In 2022, to mark the 70th anniversary of the British North Greenland Expedition, TUDOR presented the Ranger model, a tool watch celebrating the spirit of this daring adventure, complete with Manufacture Calibre MT5402, a 39-millimetre case and a clasp with rapid adjustment system.
The history of the Ranger name dates back much further than the British North Greenland Expedition. Although the TUDOR watches used by its members from 1952 to 1954 never bore this inscription on their dials, subsequent Ranger models have perpetuated the concept of the expedition watch, a robust, practical, and affordable instrument, born at TUDOR during this time.
The British North Greenland Expedition represented a seminal moment for TUDOR and its tool watches. In fact, this was one of the very first long-term tests, under real-world extreme conditions, implemented by the brand.
The members of the expedition monitored variations in the precision of their Oyster Prince watches compared to the hourly signals emitted by the BBC, and recorded them in notebooks specifically provided for this purpose.
In light of the expected temperatures, the TUDOR watches sent for this project were specially lubricated with “arctic” oil and provided with bracelet extensions so the watches could be worn over the sleeves of the parkas.
Upon returning from Greenland, one of the members of the expedition wrote in a letter to TUDOR, which has been preserved in the brand’s archives, that his watch “maintained remarkable precision” and that “at no time did it need to be rewound by hand”.
MANUFACTURE CALIBRE MT5402
The Ranger model is equipped with Manufacture Calibre MT5402. Thanks to this balance and the non-magnetic silicon balance spring, the Manufacture Calibre MT5402 has been certified as a chronometer by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC), with its performance going beyond the standards set by this independent institute.
In fact, where COSC allows an average variation in the daily running of a watch of between -4 and +6 seconds in relation to absolute time in a single movement, TUDOR insists on between -2 and +4 seconds’ variation in its running when it is completely assembled.
Another notable feature is that the power reserve of the Manufacture Calibre MT5402 is “weekend-proof”; that is to say about 70 hours, which enables the wearer to take the watch off on a Friday evening and put it back on again on Monday morning without having to wind it.
The 21st century expedition watch
Born from the will to go beyond the standards, TUDOR’s watchmaking philosophy draws its inspiration from its heritage, while incorporating state-of-the-art technology, exclusive innovations and pioneering creativity.
Created by the founder of Rolex, Hans Wilsdorf, the TUDOR Watch Company was born with a mission to explore new territories, offering “a watch that (his) agents could sell at a more modest price than (his) Rolex watches, and yet could attain (its) standards of dependability”.
The TUDOR of today has not drifted away from the original vision. While strictly adhering to the fundamentals of excellence, the design of a TUDOR watch reinterprets a rich history to create something truly unique – a bold fusion of the original and the contemporary in an unrivalled proposition.
A TUDOR watch is born to dare.
Every TUDOR watch is assembled and fully tested to TUDOR’s superior standards and at the brand’s new watch Manufacture located in Le Locle, Switzerland. This new state-of-the-art facility, bringing together the know-how of watchmakers with the best in production management and automated testing systems, was completed in 2021 after three years of construction.
