Tudor

Tudor was started by Hans Wilsdorf in 1946, the same industry genius who started Rolex. Tudor is essentially a younger sibling (or cousin) brand to the great and more established manufacturing giant.

Their shared DNA is clear. Tudor watches are durable and mostly sports watches with strong waterproof cases, screw-down crowns and self-winding movements.

There were points in decades past where Tudor watches were seen as too similar to Rolex even sharing parts such as case backs that read Rolex Oyster. Tudor of the 21st century has grown and evolved along a newer path.

Guided by their motto ‘Born to Dare’ the younger brand has license, and a mission, to build their high quality wristwatches a new way. They feature new materials like brass or titanium.

A version of their Pelagos watch has a left-handed winding crown. Black Bay models with different colored bezels hit the marketplace with red-hot demand. Tudor even features their own proprietary movement.

The result of these design and production choices is a brand that stands apart from Rolex and delivers the best value pricing in the industry.

The world has taken notice, overall Tudor production has quietly risen to over 200,000 watches annually and the brand has landed at number 10 on this list.

• Key models: Black Bay, Prince, Pelagos, Royal, Clair de Rose, Heritage Chrono
• Price range: $2,000 – $16,000
• Approximate average price: $3,800
• Approximate annual production: 210,000
• Ownership: The Wilsdorf Foundation
• Tudor fun fact: The brand has featured and maintained two distinct logos through the years. One is a knight’s shield and the other is a rose.