Reason being these are harder and harder to come by in good condition and with the amount of franken watches out there, it's very hard to determine the authenticity.
And the best reason is, based on the serial number, this watch is actually produced on the same year I was born.
Yes... this watch is as old as I am... born on the year 1979.
Tudor Submariner 94110 "Snowflake"
Often referred to as the "Poor man's Submariner"
They are run on ETA movements but the case, bracelet and design is as Rolex as it gets.
Only thing missing is the crown on the dial.
This particular reference 94110 comes with the Snowflake Dial and Hands. Iconic in looks and design.
This year, Tudor actually released not one but two models paying homage to the Snowflake era.
I happen to come across this watch when a good friend of mine wanted to sell it. Needless to say, I bought it.
It was sent for service at Taipei Rolex Service Centre and verified that the movement and case matched.
When I received this watch, a quick check on the serial number database confirmed that this watch was manufactured on the year 1979!! My birth year!! Totally unexpected!! I am overjoyed.
Watch initially came without any bracelet.
Naturally, the hunt is on for a suitable endlink ref: 308b and a bracelet ref: 9315.
And boy was is hard to find... and expensive!!
This experience have made me wary of going into vintage watches anymore. Likely this will be the only vintage I own.
Bracelet is the older folded link type.
A real hassle to resize. But I did it myself anyway.
Remember the talk about patina on the Rolex Submariner post?
This is what I'm talking about.
Notice the tritium markers and hands colour has aged unevenly.
Some darker than others. This is what I call character.
No other watch will look like mine. This is unique to this watch alone. And alot of people value that.
Check out some of the peeling and cracking tritium.
The "T Swiss T" below the 6 o'clock markers is a sign that Tritium is used as the luminous material.
Shared the "Submariner" name with his bigger Rolex brother but water resistance is only rated at 200m.
Case design and screw in case back is also borrowed from the bigger brother Rolex.
Caseback engraving clearly states "Original Oyster Case by Rolex Geneva"
Crown is also Rolex signed... the Rolex Trip-lock Crown.
Check out the thick domed plexi glass.
Watches back then did not have the luxury of using box formed sapphire crystals... plexi is used.
Minor scratches can be polished off by using toothpaste... yes... toothpaste.
Drilled lugholes for easy bracelet or strap changes.
A little discrepancy I faced with the bracelet though.
Although it is clearly stamped ref: 9315... the width at the lug end is 18mm instead of 20mm... you can see from the picture above.
Now from what I know, Tudor did make some smaller Submariners... even Mini Subs... could this be a bracelet for those watches but stamped as the same 9315 reference code as well?
I don't really know but I suspect so. Not a deal breaker in anyway as the bracelet fit the endlinks.
I find this watch as versatile as the bigger brother the Rolex Submariner. I wear this mostly on nato strap which looks nicer.
Now do I think of this as a "Poor man's Submariner"?
Definitely not. It can hold it's own even today.
For a 33 year old watch still running at +-4 seconds a day? Absolutely admirable.
Since the release of Tudor's newer models paying homage to this watch namely the Black Bay and Pelagos, demand for these have increased of late together with the asking prices. I am glad I got mine before all this and from a good friend which I consider my horology teacher.
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