Tudor Oyster-Prince Submariner 7928 - Black Gilt Dial MK5 - “Ghost” Faded Bezel - Tudor Warranty

Tudor was founded in 1926 by Hans Wildorf, initially as a trademark name. Two decades later, in 1946, just after WWII ended, it became an official brand and subsidiary of Rolex, with a clear mission: to create high-quality watches that mirrored Rolex's reliability but at a more affordable price. Some time after Rolex patented the Oyster Case, Tudor began using the first "Waterproof Case," becoming the only other brand permitted to do so. During this period, Tudor watches were essentially Rolex models, with cases, bracelets, and crowns taken directly from Rolex's shelves. The main distinction was the use of non-in-house movements and the Tudor brand name. 1953 was a pivotal year for the Big Crown, as the brand introduced the iconic Submariner, a model that would go on to make history, alongside the Turn-o-Graph and Explorer. The following year, Tudor followed suit with its own diver's watch, the Tudor Submariner (even sharing the same name). This model, reference 7922, was nearly identical to the Rolex Submariner, with the main difference being the movement — Tudor used a self-winding Fleurier Caliber 390 instead of an in-house movement. Like its big brother, the Tudor model was water-resistant to 100 meters. However, the 7922 reference was short-lived, quickly replaced by the ref. 7923. This extremely rare reference is the only Tudor Submariner to feature a manual-winding movement, Cal. 1182, based on the ETA 1156. Around 1958, the Tudor Submariner ref. 7924 was introduced, featuring a thicker crystal and bigger crown and improved water resistance, rated to 200 meters. As noted earlier, the movement returned to the self-winding Caliber 390. In 1959, Rolex released reference 5512, widely regarded as the "classic" vintage Submariner. The following year, Tudor launched its equivalent model, the "classic" Tudor Submariner reference 7928. Like its predecessors, the 7928 featured the self-winding Fleurier Caliber 390 and was water-resistant to 200 meters. The case size increased to 39mm and, for the first time (similar to the Rolex 5512), it featured crown guards. The early series of the 7928 are especially sought after for their distinctive square crown guards. In 1960 and 1961, Tudor continued producing the 7928, but with pointed crown guards. Then, in 1964, Tudor introduced the rounded crown guards, a design element that would go on to define the Submariner and the entire Rolex professional collection for many years. Tudor Submariner 7928 models became renowned for their durability, reliability, and affordability, making them a popular choice among police and military forces. Over the years, examples have surfaced from organizations such as the Argentine police and the U.S. Navy. However, it was Tudor's long-standing partnership with the French Navy (Marine Nationale) that played a pivotal role in shaping the brand's legacy. From the very first prototypes produced in the 1950s, Tudor worked closely with the Marine Nationale to test and refine its watches under rigorous conditions. Legend has it that this collaboration gave birth to the iconic "Snowflake" hands, a distinctive design element that has since become synonymous with Tudor's professional dive watches. This example, dating to 1964, is one of the earliest to feature the classic rounded crown guards. It also boasts an original Mk5 gilt dial—one of the most balanced and attractive of the series—with its gold-toned hour markers and closed chapter ring contrasting beautifully with the silver printing used for the rest of the graphics. The bezel insert has aged to a gorgeous "ghostly" tone, adding to the vintage appeal. This timepiece is in excellent condition and is accompanied by its original warranty and beautiful booklet of the time.