The Monte Carlo two register chronograph..why is it different then most other Tudors?

During the 1970's through early 1980's Tudor chronograph once deemed the best entry Rolex affiliated chronograph for the money has moved up nowadays into the highly collectable chronograph market.

The Tudor Submariner for a while also mimicked the Submariner case, bezel insert, bezel, crown and the successfully good looks of the Rolex Submariner reference model 5513, 5512 and 1680. But unlike the (MC) 234 and (Daytona) 737 Valjoux chronograph calibers the Tudor Submariner movement had no similarities with the 1520 or 1570 Rolex calibers. Of course these 15xx calibers were produced by Rolex in house while the movement firms of ETA and Valjoux supplied and powered the Tudor Submariner.
See the picture below and notice how the Tudor and Rolex Submariner are alike from the outside.
Remember the early Monte Carlo Tudor two register chronograph was powered by the 234 caliber, the same basic 23 caliber that early Rolex two register chronographs form the 1950's had and then later the three register 1960-1980 Valjoux 72-727. The 234 and 727 shared over 65% of the same Valjoux parts.

With this strong linage that the Tudor two register Monte Carlo had with it's bigger brother Daytona 6263-6265 in the 1970's, Daytona collectors were among the fist to start collecting the Tudor 70xx and 71xx models.

Finding any information regarding the Tudor chronograph from any year is a quite coup nowadays. I believe that Rolex in spite of common perception did advertise the Tudor line in a diligent manner.

It appears to me that The Tudor model 70xx and 71xx chronographs having been produced in much smaller numbers when compared to the production of the Daytona 6263 and 6265 that by this ratio, manuals, boxes, brochures and other Monte Carlo accessories are not very common.

Just in the past six years I have noticed that the exotic dialed Tudor Monte Carlo has started to peck serious interest among firstly the Chronograph collectors and now among Rolex collectors. Many vintage Rolex fans have come to know about these exotic dialed Monte Carlo dialed watches from Internet watch forums from across the world.

Now most Rolex vintage collectors are actively looking to add these Monte Carlo Tudor chronographs to one's collection.

With this new found interest for the Tudor chronograph, the Tudor three registered 7750 movement caliber with the case being produced by Rolex as it has in the past is being sought after by newer collectors. The three register Monte Carlo dial is the rarest version to find in the 92xx models. See example below of the harder to find black MC dial version in a 9421 model. I have seen more of the gray background MC dials in the 92xx models.


From the three register thick case Monte Carlo to the Tiger Woods chronograph, the new found popularity among collectors seems to be infectious, and with a lower cost of ownership then it's 1970's two register predecessor. Many Rolex collectors are discovering the joy of owning a three register Tudor chronograph with the good looks of a Daytona, but with a date feature.

More watch talk to come in my next installment, cheers Arthur

Still the best "bang for the buck".


This rare cream dial Tiger in the scan below was never in any catalogues or factory brochures..To add to the mystery, the Tudor service reference books never had a cream or off white dial described, only white was the only option. So no dial number was ever given to a cream Tiger dial.