Worth A Read Tudor Oyster History - Tudor Oyster timepieces, introduced in 1946, were manual-wind watches housed in 34mm steel Oyster cases with a wide range of dial variations and were later introduced in other case sizes. In 1952, the "Oyster Prince" was introduced, indicating the presence of an automatic movement, which was Tudor's equivalent to Rolex's "Perpetual." These automatic movements were modified by Tudor but based on the Fleurier Calibre 390, making them bulletproof almost. Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Tudor, aimed to create watches of the same quality and reliability as Rolex. He introduced the Oyster case and auto-wind movement, which he believed would make these watches stand up to his high expectations and promise. The Oyster case is iconic and one of the most beautiful and aesthetically pleasing designs of the 20th century. The Oyster was designed to hermetically seal the movement inside the case using screws and seals. The introduction of the three-piece case made replacing scuffed and cracked crystals easier and is still in use today. The screw-down crown and case back were still key features, but the bezel pressed over the crystal to seal the case. Specifications Model: Prince Oysterdate Movement: Automatic Year: 2002 Contents: Watch Only Case: Two-tone case with fluted bezel. 34mm with a lug to lug of 41mm and 9mm thick, including the sapphire crystal. Dial: A champagne dial with sunburst finish. The dial and hands are lumed. Strap/Buckle: This is the original Tudor 5-link bracelet, similar to a jubilee bracelet. Condition Case: The case looks to be unpolished, noted from the sharp lug holes. There is normal wear throughout. This is a later reference 74033, so it has the Tudor signed crown and case. There are no aggressive dings or dents. The yellow gold fluted bezel is very sharp. Dial: The dial is perfect to the naked eye. It has the original lume on the dial and hands. None of the lume is missing on the dial, and the hands have no wear or cracks. Strap/Buckle: The bracelet has minimal stretch, and it fits up to a 7.2-inch wrist. It is unpolished with signs of wear.
