Rolex vs Tudor: how they differ and which to buy
Rolex and Tudor come from the same group, but Tudor costs far less (from £2,680 for a Royal 36 at Goldsmiths) and is generally available without a wait. Rolex is the more expensive, more finished watch, sold new only in person and often with a waiting list.
By The Watch Sorted desk · Updated 6 November 2026
Photo: Watch Sorted
Tudor models and UK prices
UK prices: Goldsmiths, 6 Nov 2026. Prices change; the dealer's page has today's.
Tudor Royal 36
36mm · steel
Why it's here. The Royal is Tudor's dressier everyday line: a steel watch on a steel bracelet, priced from £2,680 for the 36mm at Goldsmiths. It is the cheapest Tudor on our list and the most obviously 'smart' of them.
- Best for:
- Office wear and people who want a polished steel watch rather than a tool watch.
- The catch:
- We couldn't confirm the movement and water resistance for this generation of the Royal from a source we trust, so we've left them out; ask the dealer before you buy if either matters to you.
- Look at instead:
- Rolex Datejust, the Rolex dress-sports classic.
Tudor Ranger 39
39mm · steel · 100m water resistance · Automatic, Calibre MT5402, power reserve 70 hours · sapphire crystal
Why it's here. The plainest watch in Tudor's range and, for many people, the most useful one. A 39mm steel case, a clean black dial with 3-6-9 numerals, 100m of water resistance and a manufacture movement with a 70-hour reserve, so it survives a weekend off the wrist. At £2,850 it is the cheapest way into Tudor's in-house movements at that size.
- Best for:
- One watch for everything: office, weekend, holidays, rough use.
- The catch:
- There's no rotating bezel and no date, and the design is deliberately sparse; if you want a watch that looks expensive across a room, this isn't it.
- Look at instead:
- Rolex Explorer, its Rolex counterpart.
Tudor Black Bay 54 (bracelet)
37mm · 11.2mm thick · steel · 200m water resistance · Automatic, Calibre MT5400, power reserve 70 hours · sapphire crystal
Why it's here. A 37mm reading of Tudor's first diver from 1954, with a plain steel case, a 200m rating and the MT5400 movement with a 70-hour reserve. It is only 11.2mm thick, so it slides under a cuff, and it wears smaller than most dive watches on sale. £3,690 on the bracelet, £3,490 on the rubber strap.
- Best for:
- Smaller wrists, and anyone who wants a diver that doesn't look like equipment.
- The catch:
- No date, and some people find 37mm too small once it's on. It is also cheaper than the Black Bay 58 (£3,690 against £4,070) for a reason: a slightly simpler, more vintage watch.
- Look at instead:
- Tudor Black Bay 58, two millimetres larger, the classic size.
Tudor Pelagos FXD
42mm · titanium · 200m water resistance · Automatic, Calibre MT5602, power reserve 70 hours · sapphire crystal · one-piece fabric strap on fixed bars
Why it's here. A tool watch built with the French Navy: a 42mm titanium case with fixed strap bars, so the one-piece fabric strap can't fall off, a 200m rating and the MT5602 movement. Titanium makes it much lighter than the steel watches here, and at £3,680 it is fair value for what it is.
- Best for:
- Swimming, sailing, outdoor work and people who forget they're wearing a watch.
- The catch:
- The fixed bars mean only single-piece straps fit, and there's no bracelet option. At 42mm it is the largest Tudor on most of our lists.
- Look at instead:
- Tudor Pelagos 39, titanium on a bracelet, three millimetres smaller.
Tudor Black Bay 58 (bracelet)
39mm · 11.9mm thick · steel · 200m water resistance · Automatic, Calibre MT5402, power reserve 70 hours · sapphire crystal
Why it's here. The watch that made Tudor a default recommendation. 39mm wide and 11.9mm thick, 200m water resistance, the MT5402 movement with a 70-hour reserve, and gilt details taken from Tudor's 1958 'Big Crown' diver. It is one of the most balanced dive watches under £5,000: £4,070 on the bracelet, £3,870 on rubber.
