138 Tudor An appreciated and sough-after Tudor Monte Carlo reference 7169/0 in stainless steel with date, caseback sticker and Rolex Oyster bracelet

Estimate: € 10,000 –⁠ 20,000

Sold € 16,900

Model: Montecarlo
Material: Stainless steel
Reference N°: 7169/0
Case N°: 826932
Caliber: 234
Bracelet: Stainless steel
Dimensions: 40
Signed: Dial, Case and movement
Accessories: sticker

The brand Tudor was introduced by Rolex around 1945 with the aim of supplying high quality watches at affordable prices: even if Rolex has never made public its connection to Tudor, it however supplied, amongst other parts, the Oyster cases, crowns and movements. At the beginning of its history, the symbol used by the brand was the Tudor rose until around 1960 when it was replaced by the shield which is still in use to date.
This Tudor chronograph offered here is the reference 7169, the model known as the Monte Carlo. The Monte Carlo exemplifies 1970s style and was part of the first series of chronographs made by Tudor and nowadays, it’s considered as a real icon of 1970s design and amongst the firm’s most popular models. Launched in 1974, reference 7169/0 is the incarnation of the prototype 7033/0 but now supplied with a bidirectional rotating blue bezel calibrated for 12-hour graduation to tell the time in a second time zone. Going a bit against the standard production of Rolex which supplied watches of 36 mm in diameter, Tudor was pushing the envelope by creating chronographs fitted in 40 mm which even today is a very contemporary size. This creation has an avant-gardist design: the striking grey dial, the sunken blue registers with orange accents and black/yellow indexes is a mix of bright color which gives vivacity and movement and a whimsical caprice of retro colors which exude an unmissable aura of 1970s flair. The stainless steel case with screw down pushers and crown is nice and fresh together with Oyster bracelet. With this varied and colorful “exotic” dials, these watches have become extremely popular amongst collectors and this lot, in this condition, is one of those which must be taken into account, in what better place than this: Monte-carlo !