It Doesn’t Always Have to Be Rolex: Its Sister Brand Is the Bolder Innovator
By Swiss Watch Advisor
Unlike in earlier years, it has become nearly impossible to purchase a Rolex through regular retail channels at short notice — or to gift one, for example to mark an important milestone. For most models, so-called waiting or wish lists now apply, with wait times ranging from several months to more than ten years.
At the same time, listed prices have risen substantially in recent years, even after adjusting for inflation.
Why Look Far Afield…
It is hardly surprising that many are searching for an alternative to their beloved Rolex. Fortunately, depending on one’s preferences and model choice, several options are available even at authorized dealers.
For those wanting to stay as close as possible to the Rolex they desire, the sister brand Tudor is highly recommended. While the brand admittedly does not enjoy the same level of prestige as Rolex, it also has — likely for that very reason — certain advantages over its more famous sibling.
Prices Like a Quarter Century Ago?
Owning a stainless-steel Rolex chronograph today comes at a price. The Cosmograph Daytona currently costs 14'800 francs. Tudor’s stopwatch, the Black Bay Chrono, starts at just 5'350 francs.
The picture is similar for watches offering GMT functionality, allowing wearers to track a second time zone in addition to the local one. A Rolex GMT-Master II in steel costs at least 10'300 francs depending on the configuration. At Tudor, the frequent-traveller model on a steel bracelet is available from 4'200 francs — and crucially, without a waiting list.
More Willing to Experiment Than Rolex
Admittedly, the price of a mechanical watch often plays a secondary role. More important is what one receives in return — or, put differently, which desires the manufacturer is willing to satisfy.
The underlying rule is simple: the more established and in-demand a brand or specific model is, the fewer innovative features or quirks the manufacturer tends to offer — even when they would be easy to implement.
If Only It Said «Rolex» on the Dial…
If Rolex were to offer, in reference to the legendary Albino GMT-Master Ref. 6542, a steel «Pepsi» GMT with a white dial, waiting lists for the already extremely hard-to-obtain model would likely double.
Or imagine a steel Daytona with a black dial, white subdials, and a color-accented chronograph seconds hand — similar to the former Daytona Ref. 6263 with «Exotic Dial». The hype would be unbeatable. Almost all of this already exists at Tudor, without waiting lists and at retail prices the sister brand has not seen in a long time.
Left: Rolex Albino GMT-Master Ref. 6542 (Image: Hodinkee), right: Tudor «Pepsi» GMT in steel (Image: Fratello Watches).
Innovative Materials
But Tudor not only experiments with dial colors and various strap options — it enjoys far greater freedoms than its sister brand. A Sea-Dweller in 39 mm made of titanium with a rubber strap? Unthinkable. Tudor, however, has offered the Pelagos 39 for years. A carbon Rolex? It does not exist.
Tudor, by contrast, offers several carbon models. Most recently, the Black Bay Chrono Carbon 25 was released with a slimmer case, white dial, black subdials, and blue and red accents — priced at just 6'800 francs (admittedly limited to 2'025 pieces and therefore not entirely easy to obtain).
Tudor Black Bay Chrono Carbon 25. (Image: Tudor)
A Last-Minute Christmas Gift
Despite the increasing number of exclusive limited editions, Tudor’s catalog still contains plenty of compelling models that can be tried on and purchased immediately just before Christmas.
Rolex Explorer II (l, Image: Rolex), Tudor Black Bay Pro (r, Image: Tudor)
How about a Black Bay Pro with a white dial (4'050 francs) instead of the Rolex Explorer II (9'300 francs)?
Swiss Watch Advisor was founded by a Swiss private banker. He shares his watch expertise on a regular basis on finews.ch. As the first fully independent advisor, he supports both first-time buyers and experienced watch collectors in curating their collection or finding their first (and only) watch. Free of conflicts of interest, Swiss Watch Advisor offers clients a second opinion and individual recommendations. The author can be contacted directly via
