Vintage Tudor watches paired with chic fabric straps

Boasting a rich history intertwined with, but unique from, its big brother Rolex, Tudor has grown to become a widely popular brand with a loyal cult following. Most of all, this manufacture has some ravishing yesteryear models. If you have the privilege of owning a vintage Tudor, consider pairing it with a custom watch strap to endow it with some panache.

Tudor was established in 1926 by Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf, who desired to create a brand that manufactured reliable high-quality timepieces that retail at accessible price points. Over the years, Tudor has leveraged Rolex’s unmatched savoir faire to create historic watches like the Tudor Oyster Prince in 1952, the Tudor Submariner in 1954, the Tudor Oysterdate Chrono-Time in 1976, and the Tudor Prince Date Day in 1979.

Today, Tudor maintains a strict design language and high level of consistency. This means that Tudor’s old-school timepieces visually stand out and can be easily identified. If you happen to acquire an antique Tudor, here are some contemporary straps that you can pair it with.

Photo credits for header image: @hendersonhorology (far left); @thewristyinvestor; @mineralwater112

Tudor Submariner paired with the RSM military strap

The Black Bay and Pelagos are two of Tudor’s main collections today, and they both descend from the historic Tudor Submariner, which was discontinued at the turn of the century. An antique such as this Tudor Submariner 94110, which @thechillseeker has accentuated with the RSM vintage military strap, can be identified by its retro details. Little features like the sizes of numbers and indices, along with various textures and finishes of the Tudor Submariner have changed and evolved over the decades and look starkly different from the consistent appearance of modern Tudor watches. Some have square indices while others have round ones. Most vintage Tudor Submariners also feature a date window at the 3 o’clock position, a function that is not found in current Black Bay and Pelagos collections, except the Black Bay GMT series.

Tudor Submariner paired with the RSM military strap

@mineralwater112, a prominent watch collector and seller, has attached his blue Tudor Sub to a blue RSM single-pass military strap. As captivating as the previous pairing, but this antique Tudor Submariner 94110 sure exudes a regal old-world feel, plus its markers have developed a unique patina.

Tudor Submariner paired with RSM engraved stripe strap and herringbone twill strap

You can consider contrasting the metallic and ceramic surfaces of the Tudor Sub with the patterns of the RSM stripe strap or herringbone twill strap too, as illustrated here by @slap_watch_nerds. The lume on these markers have patinaed too, but this subtle change in colour is a lot more prominent on the following watches’ dials.

Tudor Submariner paired with various RSM watch straps

Introduced in 1954, the Tudor Submariner was continually refined and improved upon by Tudor. Some of the most notable models from this famous Tudor series include the 94110 and 70160, which can both be seen in these photos. The above Instagrammers have chosen to emphasise the military-grade competencies of these renowned sports watches by pairing them with various RSM military straps and the RSM X-hatch strap.

Tudor 94010 paired with the RSM stripe strap

Among Tudor’s date window-less Subs, the most famous and popular model is a the 94010, which @mineralwater112 has combined with the RSM engraved stripe strap. What do you think? We love how the stripe of the strap matches the fluting of the unidirectional bezel, and markers of the dials and bezel.

Tudor Monte Carlo paired with the RSM stripe strap

You might remember the Tudor Monte Carlo. Check out how @thewristyinvestor matches this vintage ‘TV screen’ chrono with an RSM stripe strap with a similar colour palette. Besides complementing this dial that is nicknamed the ‘roulette dial’, this RSM strap’s racing stripe evokes the motor sports history of this 1970s chronograph.

Before you go, we'd like to share with you some truly riveting photos by @mineralwater112, who paired his rare Tudors with RSM military straps and stripe straps: