Case
Rolex-supplied Oyster case (vintage Tudor)
ProbableVintage Tudor Submariners and Oyster-cased Tudors use cases supplied by Rolex, carrying Rolex case-maker marks and taking Rolex crowns, crystals and bracelets. This is the defining structural fact about the brand in the period and the source of its original commercial proposition: Rolex construction at a lower price, with an outsourced movement.
Part reference
- Brand
- Tudor
- Maker
- Rolex / Rolex case suppliers
- Material
- Stainless steel
- Identifying marks
- Rolex case-maker marks inside the caseback and the Rolex coronet on the crown. Reference stamped between the lugs at 12, serial at 6.
Documented variations
Classification
FactoryDocumented as shipped from the factory for this reference and period.PeriodNot original to this watch, but correct for its production period.ServiceFitted by the manufacturer's own service network. Not a defect.AftermarketThird-party part. Affects originality, not authenticity.ModifiedGenuine parts in a configuration the factory did not sell. Affects originality and value, not authenticity.CounterfeitDeceptive reproduction intended to pass as genuine.UnknownEvidence on file does not settle the question.Rolex markings present
FactoryProbableWhole production
Correct and expected. Reading Rolex marks on a vintage Tudor as evidence of a marriage is a false finding drawn from a true observation, and it is one of the more common mistakes made on the brand.
Rolex service caseback or crown fitted later
ServiceProbableWhole production
Because the parts interchange, a Tudor may carry a Rolex part fitted at a later service. Period-correct and unremarkable mechanically; it does affect originality, and where the part is a caseback it also means the number stamped inside it belongs to a different history.
Open questions
Which Rolex case and bracelet references were supplied to Tudor, by period
Which specific Rolex case, crown, crystal and bracelet references were used on which Tudor references, and when did each change?
Scope The catalog records that vintage Tudor cases are Rolex-supplied but assigns no part references, because doing so would require a parts catalogue covering the supply relationship. Until then a Tudor's case parts can be described but not verified against a list.
Documented on these references
- Tudor 7016Factory
Whole production
- Tudor 9411/0Factory
Whole production
- Tudor 7924Factory
Whole production
The oversized 'Big Crown' is itself a Rolex-supplied part and is the reference's defining feature.
Provenance of this record
Sources & Evidence
Tudor collector research on references, dial generations and case supply
Tudor Collectors Forum and allied collector communities
- Accessed
- 2026-08-18
Cited for
Millenary Watches — Rolex Bracelet Reference Numbers Guide
Millenary Watches
- Accessed
- 2026-08-18
Cited for
Last verified: Not yet reviewed