A look at Tudor watches that aren’t steel sport models

We get it. Steel sport watches on bracelets are ultra hot right now. Tudor has a string of hits in the genre and everyone wants a Black Bay 58 in navy. But we think that their dressy casual watches are flying below the radar, especially when it comes to value and, of course, availability.

Photo by @kristianhaagen

In November Tudor released its Royal line worldwide. At the top of the line, the Royal 41 offers a day-date complication along with an integrated bracelet and, the best part, drilled through lug holes. Does it borrow cues from the Rolex catalog? Yes and that’s the charm of it. Tudor can borrow from its relatives and rightfully not be accused of stealing design cues. After all, Rolex designs are part of Tudor’s DNA.

Priced at $2,325 in steel the Royal 41 is a sweet deal. Yes, it’s powered by a Selita movement as opposed to in-house, but that choice is rooted in Tudor’s history and fair cost-cutting measure. I have no hesitation in recommending this watch to someone looking to get into a watch that can last a lifetime with tons of service options. The Royal has classic elements and you get that cool integrated bracelet look without having to shell out Royal Oak money. 

At this price point it’s still way under the price for a good example of a vintage Datejust, so one could pocket the difference and put it towards that post-pandemic Hawaiian vacation.

Photo by @realartman

IS IT BAD NAMING?

The Tudor Glamour line also represents a strong entry into the dressy casual watch category. But if you ignore the name, you get a pretty solid alternative to a Datejust. As much as we like what Tudor has to offer in this range, if you can afford to purchase a Datejust, it might be your one watch for life.

But again, the Glamour line offers a range of sizes and dial colors to suit a wide variety of tastes. Also the steel versions come in around that magical $2K mark.

Photo by @pauldlc

We are particularly fond of the Glamour Double Date, which starts around the $3K mark in steel, but offers Tudor’s in-house movement. At 42mm with double window date display and small seconds hand, this is the low-key cool Tudor dressy casual watch made for someone who wants to subtly stand out.

LOW-KEY IS WHAT'S NICE ABOUT THESE WATCHES

Most people don’t care about watches outside of the enthusiast community many of us reading this are a part of. So this particular segment of Tudor watches (dressy casual in steel) represent a way to get into a watch of high quality at a very reasonable price point.

The wearer can enjoy this watch with the personal satisfaction of owning a very well-regarded timepiece with a strong design heritage. So if you want to buy a great watch right now, look deeper at the Tudor models that are little more off the beaten path.

if you're in the market for a great way to carry your watches, check out our Everest Watch Portfolio and get ready to travel when we all can safely!