
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Tudor Prince Date Early Example (Ref. 74000), 1984
- Maker / attribution
- Tudor (maker)
- Date
- 1984
- Historical period
- Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Dimensions
- Case 34 mm
- Stock no.
- Product 7941325881527
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Huntington Company (product 7941325881527)
- Catalogue title (original)
- 1984 Tudor Prince Date Early Example (Ref. 74000) (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Huntington Company (dealer) (stock number Product 7941325881527), this is a wristwatch by Tudor, made in Switzerland, dated 1984. 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 — Huntington Company
The reference 74000 is a fantastic watch. Early examples like this Swiss-only dial closely resemble Rolex Oyster Dates. This example has a Rolex signed case, crown, and clasp. The warm silver dial is beautiful, with gold hands and hour markers. Its a classic Tudor and a watch you can never go wrong with. Classic watches like this are perfect. Keep it on its bracelet for a sporty look or change it for an strap option you want to dress it up. Tudor Oyster History - Tudor Oyster timepieces, introduced in 1946, were manual-wind watches housed in 34mm steel Oyster cases with a wide range of dial variations. In 1952, the "Oyster Prince" was introduced, indicating the presence of an automatic movement, which was Tudor's equivalent to Rolex's "Perpetual." These automatic movements were modified by Tudor but based on the Fleurier Calibre 390, making them bulletproof almost. Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Tudor, aimed to create watches of the same quality and reliability as Rolex. He introduced the Oyster case and auto-wind movement, which he believed would make these watches stand up to his high expectations and promise. The Oyster case is iconic and one of the most beautiful and aesthetically pleasing designs of the 20th century. The Oyster was designed to hermetically seal the movement inside the case using screws and seals. The introduction of the three-piece case made replacing scuffed and cracked crystals easier and is still in use today. The screw-down crown and case back were still key features, but the bezel pressed over the crystal to seal the case. Specifications Model: Prince Date Movement: Automatic Year: 1984 Contents: Watch only Case: The size is 34mm with a classic Rolex-signed oyster case. Dial: A warm silver dial with gold hands and markers Strap & Buckle: The original Tudor Oyster bracelet with a Rolex signed clasp.
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
Wristwatches
Bracelet watches were worn by women from the early nineteenth century — Breguet made one for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples, in 1810–12 — but the wristwatch only became a man's instrument with military use and aviation in the early twentieth century. Between the World Wars it overtook the pocket watch; the 1920s and 1930s brought rectangular Art Deco cases, water-resistant cases and the first automatic winding systems.
After 1945 the wristwatch became a carrier of identity — dress watches, sports and dive watches, chronographs, calendars — produced by Swiss, American, Japanese, German, Soviet and Chinese industries. The quartz revolution after 1969 and the mechanical renaissance since the 1990s, including the rise of independent watchmakers, complete the story.
What to look for
- The reference number (between the lugs or inside the case back) and serial number, the starting point for dating.
- The calibre: its maker and number are often stamped under the dial or on the bridge.
- Originality of dial, hands and crown — refinished ('redial') dials are common.
- Case material marks: 18K/750, 14K/585, stainless steel, gold-filled, plated.
Dating clues
- Wire-lug cases: before c. 1925.
- Water-resistant screw-down cases: from 1926.
- Quartz movements: from 1969; sapphire crystals widespread after c. 1980.
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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