Tudor Black Bay vs Rolex Submariner: Which Dive Watch Should You Buy?
The Rolex Submariner and the Tudor Black Bay are two of the most popular luxury dive watches you can buy, and they are closely related. Tudor was created by Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf as a more accessible sister brand. So which one should you choose?
History
The Rolex Submariner was introduced in 1953 and became the reference dive watch, the model almost every diver since has been compared to. Tudor made its own Submariner from the 1950s, and the Tudor Black Bay, launched in 2012, is a modern watch inspired by those vintage Tudor divers, including the distinctive “snowflake” hands Tudor first used in the late 1960s.
Design
The Submariner has a clean, timeless look with Mercedes hands and a ceramic bezel on modern references. The Black Bay leans vintage: a domed crystal, a large crown, snowflake hands and an aluminium bezel insert in many versions. If you like a sleek, modern classic, the Submariner fits. If you prefer a vintage-inspired tool watch, the Black Bay delivers.
Specifications
- Case size: the modern Submariner is 41 mm. The Black Bay is mostly 41 mm, with smaller and larger versions available.
- Water resistance: Submariner 300 m; Black Bay typically 200 m. Both are far more than you need for swimming and diving.
- Movement: both use robust automatic movements with long power reserves on modern models; recent Black Bays use Tudor’s own Manufacture calibres.
Price and value
A pre-owned Submariner typically costs several times as much as a pre-owned Black Bay. The Rolex name carries more prestige and historically strong resale values. The Tudor offers much of the same build quality and heritage for a fraction of the price, which is why many collectors own one before, or instead of, a Submariner.
Which should you buy?
- Choose the Submariner if you want the icon, the brand prestige and a watch that holds its value well.
- Choose the Black Bay if you want vintage character, excellent quality and more variety (GMT, Pro, chronograph and colour options) for your budget.
Shop both
Browse our pre-owned Tudor Black Bay watches, the pre-owned Rolex Submariner collection, or all Tudor and Rolex watches. Every watch is checked before it ships, with free insured shipping, 30-day returns and a 2-year warranty.
Looking for something dressier? Browse our pre-owned Cartier watches, from the Tank to the Santos.
More Tudor guides: Tudor Black Bay 58 vs 54 and Is the Tudor Pelagos worth it?
