Tudor Heritage Chrono Blue

The Tudor Heritage Chrono Blue reflects its name like no other. As an homage to the vintage 1971 Tudor "Montecarlo" (Ref. 7169) and with its vibrant color palette, it conjures up nostalgic images of a vacation in Monaco and a luxurious lifestyle. A special dial reminiscent of a roulette wheel makes this Tudor luxury watch the ideal good luck charm for a relaxed visit to a casino on the Mediterranean. It also explains this watch's nickname, which is a reference to the legendary city of Monte Carlo.

A trained eye will immediately notice the relationship between Tudor and Rolex. The Rolex Oyster case is used for the Heritage Chrono Blue, which follows in the tradition of the very first Tudor models. Watches such as the Tudor Submariner also feature this renowned case shape. Rolex's founder, Hans Wilsdorf, breathed Tudor into life to create models similar to Rolex, but with outsourced calibers so as to keep prices comparatively low.

Tudor first introduced the Heritage Chrono Blue at Baselworld 2013 and presented it in combination with a stainless steel bracelet or a NATO strap that was color coordinated with the dial. Plan to pay around 3,300 euros for either variant if you want a new Heritage Chrono Blue. A pre-owned watch in very good condition can be purchased for a few hundred euros less. The predecessor, the Tudor Oysterdate with the nickname "Montecarlo", is highly coveted amongst collectors and demands prices in the five-figure range.

At 42 mm, the Heritage Chrono Blue is only slightly larger than its predecessor; the chronograph from the 70s with the reference number 7169/0 was only 40 mm. The color palette was also only altered minimally. The vintage version used a combination of gray, blue, and orange, while the new edition goes for a slightly lighter gray, verging on opal. This gives the Heritage Chrono Blue the fresh feeling a redesigned model should have. A Cyclops lens enlarged the date display at 6 o'clock in the historic watch, which is no longer the case in the Heritage version.

However, some details were kept true to the original, such as the rotatable bezel with a 12-hour scale that can be used to display a second time zone. The legendary 45-minute counter at 9 o'clock is an essential feature in the history of Tudor's chronographs and could not have been left off the Heritage Chrono Blue. At the 3 o'clock position you will find the subsidiary seconds dial, similar to the "Montecarlo". Sapphire glass protects the Heritage Chrono Blue dial from impact. It is also water resistant to 150 m (15 bar), leaving nothing in the way of a yacht trip off the Monacan coast.

While the manual caliber Valjoux 7734 continues to tick away inside the vintage Tudor, the Heritage Chrono Blue uses the automatic ETA 2892 caliber, one of the most well-known movements from the eponymous Swiss supplier. This is used in conjunction with a Dubois Dépraz module, making it possible to measure periods of time. Again, Tudor went with a proven Swiss ébauches and complication manufacturer. In total, this caliber offers a power reserve of 42 hours, meaning you can set it aside for almost two days without it coming to a stop.

The Heritage Chrono line also features colorful alternatives should the Heritage Chrono Blue not appeal to you. You have the choice between a Heritage Chrono with a black dial and grey subdials or a reversed version with a gray dial and black subdials. While the build is similar to that of the Heritage Chrono Blue, there are small differences in the design of the dials. For example, the indices of the blue models are rectangular and more delicate, while those of the Heritage Chrono feel markedly more weighty. They are also reminiscent of the Tudor logo, which is based on the Welsh dynasty's family crest. Plan to spend around 2,700 euros for one of these watches in very good condition.