Skip to content
Tudor Oyster ref. 7990/4, 'Lavender Rose' Dial — view 1 of 6
View 1 of 6 · Image: Oliver & Clarke · original image source (opens another website in a new tab)

Wristwatches · Wristwatch

Tudor Oyster ref. 7990/4, 'Lavender Rose' Dial

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Tudor (maker)
Date
c. 1969
Country of origin
Switzerland
Object type
Wristwatch
Dimensions
Case 34 mm
Stock no.
OC2582
Credit line
Dealer listing, Oliver & Clarke (OC2582)
Catalogue title (original)
Tudor Oyster Ref. 7990/4 - 'Lavender Rose' 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 OC2582), this is a wristwatch by Tudor, made in Switzerland, dated c. 1969. The Atlas places it in the Quartz Revolution period (1969 – 1990) 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, an Prince Oysterdate Ref. 7990/4, dates to circa 1969 and comes to us in fantastic overall condition. The 34mm Oyster case is excellent, with symmetrical lugs at all four corners and normal signs of wear with no apparent damage. Like its Rolex cousins, the bezel is a 'fluted' white gold unit and is in matching condition. The real highlight with this piece, however, is that dial inside. Lavender in color, the surface is matte-textured and absolutely beautiful. It has applied 'faceted' indices, black text with Tudors beloved 'rose' logo at the 12 o'clock position, and generously patinated Tritium plots — all of which remain fully-intact. 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 cousins over at The Crown, truly represents the essence of the brand. ...and with that 'rose' logo on the dial — dare we say cooler?

Historical context

Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)

Seiko's Astron begins mass quartz timekeeping; traditional industries contract sharply.

Quartz and digital watches transformed the market after 1969. Swiss employment collapsed, Japanese and Hong Kong production soared, and the Swatch (1983) helped the Swiss industry recover; mechanical watches survived as luxury goods.

Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Modern Mechanical Horology

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.

Related records