What has changed in the modern Tudor collection?
Quietly, the 41mm modern version of the Tudor Ranger (introduced in 2014) has been discontinued. What made this model disappear? Is it the straight link of the bracelet? Is it the size? Or was it just a little boring at the time?
Or will it simply be reassembled and relaunched as one watch publication speculated?
Tudor's Black Bay is clearly a hit. From the mass-sized 58 model to the handsome GMT version, traditional retro models in its various incarnations have been largely popular. While the Black Bay collection has its own merits, it represents a viable alternative to certain Rolex sports watches, is cheaper and more readily available, and simply isn't readily available through traditional retail.
However, the Tudor Ranger shares many of the same features as its predecessor, the 1967 reference 7995/0 Tudor Oyster Prince Ranger. Painted dial markers, drilled lug holes and the aforementioned straight-end links (which the original didn't have) are all signs of practicality. That's probably why it didn't catch on. But in theory it should be appreciated by tool watch fanatics with a sense of history (and a love for changing straps).
While the Hyundai Ranger has many admirable features, no one on our team has bought it nor know of one. This is quite a sample of Rolex/Tudor enthusiasts who don't buy a relatively affordable tool watch with a vintage-inspired look. Perhaps, for those seeking a model similar to the Rolex Explorer in spirit, I opted for the bezel-less Black Bay 36 or 41, a more modern chronograph. The Black Bay offers a fancier look with applied indexes and a more traditional Oyster bracelet with end links that conform to the case - which, at the end of the day, could be a deal-breaker for many on the Ranger.
The same reason the Ranger may not have caught on is that Tudor can and will experiment with different styles of watches, while its sister company, Rolex, remains more conservative. The Everest Journal team loves to see surprises with Tudor. We embrace the neon accents of the North Flag, the matte titanium case of the Pelagos, the bold design of the stainless steel and gold Black Bay chronograph.
Ranger Reference 7991
Manual, no date
Following reference 7984 in chronological order, reference 7991 is another example of a manual wind ranger. An example of this reference model features a shield logo above the oyster print, again indicating a later production year than the example of the Rose Ranger 7984 model. Reference 7991 is powered by the ETA 2422 calibre with Tudor and 17 Rubies Swiss Made engraved on the bridge.
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Vintage Tudor Ranger case back engraved
Before going any further, it's worth mentioning the engraving on the case back of the vintage Tudor Ranger. The original Rolex Geneva Oyster case should be engraved on a circle around the perimeter of the case back.
Additionally, the inside of the case back should be engraved as shown below, with Montres Tudor SA on top. The CRS at the bottom represents the emblem of Charles Renee Spillman, the famous case maker for the Rolex Oyster case.
Tudor Ranger: The Late Series
In the 1980s, Tudor finally gave the Ranger its own set of case references, distinct from the Oyster and Oyster-Prince collections. This makes it easier for collectors to assess the originality of this late reference series. However, even though production spanned much of the 1980s, the 90,000-series Rangers still proved to be rare finds.
For this late collection, the Ranger largely maintains the aesthetics of the earlier collection: the stainless steel case remains at 34mm, the instantly recognizable Explorer dial remains the same, and the ETA movement continues to give the Ranger the beating heart. However, you'll notice that the Arabic numerals tend to be slightly "puffy" in appearance - Tudor hasn't shied away from using luminous over the years. Additionally, the text printed on the dial has been slightly updated.
While pre-1980s Tudor watches were known for using Rolex-signed cases, crowns and bracelets, by the 1980s that started to change. So you'll find these Late Series Rangers Oyster bracelets with a Tudor signature clasp. However, there will still be a Rolex crown on the crown.
For this late collection, Tudor offers both manual-winding and automatic-winding models, each with some unique qualities. For most of the 1980s, until Tudor retired the Ranger model (at least in traditional form) in 1988, serial numbers could find examples of both references.
Ranger Reference 90020
Manual, no date
The Ranger Reference 90020 has a manual pneumatic function. As such, it only features the oyster below the shield logo, again keeping the dial minimal and functional. The sans-serif Ranger printed at 6 o'clock is very similar to that seen in later Reference 7966 and 9050 examples. The Reference 90020 is powered by the ETA 2750 movement, which brings the seconds function to the hand-wound Ranger.
