Overview
After twenty years of experimenting with its distinctive “Snowflake” and “Lollipop” Submariners, Tudor returned to the classic Rolex design in 1989 with the release of the reference 79090. The new watch once again sported the iconic Mercedes hour hand, but instead of using a sapphire crystal and lume plots with white gold surrounds—as seen in the Rolex Submariners of that time—Tudor maintained the line’s vintage aesthetics by using an acrylic crystal and flat lume plots. The decision to forego modern upgrades likely kept the cost of the Tudor down and helped further differentiate it from Rolex’s more luxurious offering.
In 1995, the 79090 was replaced by the 79190, which maintained the same dial design but finally provided a few modern upgrades. Primarily, the acrylic crystal was swapped for a mineral glass crystal during the first production year, and then a sapphire crystal from 1996 onwards. Additionally, the smooth bidirectional bezel was replaced with a click-stop unidirectional bezel. Later in the production run, as the watch industry was switching from tritium to LumiNova, Tudor began using dials with white gold surrounds as well.
The 79190 would go on to be the final generation of the Tudor Submariner before the brand discontinued the line in 1999. While rumors have floated of a modern remake, Tudor seems content with continuing to focus on its Black Bay and Pelagos lines. Thus, neo-vintage references like the 79190 continue to be an excellent option for those who like the classic Submariner design, but prefer a modern feature set.
Specifications
Brand:
Tudor
Model:
Submariner
Reference:
79190
Year:
1995
Case Number:
B767174
Case Material:
Stainless steel
Diameter:
40 mm
Lug Width:
20 mm
Thickness:
10.4 mm
Lug-to-Lug:
46.7 mm
Dial:
Black
Lume:
Tritium
Crystal:
Mineral glass
Movement:
Automatic
Caliber:
ETA 2824-2
Bracelet/Strap:
Tudor 9315 stainless steel bracelet with 380B end links and T8 clasp code
Max Wrist Size:
8 in (13 links)
Hand model has a wrist size of 6.2 in
Condition
Case: The stainless steel case shows light signs of wear with some hairlines, faint scratches, and tiny nicks but no major imperfections. The lugs are thick with well-defined chamfers and nicely preserved brushing. The bezel insert is in immaculate condition with practically no signs of wear. The bezel grooves are sharp with excellent grip. The caseback condition is consistent with the rest of the watch. The backs of the lugs show minor scratching from bracelet removal. The Rolex engravings remain detailed and legible.
Dial, Hands, & Crystal: The matte black dial is in pristine condition with no notable imperfections. The polished hands show a couple micro scratches visible only upon close inspection. The tritium across both dial and hands is a light shade of cream and does not exhibit any glow when exposed to UV light. The mineral glass crystal has a couple micro chips around the edge, one light scratch at the edge near 8 o’clock, and one very faint scratch across the bottom. The overall appearance is clean though.
Bracelet/Strap: The stainless steel bracelet shows light stretching and moderate signs of wear with hairlines, tiny scuffs, and swirlies throughout. The clasp has perhaps a tiny bit more wear, but still nothing major. The Tudor stamp is sharp and detailed.
Performance
Functions: All functions including the crown winding, time setting, and date changing are working as expected.
Service History: The watch recently underwent a full service by D's Time Service that was completed on 09/19/2023.
