Everyone wants to know if they are getting a watch made by Rolex when they purchase a Tudor watch. Well, we will find out in this post if that is the case. Rolex and Tudor are among the most well-respected luxury watch brands in the world today. Both brands have a lot in common, due to their shared history. Since they are both owned by the same company, they likely share resources. This implies that they may share manufacturing facilities, watchmaking equipment, or even watchmakers.
However, Tudor watches generally are not made with the same components as those found in Rolex watches, neither are the parts produced at the same facilities. Presently, Tudor watches are not made by Rolex, although they have been in the past. After Tudor’s relaunch, it began to make in-house movements, so it is unlikely that the watches were made directly by Rolex.
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Is Tudor Made by Rolex
Tudor and Rolex clients are aware that these brands are closely associated with each other, but they are not quite certain how far that association stretches today. It is no secret that Tudor and Rolex are not completely far from each other, but does this imply that Tudor waters are made by Rolex?
It is no news that Rolex once made the Tudor watches, but a lot has happened since the Tudor brand was founded. Irrespective of the fact that Tudor and Rolex are owned by the same foundation (Hans Wilsdorf) meaning that they share a lot of creativity and know-how, Tudor watches are no longer made by Rolex unlike they were back in the day.
Are Tudor Movements Made by Rolex
Rolex makes nearly all its watch components itself, but this is not possible at Tudor’s price range. Tudor purchases watchcases and other watch components from Swiss suppliers. The Tudor brand features in-house movements that are developed and produced entirely separately from Rolex movements. Kenissi makes all of Tudor’s in-house movements and also supplies movements to Chanel, Breitling, and TAG Heuer, amongst others. Tudor timepieces are COSC certified, but Rolex watches undergo both COSC and Superlative Chronometer testing.
Rolex precisely uses in-house movements while Tudor uses a mix of in-house and ETA, which allows the price point to be more entry-level when compared to a Rolex. Rolex has created in-house movements since the perpetual movements were produced by Aegler in Switzerland, who was the sole Rolex movement manufacturer till 2004 when Rolex officially acquired the company. Tudor went through changes in the early 2000s, that made it cease distribution in the United States. The mid-2010s saw a rebirth of Tudor, and this time, it launched its in-house movements.
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Is Tudor as Good as Rolex
Yes, Tudor watches have always been as good as Rolex watches, the price range just differs. Although the brands are unique in their design, the differences between the two are decreasing every year as Tudor continues to grow. However, Tudor was not created to compete with Rolex, instead, it was to offer collectors a more affordable alternative.
When comparing Tudor’s in-house movements, specifically the 32xx series, to those of Rolex, you will find a good number of similarities even though the manufacturers are different. Some similarities between the movements are:
- Non-magnetic hairsprings
- Bearing-mounted, bidirectional rotors
- 70-hour power reserve
Rolex’s in-house movements feature a ‘Superlative Chronometer’ certification. It is a brand-specific standard similar to the COSC standard that Tudor in-house movements are certified by. So, COSC and Superlative Chronometers both have tight tolerances in timekeeping and testing. Although the price ranges are different between the brands, Tudor’s in-house movements maintain time and perform almost the same as Rolex watches.
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Is Tudor Owned by Rolex
The Geneva, Switzerland-based company Tudor was founded in 1926 by Hans Wilsdorf who is also the founder of Rolex. Tudor was founded as a separate sister company, that was meant to market to a different demographic back when it was first opened. So, today, both Tudor and Rolex are owned by the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation and they remain sister companies to this day.
As earlier mentioned, Tudor was founded back in 1926 by Hans Wilsdorf. The founder noticed that there was a demand for a more affordable option for Rolex watches. Everyone wanted a Rolex, but it was not always financially possible for them to purchase one outright. Thus, this led to the birth of Tudor.
Tudor made use of the legendary Rolex Oyster case in the production of its earlier watches, thereby giving its customers the quality of a Rolex without the high price. This has brought Tudor under Rolex’s shadow for some time. But Tudor did a global relaunch in 2009 and attempted to break off from its sister company.
Today, it could be said that Tudor accomplished this goal, as its watches are now sought after by collectors and the brand is widely known to be a respectable and top-quality luxury brand. It also reintroduced its watches to the United States in 2013 after ceasing American sales in the early 2000s. Currently, Tudor is creating its path, as it now produces in-house movements, manufactures unique and coveted models like the Black Bay and shows that it is worthy of the same level of respect that Rolex commands.
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