- Best for:
- A first serious dive watch that will also do office and evening.
- The catch:
- It is everywhere, so it isn't a watch for standing out. There's no date, and the gold-toned details aren't to everyone's taste.
- Look at instead:
- Rolex Submariner, the watch it's most often compared with.
Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT
39mm · steel · Automatic GMT, Calibre MT5450-U
Why it's here. The Black Bay 58 with a second time zone: a 24-hour hand and bezel for home time when you're away, in the same 39mm case. At £4,400 it is the cheapest way to get a Tudor manufacture GMT in the smaller size.
- Best for:
- Frequent travellers and anyone who works with another time zone.
- The catch:
- We couldn't confirm its water resistance and power reserve from a source we trust, so they aren't listed; the coloured bezel is also a stronger look than the plain Black Bay 58.
- Look at instead:
- Rolex GMT-Master II, the Rolex equivalent.
Tudor Pelagos 39
39mm · titanium · 200m water resistance · Automatic, Calibre MT5400, power reserve 70 hours · sapphire crystal · titanium bracelet
Why it's here. A 39mm titanium diver on a titanium bracelet, rated to 200m, with the MT5400 movement and a 70-hour reserve. It weighs much less than a steel Black Bay of the same size and has a cleaner, more modern look. £4,410 at Goldsmiths.
- Best for:
- Someone who wants a light, low-fuss diver to wear every day.
- The catch:
- Titanium scratches more easily than steel and has a greyer colour, and the matt finish isn't for everyone. It costs more than the Black Bay 58 on its bracelet (£4,410 against £4,070).
- Look at instead:
- Tudor Black Bay 58, in polished steel with a vintage look.
Side by side
| Model | Size | Water resistance | Movement / power reserve | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tudor Royal 36 | 36mm | – | – | £2,680 |
| Tudor Ranger 39 | 39mm | 100m | Automatic, Calibre MT5402, 70 hours | £2,850 |
| Tudor Black Bay 54 (bracelet) | 37mm | 200m | Automatic, Calibre MT5400, 70 hours | £3,690 |
| Tudor Pelagos FXD | 42mm | 200m | Automatic, Calibre MT5602, 70 hours | £3,680 |
| Tudor Black Bay 58 (bracelet) | 39mm | 200m | Automatic, Calibre MT5402, 70 hours | £4,070 |
| Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT | 39mm | – | Automatic GMT, Calibre MT5450-U | £4,400 |
| Tudor Pelagos 39 | 39mm | 200m | Automatic, Calibre MT5400, 70 hours | £4,410 |
A dash means we haven't confirmed that figure for this exact model, so we've left it out. Prices: Goldsmiths, 6 Nov 2026.
Looking for a Rolex instead
Same group, different brands
Hans Wilsdorf founded Rolex and later Tudor, and both belong to the same group today. For decades Tudor used bought-in movements in Rolex-style cases; today it designs its own watches and makes its own Manufacture calibres, such as the MT5813 in the Black Bay Chrono.
How they differ
Price: Tudor's range here runs from £2,680 to £6,030 at Goldsmiths. Rolex costs considerably more; we don't quote new Rolex prices, as they are sold only in person. Availability: Tudors can generally be bought or ordered; popular Rolex steel models usually mean a wait. Finish: Rolex uses its own steel alloy and more elaborate finishing, bracelets and clasps.
Design: they look related but not identical. Tudor's Black Bay is vintage-inspired, with the snowflake hands; Rolex's sports watches are more polished and refined.
Who each suits
Tudor suits someone who wants a Swiss watch from the Rolex stable now, at a few thousand pounds. Rolex suits someone set on the name and prepared to wait at a dealer or pay more for Certified Pre-Owned.
Servicing
A mechanical watch wants a full service every several years: it is taken apart, cleaned, re-oiled, regulated and pressure-tested. Use the brand's own service centre or a dealer that sends it there, ask for the current price list before you commit, and keep the paperwork with the watch: a service history helps if you ever sell it.
