Is Tudor’s Revamped Royal Collection Actually their Best Watches & Wonders Release?

As is always the case with Tudor, it seems that the internet is divided on their major new Watches & Wonders releases in the days after their unveiling. But while comments are volleyed back and forth on whether the of the Black Bay 54 Blue is actually too purple, or the Monarch should have been smaller, one new release that actually might be kind of perfect is going under the radar. 

Ok, “perfect” could be overstating it, but the newly relaunched Tudor Royal really impressed me. If there’s a “most improved” award to be handed out to a collection, the Royal might grab it. 

There are three sizes, 30mm, 36mm, and 40mm, all with manufacture calibers for the first time in the collection. The 40mm Royal has a day-date indication that is similar (identical, really) to the execution of the day-date on the Rolex Day-Date. All of the movements (MT5201, MT5412 and MT5633) are chronometer certified. 

Aesthetically, these are integrated bracelet sports watches that veer more toward the elegant end of the sports watch spectrum. Long a staple for Tudor in the Asian market, they’re looking to expand the Royal’s reach this year with some very noticeable finishing improvements. The bezel in particular is very nicely executed, with sharp notches and a very high polish that works particularly well on the two tone models, where it is rendered in gold. 

I think another factor working in Tudor’s favor with respect to the Royal is the current broad acceptance of smaller watches as an option. The 36mm Royal in particular is an ideal size, and my immediate thought upon putting it on was that this could be a one watch solution for a lot of customers who are new to watches and don’t want or need something super sporty. We’ll have a full review in the future, but my first impression of the 36mm watch was that this could be one of the better wearing watches of the entire show. 

Dial options are expansive. There is a huge selection of colors, and markers can be had in Roman numerals or simple batons. A standout to me was a baby blue 36mm watch with darker blue applied markers. That watch feels very contemporary. There are also several references with green dials and gold accents, which is a classic Rolex combination that the Royal seems to be consciously emulating. Additionally, there are several variants in the 30mm and 36mm references with diamond set bezels. 

Prices range from $3,250 to $6,325 depending on configuration. More on the Tudor Royal can be found on Tudor’s website.