Manufacturer: Tudor Year: Circa 1972 Reference No: 7169/0 Case No: 776’332 Model Name: Monte Carlo Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Manual, cal. 234, 17 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet stamped 78360, endlinks stamped 380 B, max length 190 mm Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Rolex deployant clasp stamped W12 and 78360 Dimensions: 40 mm. Diameter Signed: Case, dial, bracelet and movement signed Accessories: Accompanied with Garantie stamped by Rolex Watch Dallas, red Tudor hang tag, additional crystal and red Tudor leather envelop.
Catalogue Essay
With its Oyster case, signature grey dial with metallic blue subsidiary dials and eye-catching orange accents, the Tudor Monte Carlo chronograph is by all means a true icon from the 1970s.
During the time when Rolex was only manufacturing 36-mm. Daytona watches, Tudor was pushing the envelope by creating chronographs fitted in 40-mm. cases. An avant-gardist design, the striking grey dial, blue registers and rotating bezel, and the orange accents form a whimsical caprice of retro colors which exude an unmissable aura of 1970s flair. As a matter of fact, this design was so iconic that it served as the inspiration for the brand’s highly popular relaunch called the Tudor Heritage Chrono Blue. Powered by a manual caliber 234, the Monte Carlo replaces the Daytona’s subsidiary hour counter for a date aperture, and also comprises screw down chronograph pushers.
Featuring a Rolex crown and case back, a distinctive characteristic of vintage Tudor watches, the Monte Carlo is an amazing asset for every watch collector on its own merits.
Almost twenty years after Rolex was founded, Hans Wilsdorf established Tudor with the intention of making more affordable watches without compromising the quality for which Rolex was renowned. Tudor was named after the British Dynasty that ruled England from 1485 to 1603, and their symbol came from the "War of Roses." After interchanging Rose and Shield symbols for a number of years, the firm replaced the Rose with the Shield logo from the 1960s until today.
Some of the most recognized vintage models made by Tudor include the Submariner, a waterproof model first introduced in 1954, the Oysterdate, the earliest versions of which were nicknamed the "Monte-Carlo," the Heritage, which included the date at 6 o'clock, as well as the Pelagos, which translates to "deep sea" in Greek.