Tudor Submariner Date Ref. 75190 36mm - 'Midsize' w/ Caseback Sticker & Papers

The Submariner, namely those produced by Rolex, has long been considered the cream of the crop when it comes to watch collecting as a whole. Possibly the most iconic watch ever produced, the Submariner has long standing utilitarian roots that span decades, and everyone who’s anyone has been spotted wearing one. However, if you look deeper into the Submariner line, you may find a less known but just as incredible model manufactured by Tudor. These pieces are not only more unique and rare than the traditional Submariner, but offer much greater value.

Designed as a replacement for the quintessential Tudor ‘Snowflake’ Submariners, the References 76100 and 79090 are in many collectors eyes, the last great vintage Tudor Submariners. While that may be true, the subsequent Reference 79190 is a fantastic neo-vintage offering. This reference introduced a sapphire crystal for the first time on a Tudor Submariner, while for only a few years, retaining a matte black Tritium dial like its predecessors. At this time, Tudor also introduced a 'midsize' variant with a 36mm Oyster case, the Reference 75190, which is what we have here.

This example dates to circa 1996 and comes to us in strong overall condition. The 36mm case is likely unpolished, with thick and symmetrical proportions and shows honest signs of wear throughout. It even retains its factory caseback sticker with the logo and reference number clearly visible. The matte black dial inside is immaculate, seemingly flawless, with gently patinated Tritium plots and a Tritium matching handset. Like its larger sibling, the rotating bezel is uni-directional and features a black aluminum insert, which remains in excellent condition with a matching Tritium pip.

Additionally, this piece is accompanied by its punched papers dated 3/4/1997.

Like Rolex Professional models from the 1980s and into the 1990s, Tudor Subs from this era make for fantastic daily wearers. They offer the charm of vintage characteristics like matte dials with Tritium lime, aluminum bezel inserts, and drilled lug holes, while combining them with updated sapphire crystal and quickset date function. 

Sounds pretty good right? And Rolex sure never made a Submariner with a 36mm case....