Tudor Oysterdate Chronograph “Montecarlo” 7159/0 - Grey Dial

Tudor was founded in 1926 by Hans Wilsdorf, 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. This formula remained unchanged until the 1970s, when Tudor began experimenting with new designs and gradually diverging from Rolex’s established design language. This marked the beginning of Tudor stepping out from under the Crown’s shadow and forging its own identity. As part of this evolving philosophy, Tudor also introduced a new logo: the elegant rose was replaced by a sleek shield emblem. The refined graphics of the 1960s gave way to the bold, colorful, and extravagant styling that defined the 1970s. No model line embodies this transition better than the Tudor Oysterdate Chronograph. Launched in 1970, it debuted with a 39mm stainless steel case and a striking grey, black, white, and orange dial. The original design featured “Home Plate” indices, and three references with different bezels (7031/0, 7032/0, and the prototype 7033/0). Just a year later, the line evolved into a new generation: the “Montecarlo” models. These were equipped with traditional rectangular indices and a redesigned roulette-style dial. The movement was also upgraded to the Valjoux 234, a high-beat (21,600 vph), column-wheel chronograph—an improvement over the earlier cam-operated 7734. The present example, reference 7159/0—an evolution of the 7032/0—features the engraved stainless steel bezel graduated to 500 units. Its dial showcases the classic grey color scheme with black minute tracks and sub-dials, highlighted by striking orange accents and a vivid chronograph hand. This timepiece, dating to 1972, has been kept in excellent condition and is now available to the highest bidder.