Tudor: As Reliable as Rolex

　　In 2 1926, Hans Wilsdorf registered the Tudor trademark in Geneva, officially establishing the brand, and Wilsdorf obtained exclusive distribution rights from retailers.

　　The first batch of watches featured 'TUDOR' on the dial, with the horizontal bar of the letter 'T' being longer and extending over the other letters. A few rare models even bore the Rolex name. Rolex guaranteed the technical and aesthetic quality of Tudor watches before the brand gained operational independence.Tudor watchEncompassing both men's and women's models, the exterior designs mostly featured rectangular, tonneau, or bevelled edge shapes. In 1932, Tudor watches destined for the Australian market were supplied exclusively to Willis, a company also commissioned to distribute the timepieces to the country's finest jewellers.

　　In 1936, 'MONTRES TUDOR S.A.' was founded

　　Immediately following the end of the Second World War, Hans Wilsdorf realised it was time to expand the business and firmly establish a clear brand identity. Therefore, on 6 3 1946, he founded 'Montres TUDOR S.A.', dedicated to manufacturing men's and women's watch models. Meanwhile,Rolexguaranteed the watch's technical specifications, aesthetics, performance, distribution, and after-sales service.

　　The birth of the Tudor Oyster Prince in 1952

　　The Tudor Oyster Prince was launched in 1952, accompanied by an advertising campaign that was not only innovative but also highly striking. Rather than simply using conventional methods to display and explain product features, these advertisements combined imagery and text to illustrate Tudor wearers performing strenuous work in extreme environments, thereby emphasising the robustness, reliability, and precision of the timepieces. This campaign departed from traditional sports-focused marketing. These powerful visuals evoked a sense of product dependability, successfully establishing a stylish yet reliable style and brand identity for Tudor.

　　Furthermore, Hans Wilsdorf used this new advertising initiative to linkTudorwith the Rolex brand, endorsing this new product with its reputation: 'I have decided that the Tudor Prince deserves to share two advantages from Rolex -- the renowned and unique waterproof Oyster case and the original self-winding Perpetual rotor mechanical mechanism, two features that other watches cannot share. All Tudor Oyster Prince watches are equipped with these two mechanisms, which were previously exclusive to Rolex. This demonstrates our confidence in this new watch, and I am extremely proud to vouch for it.'

　　These technical features helped secure this watch's position in the market and led to its rapid success. In the same year, the British Royal Navy took 26 Tudor Oyster Prince watches on a scientific expedition to Greenland, which cemented the robustness, reliability, and precision of Tudor watches.