Subexplorer presents an engaging photo essay on the Tudor Ranger, a watch he finds increasingly enjoyable despite initial reservations. His detailed observations on its design, size, and strap options offer a valuable perspective for collectors interested in Tudor's heritage-inspired pieces, particularly its connection to the iconic Rolex Explorer.
... of a watch little seen here: the Tudor Ranger.
This is a watch which I got a few months ago but It has had little wrist time yet, but I find very enjoyable to wear from time to time.
Let me say that it is the third timepice of he Tudor Homage series I bought. The first one was the Black Bay gilt and reddish bezel I showed a few days ago, then the Tudor Heritage Chrono, and this is the last one I purchased. I´m sure it will not be the last in my collection!
All of them gave me great pleasure, specially the Black Bay which became one of my favorite watches for daily use.
The Ranger is a homage to a little seen watch made by Tudor some decades ago, and as it can be easily seen it is the Rolex Explorer equivalent of the Tudor line.
This recreation is much larger than the original as its case diameter is a generous 41 mm. Its height is 12 mm. I had always preferred the smaller dimensions of the originals, but we can understand Tudor and Rolex follow the present trend to bigger watches as the market requests. Anyway, as big as a 41 mm watch is, it looks smaller than it really is when on the wrist.
I like very much the finish of this watch: the case is brushed steel, very classy, very classic. The only shining touch, which I like very much, is the thin outside border of its bezel, which is highly polished in contrast with its brushed surface.
The dial, (very "exploresque" for sure) is very nice, with a matte surface, white inscriptions, and the classic 3-6-9-12 numerals and posts in a very thick lume which reminds of the old Explorers. I feel this the dial Rolex should have equipped with their present line of Explorer, a watch I like so much, in which I regret the abandoning of the thick lume used in the vintage models.
A nice touch in this watch, is the red seconds hands with a square with lume on its extreme.
As with the other series of modern Tudors mentioned above, inside this Ranger it ticks happily and with nice precision an ETA movement which I find reliable and strong for these sport watches.
The Ranger is offered in three options: steel bracelet (please note that this Oyster inspired bracelet lacks the end links, which gives the watch a very retro look!), or with a tan color leather Bund strap (I don´t like Bund straps!), or with a very plain classic tan leather straps. Whichever of the three options you chose, the watch also cames with a a bonus fabric Nato type strap with a camouflage scheme.
I must say that I selected the plain tan leather straps option, which is the one I personally like most of the three.
But here in my Country, one thing is what you want and another what you can get. My friendly AD only got the steel bracelet option (which came with the camouflaged fabric strap as a bonus).
I prefer to wear this watch with some kind of straps, and will be ordering some set of leather straps in the future. In the meantime, as I didn´t like the camouflage set, I installed in my Ranger the extra black fabric set of straps which originally came with my Black Bay.
May be I will be wearing this Tudor with its vintage looking bracelet some day too, depending on my mood.
At present, I like the looks of my watch with these black fabric straps, and they make the watch ride very comfortable on my wrist.
I wish you´ll like the watch and the pictures I took to share it with my dear friends here at Purists!
Cordial regards, Abel.
My watch came with the steel "Oyster inspired" bracelet and the bonus camouflage fabrica straps.
The black straps I installed belong to my Black Bay Tudor.
A nice feature of this steel bracelet, is the lacking of end links, just as in the first Oyster bracelets offered by Rolex in the 1940´s.
I find this detail very charming as it gives a very nice vintage look to this watch.
The strap buckles supplied with the fabric straps are very nice, as they some how resemble the Tudor Shield emblem or a Prince crown...
I wish Rolex would use the same thick luminous markers in their Explorer I present rendition!!
This watch is much thinner than the other two modern Tudors I own: Black Bay and Heritage chrono, and I really like that!...
I also like so much the red touch of the seconds hand, as well as the "self winding" words in a curve as used in vintage Tudors...
