Debuting just a year after the iconic Rolex Submariner in 1954, the Tudor Prince Submariner shares with its older sibling what is perhaps one of the most iconic dive watch designs of all time. However, beyond its entirely Rolex-made construction, the Tudor Submariner deviates from its sibling to the point that its lineage, heritage, and place within modern watchmaking is almost wholly its own unique story.
While Rolex originally ran three references of Submariner from the get-go, Tudor only released one. However, with its no-frills attitude to watchmaking, Tudor’s tactic of using third-party sourced movements to power their Submariner proved to be popular as militaries around the globe like the French, the U.S., South African, Italian, and more all used the Tudor Submariner at some point for their divers and Navy. Henceforth, the Tudor Submariner became one of the leading military dive watches with its robust construction, less expensive price tag, and more easily serviceable ETA movement, all being pros that institutions such as military organizations loved for enabling them to stay on budget.
In 1975, the Tudor Submariner ref. 9401 was released with a new generation of movement, the ETA cal. 2776 and the cal. 2784, which featured the date. Offered in either blue or black, the ref. 9401 was the last Submariner to feature the iconic Snowflake dial, which has since become one of Tudor’s most defining characteristics. Today, the Tudor Submariner lives on through the Black Bay collection, with several other collections paying homage to the Submariner’s snowflake dial.
Offered here is a black dial no-date variant of the ref. 9401 in stunning condition with a deep and even yellow patina having developed on its luminous hour markers and hands. Featuring a jet black aluminum bezel insert to match its black dial, this example is a truly stunning piece on the wrist as it exudes vintage charm across the entirety of its beloved design.
