Manufacturer: Tudor Year: 1970 Reference No: 7021/0 Case No: 738'286 Model Name: Snowflake Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Automatic, cal. 2484, 25 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet, stamped 7836, endlinks stamped 380, max length 200mm Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Rolex deployant clasp Dimensions: 39mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement, and clasp signed. Accessories: Accompanied by burgundy leather Tudor presentation box, Tudor Service Guarantee dated June 18, 2019, and aftersale service brochure.
Catalogue Essay
The Tudor brand was the brainchild of Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf who wished for a separate watch company that retained the durability and dependability of Rolex, but at a “more modest price”. Established in 1926, the Tudor trademark was obtained by watch retailer “Veuve de Philippe Hüther” for Wilsdorf, and by 1932, the first watches with the Tudor signature were delivered to the Australian market. Though designated as autonomous companies, Rolex guaranteed the technical quality of the watches and as time went on, it became clear that the aesthetic design of Tudor watches would closely mirror that of Rolex.
Tudor’s Submariner resembled its Rolex Submariner counterpart but had its own distinct design and layout, namely the unusual hands, making it uniquely separate from the famed Rolex watch. Collectors use the name “Snowflake” to refer to vintage Tudor Submariners with references 7016/0, 7021/0, 9104/0 and 9411/0 and some newer reissue models. These watches featured square hour markers and a unique hand style that distinguished them in the past, and still distinguish them today.
Produced between 1969 and 1975, Tudor released the Prince Submariner reference 7016/0, and Prince Oysterdate Submariner reference 7021/0, the reference of the present watch. In 1975 Tudor replaced both models with the references 9104/0 and 9411/0 with date function featuring the high performance ETA caliber 2776. Tudor’s Snowflake Submariners were supplied to the French Navy (Marine Nationale), and it is believed they requested the unique hour hand as it was more readable.
This reference 7021/0 was the first Tudor Submariner model to feature a date indication as well as the brand’s updated logo, the Tudor Shield. The present watch is in remarkably well-preserved in excellent overall condition, having remained unpolished over the last four decades. With strong proportions, lug bevels, and its attractive, faded “ghost” bezel, as well as a very clean and original dial, this example is a wonderful addition to a collector of fine timepieces both for its pleasing aesthetic as well as its vintage charisma.
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.
