There are some watches that one will can never get tired of. With the variety out there of watches with different designs, appearances, and feelings on the wrist, collectors can sometimes move so quickly from one watch they fell in love with to another. Often times, the best watches are those that are classics because as a collector, you will always come back to it. And that is what the Tudor Prince Oysterdate reference 74000 is.

In creating this watch, Tudor took groundbreaking technology and combined it to create the perfect every day watch. For those who do not know, Tudor first appeared on the dials of watches in 1932 after Rolex registered the name in 1926. These watches were a test for the market, and Montres Tudor SA was officially launched in 1946. In launching this company, Tudor began producing extremely beautiful watches that caught the attention of the market.

Tudor utilized many technologies first created by Rolex, namely the Oyster case, which was a method of creating a waterproof watch case, and a perpetual automatic movement that allowed the movement of ones wrist the power the watch. These technologies culminated in many famous watches being launched by Tudor like the Tudor Submariners. In 1952, Tudor launched the “Oyster Prince” which was when they first launched their automatic winding, oyster-cased watches.

One of the greatest things about this line of watches is that it evolved into an incredibly wide range of Tudor Oyster Prince watches all with the same DNA. Many versions were launched with no date, and can be found in such incredible versions like black dial version, beautiful honey comb dials or even with large luminescent hour markers. Tudor later introduced the Oysterdate, which included a date complication at 3 o’clock, which was very similar to Rolex’s Datejust models.

The Oysterdate came in even more versions, with different dial signatures, colours, and patterns. The watch today is a Tudor Prince Oysterdate reference 74000. The watch was manufactured in 1984, based on the serial number found between the lugs of the watch. It has a 34mm steel case that is in overall good condition, with signs of wear and polishing from the 40+ years of life it has had. What is great about this specific reference is its’ simplistic bezel which is in steel and has a smooth pattern to it. Many Oysterdate models come with designs on their bezels, one of the classics being a fluted bezel. The smooth bezel is quiet; it doesn’t shout at the wearer or those admiring the watch on someone’s wrist.

The lugs are sharp and also have signs of wear and polishing. Another great feature of this reference is the fact that the lugs have holes where the strap spring bars are located. It makes the watch extremely versatile because one can switch out straps and bracelets very easily. Being a watch with a smooth bezel and steel case, the strap can also add a level of personalisation, in case the understated nature of the watch is to quiet for the wearer.

The dial of the watch has a white, sunburst pattern on it that has aged nicely since the mid-80’s. Under a loupe, one will see an extremely slight darkness to the white dial. One will also see some aging on the hour and minute hands, the Tudor logo, the lume plots located at each hour marker, and the applied hour markers themselves. Personality? This aging gives it exactly that.

The watch is running on a Tudor-modified ETA caliber 2824 automatic winding movement. This movement was launched in 1972 and was heavily used in Tudor watches throughout its history. In 1982, the caliber was upgraded to the 2824-2, which is what one can find in this watch. The movement is 11.5 lignes in diameter, has 38 hours of power reserve and beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour.

Now, one could be looking at this watch and not really getting a big reaction from their brain or heart. Sure, the watch is a 34mm, steel watch with what could be described as a plain steel case, simple smooth bezel, and white, uninteresting dial. I would urge this person to look deeper, and also to experience the watch on the wrist for at least a few months. The way the watch feels on the wrist is actually unmatched, and the versatility of the blank canvas that is this watch should not be understated. Further, the slight aging of the dial gives the watch a really warm feel to it, both under a loupe and in the hand.

What is also really attractive about the watch is that one can really make it their own. The dial of the watch will only continue to age on the adventures one takes it on. So maybe you’ll be sitting sitting on a beach somewhere, or maybe stopping off for a coffee on your ski trip and the sun will continue to lightly toast the dial for you. You can even bring along a bunch of different straps for different occasions, or maybe source a beautiful vintage beads of rice bracelet that would look excellent on the watch. The watch really is your “Oyster” with its possibilities (pun intended).

The history of Tudor is not complete if one does not talk about the impact of the Oyster models. It has made way for so many incredible watches from the brand and is an interesting niche within collecting that can provide a ton of enjoyment. Whether it is a steel, smooth bezel 74000 or a no-date Tudor Oyster with a black, honeycomb dial, the collector of vintage Tudors can bring a smile to any collectors face.

Enjoy!