Tudor Submariner 7928 Tropical Dial

This Tudor Submariner 7928 with its stunning tropical dial and rare zinc sulphide lume is simply a dream wristwatch for every vintage watch lover.

The introduction of the Tudor Submariner in the early 1950s also marked the beginning of the relationship between Tudor and the French Navy, the Marine Nationale (MN), which had an important influence on the case design of the Submariner. The main problem with the early designs was the unprotected crown that constantly get bumped underwater, causing water to enter the case. Therefore, Tudor decided to introduce crown guards and increase the case size to 40 mm, which made the watch more robust and reliable. The first Tudor Submariner to feature crown guards was the reference 7928 you see here.

Tudor introduced the Submariner 7928 in 1959 and there were several dial variants during 10 years production. This particular watch from 1966 has a very rare version: chapter ring dial with the zinc sulphide lume.

Strating from around the mid-1960s, Swiss watch manufacturers were no longer allowed to use radium on the dial. Until tritium became the standard, watch brands experimented with other materials. The dial of this Tudor Submariner has the long-lasting zinc sulphide lume, which was used during a very short transitional period of around 2 years. It is still shining today. Only a few watches with zinc sulphide luminous material exist and are highly sought after by watch collectors.

The highlight of this watch is of course the breathtaking brown tropical patina, which has developed over the decades as a result of various influences such as sunlight or moisture. Due to their rarity and attractiveness, tropical dials are highly sought after by vintage collectors.

Condition report
Dial: stunning tropical dial with a chapter ring - absolutely even chocolate patina - small scratch at 6 o'clock (only visible under a 10x loupe), otherwise absolutely perfect dial - original and rare zinc-sulphide lume with attractive patina matching in markers and hands - signed "Tudor Oyster Prince", "200m=660ft", "Submariner", "Rotor Self Winding" and "T SWISS T".

Case: very well preserved stainless steel case - slight signs of wear - intact numbers between the lugs - intact engravings on the screw-down back: "Original Oyster Case by Rolex Geneva" - original screw-down Rolex crown - date stamp in the back III/65 (third quarter 1965).

Bezel: black bezel in great condition - tiny scratch at 15 (barely visible) - slightly faded - smoothly rotatable to both sides.

Movement: automatic caliber Tudor 390 operates perfectly - signed with the correct US import code ROW, which stands for Rolex/Tudor - values on the time scale: -14s/day, amplitude: 266, beat error: 0.6.

Bracelet: riveted Rolex USA Oyster stainless steel bracelet - natural signs of wear - folding clasp with Rolex logo - date stamp: 7-72 (July 1972) - full bracelet with 12 links and 2 end pieces.

Summing-Up
With this Tropical Tudor Submariner on your wrist, you will show yourself to be a true vintage enthusiast. Thanks to its many collectible qualities, including great condition, fantastic look, rarity and historical significance, the watch will retain its value and remain in demand.

Serial number: 506xxx (1966)

Int.Exe.: 95310