
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Tudor Oyster ref. 7934, Non-Luminous 'Big Rose Crosshair' Dial
- Maker / attribution
- Tudor (maker)
- Date
- c. 1959
- Historical period
- Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Dimensions
- Case 34 mm
- Stock no.
- OC2404
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Oliver & Clarke (OC2404)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Tudor Oyster Ref. 7934 - Non-Luminous 'Big Rose Crosshair' Dial (English)
View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction
Record summary
Catalogued by Oliver & Clarke (dealer), United Kingdom (stock number OC2404), this is a wristwatch by Tudor, made in Switzerland, dated c. 1959. The Atlas places it in the Modern Mechanical Horology period (1945 – 1969) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 34 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Oliver & Clarke
Many Tudor models even resembled and shared the names of their Rolex relatives: i.e. Submariner, Prince, Oyster, etc. The piece that we have here, simply called an 'Oyster,' dates to circa 1959 and comes to us in absolutely phenomenal overall condition. It has a 34mm Oyster case that has very likely been spared any previous polishing or refinishing, remaining thick and symmetrical with crisp visible factory finishing. The smooth steel bezel is in matching condition. Unlike so many watches with lighter dials from this era that exhibit heavy patination and signs of moisture incursion, this example has survived in beautifully preserved condition. The surface is largely clear and clean with the exception of some very faint discoloration in the lower right quadrant of the 'crosshair' layout, and the applied indices show only faint surface oxidation. It is complimented by a matching 'dauphine' handset with a blued-steel seconds hand. Lastly, at the 12 o'clock position, that wildly cool and desirable Tudor 'rose' ties it all together. It is powered by a manually-wound movement and, of course, has a screw-down crown like all Oyster-cased Rolex models for that peace of mind in daily wearability. These simple 'Oyster' models are an exercise in restraint. No frills. Purely a functional timekeeping device. And on top of presenting great value next to its more well-known siblings and Rolex cousins, truly represents the essence of the brand. ...and with that 'big rose' — dare we say cooler than its Rolex cousin?
Historical context
Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
Tool watches for divers, pilots and astronauts; electric watches anticipate the electronic age.
The classic era of the mechanical wristwatch: dive watches, chronographs for motor racing and space flight, GMT watches for jet travel, slim dress watches, automatic calendars, and the rise of Japanese manufacturers alongside Swiss, American, German and Soviet industries.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking
Atlas type guide
Dive and water-resistant watches
Keeping water and dust out of a wristwatch was a long-standing challenge. Rolex's screw-down Oyster case (1926) and Omega's Marine (1932) were landmarks; in the early 1950s Blancpain's Fifty Fathoms and Rolex's Submariner defined the professional dive watch with rotating bezels for timing dives, luminous dials and high water resistance. The ISO 6425 standard (1982) later codified what a 'diver's watch' must do.
Dive watches became icons of post-war design and exploration, and their evolution — helium escape valves, ceramic bezels, saturation-diving depth ratings — records the history of underwater work.
What to look for
- Unidirectional or bidirectional rotating bezel with minute markings.
- Screw-down crown and case back; depth rating printed on the dial.
- Luminous hands and markers (radium before c. 1960, tritium c. 1960–1998, then Super-LumiNova).
- Reference numbers on the case between the lugs or inside the back.
Dating clues
- Screw-down Oyster cases: from 1926.
- Professional dive watches: from 1953.
- Tritium 'T' marks on dials: c. 1960–1998.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
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