Tudor Ranger automatic watch black dial steel bracelet 39 mm

The story

On July 8, 1952, the British North Greenland Expedition left Deptford, a London neighborhood on the banks of the Thames, for a two-year scientific mission on the Greenland ice. Equipped with the brand-new Oyster Prince model, TUDOR's first waterproof automatic watch, the expedition members, mainly British scientists and sailors, carried out extensive glaciological and seismic studies at several sites. They were also commissioned by TUDOR to collect data on the operation of 30 examples of the Oyster Prince model in extreme conditions, according to a pre-established methodology. It is the adventurous spirit of these pioneers of extreme exploration that the latest addition to TUDOR's Ranger line celebrates, with an accessible proposition that blends cutting-edge watchmaking technology with historic aesthetics.

The origins of the TUDOR Ranger family can be traced back to 1929. It was in that year, three years after registering the trademark “The TUDOR”, that Hans Wilsdorf registered the name “Ranger”. At the time, it was not used to designate a specific model, but rather to add an adventurous dimension to certain watches in the TUDOR collection. It wasn't until the 1960s that the aesthetic that still characterizes Ranger appeared. A TUDOR Ranger is immediately recognizable by its large Arabic numerals generously topped with luminous material at 3, 6, 9 and 12 o'clock, as well as its uniquely designed hands.

Over the course of its history, the Ranger has been offered in numerous variations, with and without date, automatic or hand-wound, first with the TUDOR rose logo, then with the shield, and even as early as 1973 in a version with integrated bracelet under the name “Ranger II”.

A true “toolwatch”

The Ranger model respects the aesthetic standards established throughout its history, in particular a dial with Arabic numerals at 3, 6, 9 and 12 o'clock, while bringing in cutting-edge technical elements, including a high-performance Manufacture Calibre and a TUDOR “T-fit” quick-adjust clasp. It perpetuates, within the TUDOR collection, the tradition of the expedition watch, born with the Oyster Prince watches used by members of the British North Greenland Expedition. The tradition of a robust, practical and accessible instrument.

To echo this functional heritage, the Ranger's 39-millimeter-diameter case and bracelet are satin-finished, creating an overall matte finish in the purest “tool-watch” spirit. Some elements are polished to reinforce the lines of the case, such as the inner edge of the bezel. On the dial side, the attentive eye won't miss a historically-inspired detail: the hour markers painted with luminous material. Beige in color, they contrast perfectly with the dial's matt black grained background, and are coordinated with the tone of the TUDOR shield logo and lettering. The hands, with their rounded arrow shape for the hours and angular shape for the seconds, are characteristic of the Ranger aesthetic, with a touch of novelty, a burgundy-treated second hand tip.

Mechanical side

The Ranger is equipped with Manufacture Calibre MT5402. Its construction is designed for sturdiness, longevity, reliability and precision, as is the case with its variable-inertia balance maintained by a solid double-anchored through-bridge. Coupled with a non-magnetic silicon balance-spring, this enables Calibre MT5402 to be chronometer-certified by the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC), with performances that go beyond the standards of this independent institution. Where the COSC tolerates an average daily rate variation of -4 to +6 seconds in relation to absolute time on a movement alone, TUDOR imposes a tolerance of -2 to +4 seconds variation on the rate of the fully assembled watch.

Another notable feature is the Manufacture Calibre MT5402's so-called “weekend-proof” power reserve of around 70 hours, enabling the wearer to put the watch down on Friday evening and pick it up again on Monday morning without having to wind it.