Both brands' authorised dealers take watches in for servicing by the brand.
Side by side: what you get for the money
On paper the gap is smaller than the price suggests: both brands make their own movements, both give five years of warranty, and both build watches to be serviced for decades. The real differences are finishing, availability and what the watch is worth when you sell it.
- Movements: both make their own; Rolex's current calibres and Tudor's MT54xx family both run about 70 hours.
- Steel: Rolex uses its own 904L-grade alloy; Tudor uses 316L, the industry standard.
- Warranty: five years from both, from an authorised dealer.
- Availability: Tudors can generally be bought or ordered; popular steel Rolexes usually mean a wait.
- Resale: popular Rolexes hold their value better than any Tudor; most Tudors sell for less than new.
- Price: the cheapest Tudor here is £2,680 at Goldsmiths; a new Rolex costs considerably more (we don't quote new Rolex prices).
When the Rolex is worth it
If you want one watch for life, care about the name, and are prepared to wait or pay more for Certified Pre-Owned, the Rolex is the more finished object and the one that tends to hold its value. If you want a Swiss watch from the same stable now, and would rather spend the difference on something else, a Tudor gives you most of the experience for a fraction of the price.
Model by model
The Tudors aren't copies: they share an outline with their Rolex counterparts and then go their own way, often with more vintage-inspired details. See how to buy a Rolex for the Rolex models' specs.
- Tudor Black Bay 58 (£4,070) and the Rolex Submariner: both steel divers; the Tudor is 39mm with a vintage look, the Submariner 41mm with a ceramic bezel.
- Tudor Ranger 39 (£2,850) and the Rolex Explorer: both plain field watches with 3-6-9 dials.
- Tudor Royal 36 (£2,680) and the Rolex Datejust: the dressier everyday watches.
- Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT (£4,400) and the Rolex GMT-Master II: second-time-zone sports watches.
- Tudor Pelagos 39 (£4,410): titanium, with no direct Rolex equivalent.
Finishing and feel
Pick up a Rolex and a Tudor and the difference is mostly in the details: the finishing of the case edges, the bracelet's clasp and adjustment, and the dial printing. Rolex's clasps generally have more elaborate adjustment systems. Both are built to last decades with servicing.
New or pre-owned?
Pre-owned changes the sums. A pre-owned Rolex can cost more than new because of the wait; a pre-owned Tudor usually costs less. If you're set on Rolex and don't want to wait, Certified Pre-Owned from an authorised dealer is the safe route. See how to buy a Rolex for the checklist.
Our pre-owned guide → · Pre-owned Rolex Submariner · Pre-owned Rolex Datejust 36 · Pre-owned Rolex Datejust 41 · Pre-owned Rolex GMT-Master II · Pre-owned Rolex Explorer · Pre-owned Rolex Explorer II · Pre-owned Tudor Black Bay 58 · Pre-owned Tudor Black Bay
Rather spend under £1,000?
These Rolex alternatives and automatic watches from our catalogue cost a fraction of either brand, with today's prices.
Questions
Is a Tudor just a cheap Rolex?
No. Tudor shares the founder and the group, but it designs its own watches and makes its own movements. It is a separate brand at a lower price.
Which Tudor is most like a Rolex?
The Black Bay 58 (£4,070 on the bracelet) and the Royal are the closest in feel; none is a copy of a Rolex model.
Can I buy a Tudor without a waiting list?
Generally yes, from authorised dealers such as Goldsmiths, Mappin & Webb and Beaverbrooks.
How much is a Rolex?
We don't show new Rolex prices: they are sold only in person and the authorised dealer will give you the current UK price.
Is Tudor made in the same factory as Rolex?
No. Tudor has its own manufacture in Le Locle, Switzerland. The two brands share the same owner and history, not the same production line.
Which is better value, Rolex or Tudor?
Tudor, if value means watch for the money at retail. Rolex, if it means holding value over time, for the popular steel models. Which matters more depends on whether you'll ever sell.
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