Tudor Ranger Date, c. 1977

Dealer description — Analog/Shift

Make no mistake - original and correct Tudor Rangers are truly rare. Like their Rolex cousins - the venerable Reference 1016 - these early Ranger models feature matte black dials with painted Tritium luminous indices and Arabic 'quadrants' that are more commonly referred to as Explorer dials. These Tudors were sized slightly smaller than the Explorer - 35mm vs. 36mm - and were produced in limited production with both time-only and time and date displays, the latter being something never offered on the Explorer I. Powered by off the shelf Swiss made movements instead of in-house Rolex calibres, the Ranger models also have a thinner case profile, resulting in a nearly 1:1 wearing experience. They also feature a stylized 'arrow' hour hand - a design cue carried forward on the much larger Ranger Heritage models currently available in the Tudor catalog. The marketplace for these rare models is complicated by an overwhelming number of fakes and 'Frankens' on the market - likely outnumbering the genuine article 5 or 10 to 1. In all of our years collecting and dealing vintage watches, we have only been able to offer a half dozen correct, authentic examples! This particular example, a Reference 9050/0, dates to circa 1977 and features an outstanding untouched case, rich black matte dial, and perfectly patinated luminous indices with matching handset. Fitted to a 19mm folded link Oyster bracelet with Rolex signed clasp, this is an excellent example ready to wear and enjoy as originally intended.