While most of us are familiar with Tudor (at least its modern side) for the several Black Bay versions, the brand has much more to offer… And the same goes for its historical and current collections. In 2014, Tudor paid respect to its participation in exploration by reintroducing an essential model, the Ranger. It was a tough, no-nonsense instrument built for adventure, and it returned updated with a bigger casing but the same general attitude. The Tudor Ranger was later discontinued, but it is now back with many evolutions, giving it a significantly more powerful product. The new 2022 Tudor Ranger 79950 is 39mm in diameter, has a chronometer movement, and has several tricks up its sleeve.
Tudor is back with a fresh take on the Ranger to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the British North Greenland Expedition. While the new Ranger ref. 79950 does not break new ground for Tudor, but it does reintroduce the basic, plain, and eternally tough steel sports watch to its portfolio. It’s also another high-profile field watch with enthusiast credentials, a good value proposition, and a vintage-inspired style.
Rolex was not the only “Rolex Group” brand participating in similar missions. In fact, long before Rolex climbed Mount Everest, sibling firm Tudor was involved in another significant expedition, the British North Greenland Expedition. Approximately 30 personnel were dispatched to the Great North, Greenland, in a station nicknamed North Ice, from 1952 until 1954. The mission was to conduct scientific research in glaciology, meteorology, geology, and physiology, as well as to examine and document the landscape. Seismological and gravitational investigations were also conducted.
The Evolution of the Tudor Ranger
Rolex introduced the Explorer reference 6350 watches in 1953. This watch was created after two men, Hillary and Norgay, reached the summit of Mount Everest on May 29, 1953, while wearing Rolex watches on their wrists. The Explorer was designed to be an expedition watch, as the name suggests. The Rolex Explorer Ref. 6350 was designed for extreme conditions: highly readable dial, durable body, and unique lubricants that allow this watch to perform between -20° C and +40° C. What history will remember most are the 3-6-9 marks on a black dial. The watch has changed technically throughout time, but its unique and iconic design has remained a fundamental component of its popularity.
Tudor heard about this story as well. As with the Submariner, which was initially introduced by Rolex in 1953 and then by Tudor in 1954, the Explorer’s idea has been adopted by Tudor Watches. Beginning in the early 1960s, Tudor also offered a watch with an “Explorer-like” dial and a similar pioneer/expedition idea. It was called the Ranger and, like Tudor’s Submariners, it was a less expensive counterpart of the Rolex model (to make it really short). However, when it comes to going through the history of this watch, things become… murky.
Indeed, everything begins with a tale identical to that of the Rolex Explorer. As you can see, the Explorer was not the watch worn by Hillary and Norgay during their Everest expedition. They carried a ref. 6098 “Pre-Explorer” with them. A similar tale may be said about Tudor. The Tudor Ranger, in its current form (with Arabic numbers on a black dial), was not designed to be worn for exploration. It was established, however, when Tudor experienced several of its timepieces under exceptionally tough conditions. In the early 1950s, the British North Greenland Expedition (BNGE) sent 30 military and civilian scientists to study Greenland (1952-54). They had 26 non-modified Tudor Oyster Prince 7809s as part of their arsenal.
This is undoubtedly where the Tudor Ranger got its start. When it comes to drawing the history of the Tudor Ranger, things become a little more complicated. According to Tudor, the Oyster Prince Ranger model was developed in the 1960s and was mentioned in the catalog in 1969. They further claim that it was still in the catalog until 1988. Here, we can observe two issues: an ambiguous year of introduction (in the 1960s) and interesting comment about the Ranger being only featured in the catalog in the late 1960s, implying that we are dealing with a hazy time.
The Ranger was not a distinct reference in the collection but instead shared serial numbers with other, non-Explorer-like models, such as regular Oyster Prince watches. In reality, the only difference between these timepieces was the dial and hands. As a result, the Ranger can have various references, such as 7964, 7966, 7990, 7992, 7995, 7996, 90330, or 90220 – depending on whether or not a date is included. Only in the 1980s did the Tudor Ranger become its own model, with references 90330 and 90220, until it was retired in 1988.
New Tudor Ranger 39mm Ref 79950
The new Tudor Ranger isn’t really a revolution, but it has altered so much that it is now a totally new watch. This is, once again, the brand’s notion of an adventure-ready tool watch. There are no frills, no extra features, and no external bezel, simply a plain straightforward, and ultra-focused watch that can withstand most situations.
The new Tudor Ranger’s casing is the first item to notice. Modeled after the Black Bay 58, for example, it now measures 39mm in diameter and approximately (but not yet mentioned) 11mm in height. The casing is totally satin-finished for a real instrument look, including the lateral bevel that runs from one lug to the next. The smooth bezel that framed the domed sapphire crystal has the same quality, but it has a thin polished accent on its circumference. Those who have used a BB58 would recognize the casing because it has the same basic form and style – except for the rotating bezel, of course.
Other case components are likewise consistent with vintage Tudor timepieces. The caseback is screwed and made of solid steel. The crown is big and delicately fluted, with the historical Rose logo, and screws down to ensure a comfortable 100m water resistance. With this 39mm diameter and design in mind, you’ll notice that the brand provides an option to individuals who enjoyed the classic Explorer 39mm…
When you look at the dial of this new Tudor Ranger 39mm 79950, you’ll see similarities to historical Ranger models as well as the previous version of this piece. The matte black dial has a finely-grained appearance. The iconic Arabic numerals at 12-3-6-9 and baton markers for the 5-minute signals remain. The hands are likewise in keeping with antique versions of this watch, with an arrow shape for the hours, a baton for the minutes (but with an extended pointed tip), and a bright syringe tip for the seconds. All printings are done in beige, which adds to the retro vibe of the watch and adds a little charm.
With the new 2022 Tudor Ranger, a few things have changed. To begin with, only the tip of the second hand is now red (it used to be the entire hand). The “smiley face” at 6 o’clock has then been erased, leaving only the Ranger name visible. Finally, the brand’s logo is a contemporary Shield. Looking at the watch now, you can see that it partially corrects one of the previous generation’s flows. Large time-only watches frequently have a sterile, barren display, and the smaller size, along with the larger bezel, makes it more balanced overall. The Ranger maintains the tradition of tool watches by displaying no date.
The second significant surprise of this 2022 Ranger is the manufacturing of Calibre MT5402. Previously driven by an ETA-sourced movement, the Ranger now uses the same movement as the Black Bay 58, benefiting from a robust mechanical improvement as well as increased precision, as the movement is COSC-certified. The automated Kenissi movement has bidirectional winding and a transversal balancing bridge for strength. It has an antimagnetic silicon hairspring and a power reserve of up to 70 hours.
The Tudor Ranger 39mm is still available with a variety of bracelets and straps. The first is a non-riveted steel Oyster bracelet with totally brushed surfaces. It now has traditional end-links and the brand’s innovative folding clasp, which includes the T-fit quick adjustment technology. A textile Jacquard strap in olive green with two red stripes and one beige stripe is also available, as is a more contemporary strap made of rubber and textured leather and secured by a folding clasp.
Our objective at Rubber B has always been to provide our customers with the greatest quality Swiss-made straps on the luxury watch market. We are pleased to announce that straps have been micro-calibrated to match the Tudor Ranger 39mm watch model. To remain up to speed on the Ultimate Rubber Strap for Tudor, visit rubberb.com and follow us on social media.
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