tudor is finally starting to emerge and become one of the most sought-after brands for watch enthusiasts. Thanks to the release of its Heritage line, Tudor is enjoying a surge in popularity and is being lauded as one of the hottest names in the market at a much more achievable price point for many
The question is, how well do the watches hold their value and is a Tudor watch a good investment? The following information should point you in the right direction into whether you should put your money into this brand.
Why is Tudor so Popular?
The current success of the Tudor brand can be traced all the way back to 2012, when the brand was relaunched in North America. After a previously rocky period, Tudor decided to go back to its roots and draw inspiration from its vintage models from the pioneering collection.
When it comes to design, the watches are extremely well-made and often come with movements that are created in-house. The fact that the timepieces are fit for purpose as well as stylish has made them incredibly popular among collectors and enthusiasts alike.
Perhaps the most important reason why Tudor watches have become so popular is because you are receiving Rolex-designed quality at a much lower price. This has now made owning a luxury wristwatch much more attainable and driven collectors and investors towards not only the newer models but vintage pieces as well.
Does a Tudor Watch Retain Value?
If you are wondering whether a Tudor watch is a good investment, you will obviously want to know whether the brand holds much of its value after you purchase it. While some pieces will diminish in price over time, they will never be at the same pace. Here are a few things that will determine whether a timepiece will hold its value:
Supply and Demand
One of the governing factors as to whether a Tudor watch will retain its value is something called the scarcity principle. This basically means that if an item is in short supply, people will be willing to pay more to own it. If more and more parties are interested in purchasing the timepiece, its value will be driven upwards even further.
It is for this reason that the most hard-to-find watches sell for the largest amounts of money, as investors and enthusiasts will be clamouring to acquire the timepiece. This means that if you are able to get your hands on a rare Tudor watch, it will be certain to hold, if not increase its value.
Watches of this calibre are usually in short supply to begin with, due to the intricacy of the manufacturing process. While Tudor may not make each and every movement for their watches, everything is hand-assembled at their own factory – including fitting the movement and crystal and setting the dial and hands. As a result, the value of a Tudor watch is already at a pretty good starting point.
Market Price
Another important point to consider is the watch’s market price. This is usually dictated in two ways – the recommended retail price (used by authorised Tudor resellers) and the secondhand market price.
The closer a watch’s second hand price is to the recommended retail price, the better chance of retaining its value it has. While the retail market and secondhand market usually do not pay attention to one another, there may be occasions where official retailers will have to adjust their price to reflect the mood of the market. For example, if the market views the price of a watch to be too high, retailers will be forced to offer discounts or face the prospect of holding onto too much stock.
Popularity
Not all watches are created equally and Tudor timepieces are no exception. Although extremely popular, the Tudor brand has not yet scaled the dizzy heights of Rolex in terms of desirability.
This means that not all Tudor watches will be able to hold the same amount of value. Some will diminish a lot faster than others. It is therefore essential to seek out the most popular varieties of Tudor watches, as these are the ones that will retain their value the most.
Condition
It goes without saying, but if you are purchasing a Tudor watch for investment, it must be in very good condition. An unused timepiece will be a lot more valuable than one that has been worn on a daily basis.
While visible wear and tear will certainly take some value off your watch, it is important to remember that these items are meant to be worn. Very few people will simply purchase a timepiece to look at, and why should you? Just be mindful that you have to take special care of it if you think you may want to sell it further down the line.
What is the Best Tudor Watch to Invest in?
Once you have decided whether a Tudor watch is a good investment, the next step is to consider which particular timepieces and features you should watch out for. Here are a few of our suggestions:
Snowflake Vintage
The term “Snowflake” is used by collectors and enthusiasts when referring to Tudor Submariner timepieces with reference numbers 7016/0, 7021/0, 9104/0 and 9411/0 that were produced 1969 to 1975, with the inclusion of some reissued models. They feature square hour markers and a quite unique hand style.
These watches were supplied to Marine Nationale (French Navy) and subsequently became tool watches for the French Military. Despite fundamentally being a diver’s watch, the Snowflake Submariner was still fashionable enough for everyday use – which is why they were marketed as a more easily-obtainable version of the Submariners produced by Rolex.
Smile Dial
One of the important features to look out for when purchasing a Tudor Black Bay watch is whether the timepiece quite literally smiles at you. This means that the final text at the bottom of the face is curved to resemble a smile.
Watches that contain this design feature come from the initial ETA models and are much more sought-after. Later models simply have all the text in a straight line and are less desirable. If you are able to acquire a Black Bay with a smile dial, you are definitely dealing with one of the best Tudor watches to invest in.
Coke Bezel
Another one of the standout features to look out for is whether the watch has a Coke Bezel. This is where one half of the bezel is red, while the other is black. Indeed, there has been a very strong demand for Tudor GMT models that have drawn comparables to the iconic Pepsi and Coke Rolex models. So, if you’re looking for a watch that already has a lot of interest, you can do a lot worse than picking up these iconic timepieces.
Black Bay
The Tudor Black Bay collection is the modern-day incarnation of the brand’s Submariner design. Including over a dozen different variations, ranging from powerful chronographs to simple time-only pieces.
Black Bay 58
Out of all the Black Bay models, the BB58 is one of the most sought-after. Unveiled at Baselworld 2018, this timepiece quickly became a favourite among enthusiasts and collectors.
Boasting a new form factor, updated movement and design choices that are grounded in history, the BB58 is a new watch that pays great homage to Tudor’s past.
When answering the question “is a Tudor watch a good investment”, it is important to understand that nobody can definitively tell which way a market will move in the future. To give yourself the best possible chance of success, you have to know what you are dealing with.
If you are ever unsure, a specialist like Blowers Jewellers can help. We can guide you through the options if you are looking to purchase a Tudor watch and will even buy a timepiece from you if you want to cash in on your investment.