Tudor Submariner USN Issued 'SEAL Sub'

Tudor has been hitting it out of the park these past few years with its modern line, and appreciation for its vintage models is at an all-time high.

Particularly desirable is the brand's Submariner collection, which was produced for decades alongside its sibling, the iconic Rolex Submariner. Tudor Subs feature the same cases, crowns, and build quality as their "Big Brother" Rolex models, but were fitted with off-the-shelf Swiss movements rather the in-house versions that gave Rolex their price tag.

While Tudor Submariners from the 1970s and early 80s are incredibly cool, here's something earlier and even more impressive: A reference 7928 Tudor "Rose" Submariner with an awesome matte dial. Furthermore, this one has U.S. Navy provenance as evidenced by en engraved caseback.

Dating from the late 1960s, the Tudor Subs featuring the early Rose logo are very similar to their Rolex 5513 cousins, yet are considerably rare due to a smaller production run. A Submariner of any stripe is a beautiful watch, but we’re always excited to find something a bit out of the ordinary, and a reference 7928, whether a gilt or matte dial, hits all the right notes.

Measuring 39mm in stainless steel, it features an acrylic crystal, a bidirectional dive bezel with an aluminum insert, and a screw-down crown. Its matte dial features an open white minute track, tritium 'dot,' 'dash,' and triangular indices, a 'Mercedes' handset, and the 7928's signature 'Rose' logo and distinctive dial text layout.

Paired to a Phoenix signed Gray NATO and powered by an automatic ETA movement, this incredible piece of horological and military history is perfect for a collector who prefers their tool watches with a bit of extra character. God only knows where this thing has been...and what it's seen!