Tudor Snowflake

The Tudor Snowflake represents the second generation of Submariner models released by this Swiss luxury watch manufacturer. Tudor introduced two versions of this diving watch in the late 1960s: the ref. 7016 with a date at 3 o'clock and the ref. 7021 with no date. Both were available with a blue or black dial. These models remained in production until the mid-1970s when they were replaced by the refs. 9401 and 9411.

Other than a few small changes to the ETA caliber, very little separates the two more recent references. They share square indices and snowflake hands, traits that set Tudor diving watches apart to this day. Tudor ceased production of the Submariner Snowflake in 1980.

Tudor supplied several clients with these timepieces, including the French navy, who truly put the watches to the test. Impressed by its performance, the French military decided to issue this tool watch to their soldiers as part of their standard equipment. While the Submariner Snowflake is – at its heart – a diving watch, it is also elegant enough to wear to occasions both casual and formal. The case measures 39 mm in diameter and is !{lex waterresistance,water-resistant} to 200 m (20 bar, 656 ft).

At Baselworld 2011, Tudor reintroduced their iconic snowflake hands with the release of the Heritage Black Bay collection. However, instead of squares, these timepieces feature dot indices, as seen on every Rolex Submariner since 1954.

Tudor launched the refs. 7016 and 7021 in 1969. This marked the first time Tudor replaced their rose logo with the now-familiar shield on the dial. It was also the first time Tudor used new ETA calibers, setting aside the older caliber 390. The caliber 2483 powers the version without a date, while the caliber 2484 ticks away inside the model with a date display.

The cases are 39 mm in diameter and have an official depth rating of 200 m (29 bar, 656 ft); however, due to their age, you should have your watch's water resistance tested and confirmed by a qualified watchmaker. Thanks to their drilled lugs, changing the band is a breeze. Flat {lex-acrylic,acrylic} glass protects the dial. The ref. 7021 also includes a magnifying lens above the date display.

Tudor originally mounted these timepieces on the iconic Oyster bracelet. Today, you'll find Snowflake models on the original bracelet, as well as on replacement bands made of some other material. Then as now, those with a date display demand higher prices than the no-date models. While you can purchase a well-maintained 7016 for as little as 8,700 USD, the 7021 with a date sells for around 11,000 USD.

In the mid-1970s, Tudor replaced the ref. 7016 with the ref. 9401 and the ref. 7021 with the ref. 9411. Their power comes from the ETA calibers 2776 (no date) and 2784 (date). Unlike the previous editions, these movements boast a stop-seconds mechanism, enabling the wearer to set the time to the exact second. Otherwise, these two models are nearly identical to their predecessors.

Tudor produced four different variants of this watch. First were the blue or black versions with snowflake indices and hands. The other two options have the same color schemes but feature dot and triangle indices paired with Mercedes hands. The latter bear a particularly strong resemblance to the Rolex Submariner and, strictly speaking, aren't true Snowflakes despite their name.

No matter which model you choose, it will have a 39-mm stainless steel Oyster case. While most watches were paired with the classic Rolex Oyster bracelet, some also came with the Fliplock extension system. Prices for the 9401 sit around 10,500 USD, and the ref. 9411 costs about 8,900 USD.

If you prefer dot indices and Mercedes hands, be prepared to spend at least 7,600 USD for the no-date model and 8,700 USD for the version with a date display.