Tudor Submariner ref. 94010, Marine Nationale 'MN' Blue 'Snowflake' Military Issued

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 lesser known but just as incredible model manufactured by Tudor. These pieces are not only more unique and uncommon than the traditional Submariner, but offer a more fun, playful design — particularly with the blue-dialed variants... ...And then, there are the Submariners that were issued to a variety of different militaries, with the French 'Marine Nationale' being perhaps the best known to utilize blue-dialed Subs. This Ref. 94010 that we have here is one of those very watches. Dating to circa 1977, the Oyster case remains very thick and features a fully-brushed finishing — likely done at Tudor prior to delivery. Flip it over, and there is an engraving that reads "M.N. 77" on the caseback denoting its military provenance. Naturally, it shows normal wear throughout with a very attractive faded blue bezel insert. Inside, the blue 'snowflake' dial is beautifully preserved and features attractive, evenly patinated Tritium plots with a professionally color-matched 'snowflake' handset. It comes fitted to an appropriate black NATO strap from Phoenix. This piece is also accompanied by a copy of a service log from one of the watchmakers in charge of servicing these issued watches based in the French town of Toulon. Known to collectors as the 'Toulon registry,' the serial number of this piece is logged, indication that it officially passed through this service location. 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?