Tudor Submariner "Snowflake"

On March 6, 1946, Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf announced his intention to create "a watch that our agents could sell at a more modest price than our Rolex watches, and yet one that would attain the standards of dependability for which Rolex is famous." Thus, the Tudor Watch Company was born.  Tudor was conceived as a more economic way to buy a quality tool watch. This was achieved by housing generic ETA Swiss movements in Rolex Oyster cases with Rolex crowns and Rolex crystals. The ETA movements were simple and robust, making them easier and more economical to service than the Rolex equivalents.    In 1952, Tudor launched the Oyster Prince, and it was a resounding success.  Shortly thereafter, Tudor launched the Oyster Submariner in 1954. Like the Rolex Submariner, the Tudor used an Oyster case, but was powered by an ETA movement. Aside from the movements and the brand name on the dial, Tudor Submariners remained virtually indistinguishable from their Rolex counterparts, with Mercedes style hands. That is until the Reference 7016 debuted with the design features that would set Tudor Submariners apart from their Rolex cousins.  The dial of the Reference 7016 was offered in blue rather than just in the usual black. Instead of the Tudor rose that had adorned Tudor watches since the 1940s, the Tudor logo was now a shield. Also, the indices and hands attained a distinctive, triangular shape which earned this model the nickname "Snowflake."  The Tudor Submariner was given a date wheel in the mid-1960s, with the Reference 7021, which was ran until it was replaced in the mid-1970s with the Reference 94110, the watch we feature here.  The Reference 94110 Snowflakes are notable for their strong dials that retain their crisp colors after years of wear and use. This is because, with these references, Tudor used better-quality dials than with its predecessors, which were prone to dial rot that manifested itself as bubbles underneath the dial's surface. The blue dial of our Reference 94110 Snowflake is still crisp, and the only testament to its age is the yellowing of the tritium on the hands and indices.  As time wore on, collectors and enthusiasts began to appreciate the designs that were exclusive to Tudor's Submariner line. The Snowflake Submariner has become a grail for many. That, given the relative scarcity of Tudor Submariners to the Rolex equivalent, makes this Snowflake a highly desirable watch.