Tudor Submariner ref. 7928, 'IDF' Issued with 'Tropical Chapter Ring' Dial

Dealer description — Oliver & Clarke

The Submariner, namely those produced by Rolex, has long been considered the cream of the crop when it comes to watch collecting as a whole. Possibly the most iconic watch ever produced, the Submariner has long standing utilitarian roots that span decades, and everyone who’s anyone has been spotted wearing one. However, if you look deeper into the Submariner line, you may find a less known but just as incredible model manufactured by Tudor. The Ref. 7928 that we have here dates to circa 1965 and comes with some additional provenance that further adds to its allure. More on that later. The Oyster case remains thick and shows normal wear from use with a crisp and seemingly unpolished bezel insert and a 'fat font' insert. The once glossy black 'gilt' dial within exhibits an incredibly heavy 'tropical' patina from age and UV exposure with some of the brass baseplate showing through on the outside near the Tritium plots. The resulting look is both attractive and unique. Flip it over, and there is an engraving on the caseback that reads "M216." The numbers are actually an issue number for 'Shayetet 13, an Israeli Defense Forces special forces unit, and a clear indication of its military provenance. It also comes fitted to a period-correct Oyster bracelet with a blade clasp, which possesses traces of black paint in some of the tighter areas. Originally, these were actually painted black to be more anti-reflective, so to have residuary black paint is very neat. This is a real piece of history — a phrase often repeated in the world of watches, though rarely as deservedly as in this case. To many collectors of vintage, regardless of whether the focus is of military watches or not, this 'Milsub' has everything going for it. Military issued, properly vintage, honest condition, and its a Tudor. What more does one need?