Ranger Reference 90200
automatic, no date
In addition to the hand-wound version, Tudor also offers the Reference 90200 powered by the 2776 automatic movement. At the 12 o'clock position, Oyster Prince is printed in a sans-serif typeface, this time in two words (unlike the hyphenated versions in the earlier series). Apart from the automatic movement and different text to indicate this, the Reference 90220 is largely similar to its late series manual wind companion.
Ranger Reference 90220
automatic, no date
Similar in every respect to the reference 90200, the reference 90220 is another Second Series, the automatic Ranger, which appears to have appeared chronologically after the 90200, replacing it in the Tudor catalog.
"Holy Grail" Rangers
For some, any Rose Ranger (especially the undated variety) is the holy grail watch worth spending years looking for. As mentioned earlier, manual Wind Rose Rangers are more rare and considered particularly popular. Over the years, only a handful have emerged in the collecting world. Aesthetically, some prefer automatic rose Rangers because of the smiling self-winding text at 6 o’clock.
Also, with several examples of dial changes over the years, Arabic numerals at each hour marker (i.e. larger numerals at 3-6-9-12, slightly smaller at the center marker) have surfaced. These dials have appeared in Reference 7996 and are believed to be rare tests or prototypes destined for the Canadian market.
Ranger Ads and Anomalies
As with other vintage watches, print ads from that era provide some additional clues about the Ranger. That said, the Ranger's ad has to be taken with a grain of salt, as the model is a configuration assembled from multiple references, with many transitional elements, making it difficult to determine its quality at any given point in time.
One particular ad showed reference 7995 and reference 7966; the ad seemed innocuous until it was noticed that the Reference 7995 was equipped with stick hands, which was a real anomaly for the Ranger as the unique spade hour hand was the easiest for this model one of the identified features.
For all the reasons mentioned in this article, it is entirely possible that there are correct, original examples of Tudor Rangers using these sticks. In fact, Antiquorum recently sold such an example, even specifying the hand as original in its condition report. Having said that, I would warn any ranger with a stick to be extra careful. Almost all examples have spade-shaped minute hands, and the spare stick-shaped hands are easier to find by outlaws.
Collect vintage rangers
For such an innocent-looking watch, the Tudor Ranger is hard to collect. Its rarity makes it difficult to catalog and also makes it challenging to find a reference to compare with another example. Additionally, the number of transitional elements—logos, hands, fonts—makes it difficult to understand what might be correct for any given production date or serial number range. Therefore, the cataloging provided here is not meant to be completely certain, but rather serves as a framework or guideline for what collectors generally believe to be correct.
Google "Tudor Ranger" today - or any day - and you'll soon see more fakes and Franken watches than any watch in the Tudor-Rolex family. The information presented here should help you quickly eliminate most of these examples that might be legitimate: the reference number does not match the correct date/no date configuration, the flared minute hand will appear in future serial numbers, the dial text will not be correct at all ,So on and so forth.
Due to the continued flood of fake or Franken watches on the market, and the lack of a comprehensive source of information on the Tudor Ranger, I started cataloging sales and discussing the Ranger with collectors. The most frustrating thing is that I will continue to see - what I now admit - watches that are totally fake and they have no right to get prices from bidders they don't know.
Of course, the most obvious comparison to the Ranger is the Rolex Explorer. But while Explorer has only one reference, the 1016, the Ranger has at least nine correct references throughout the production of these early- and late-series Rangers. This makes the Ranger harder to hunt and collect, but also more fun. Still, there are far fewer rangers than explorers. Despite this rarity (or perhaps, because of the reasons discussed here), the Ranger is still available for a fraction of the price of a Rolex Explorer.
For me, Tudor is probably the most fascinating vintage watch story of all time. Yes, the association with Rolex - and the assurance that you have a solid watch - is important, but it sells the brand short. Freed from expectations of crowns (heavy crowns), Tudor has always been able to experiment more freely, coming up with bold, often outlandish watches and designs. It's almost subversive for Rolex: little brother on the loose because mom Wilsdorf and the pop musician ignore the harsh attention to their youngest child. Nowhere is this more evident than in the old-school Tudor Ranger.
