Tudor Heritage Chrono

Highlights

• Retro chronographs with colorful designs
• First-rate craftsmanship
• Robust and reliable technology
• Affordable prices

Tudor Heritage Chrono – Retro Watches with Stopwatch Functionality

The Heritage Chrono luxury watch series introduced in 2010 pays homage to the early Oysterdate chronographs from the Swiss manufacturer Tudor. Brought to market in the early 1970s, these early sports watches with stopwatch capabilities had multi-color dials reminiscent of roulette wheels, earning them the nickname "Montecarlo".

Like their historic predecessors, the current models have colorful dials, two subdials, and a date display at 6 o'clock. Thanks to the bidirectional rotating bezel with a 12-hour scale, this timepiece also functions as a GMT watch and can display a second time zone. The 2013 Heritage Chrono Blue (Ref. 70330B) with blue accents is especially highly coveted. Versions with gray-black or black-gray dial designs are also available. Every version has eye-catching orange accents that underline their vintage look.

Tudor decided on the ETA caliber 2892 to power the Heritage Chrono and equipped it with a chronograph module. This movement has a 42-hour power reserve with automatic winding. If you're looking for a Tudor chronograph with more stamina, you should take a closer look at the Black Bay Chrono from the Black Bay series. Thanks to its in-house movement MT5813, this watch has a power reserve of 70 hours. A certificate from the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute is a testament to the in-house movement's accuracy.

How much does a Tudor Heritage Chrono cost?

You can purchase a new chronograph from the Tudor Heritage Chrono line for around 3,000 euros. Pre-owned models cost a few hundred euros less at around 2,700 euros. The Heritage Chrono Blue is somewhat more expensive. It costs about 3,200 euros new and 2,900 euros pre-owned. A complete Tudor Heritage Chrono set includes an additional textile band in addition to the three-piece link metal bracelet. Compared to prices for vintage models from the 1970s, which often sell for over 15,000 euros, the current models are quite affordable.

The Tudor Heritage Chrono's Design

When you see a watch from the Tudor Heritage Chrono line, you will likely first notice the colorful design of the dial. Common to all models, the orange stop seconds hand catches the eye and enhances the watch's vintage feel. The most noticeable differences come in the different dial color schemes. You have the choice of a gray and black, a black and gray, or a light gray and blue design. The latter version, also known as the Heritage Chrono Blue, has vibrant blue subdials at 9 and 3 o'clock. The same color is found around the edge of the dial and on the bezel. The orange numerals for the minutes stand out against the blue background. Tudor opted for rectangular indices as the hour markers while choosing a rod shape for the hour and minute hands.

The other versions with gray-black and black-gray dial designs feature pentagonal hour markers, which recall the first reference numbers from the 1970s. The dial of the current reference number 70330N-0001 is largely gray with a white minutes scale, a black dial edge, and subdials with a black background. In contrast, the counters and dial edge of reference number 70330N-0002 are gray while a majority of the dial is black. The area between five and ten minutes on the subdial at 9 o'clock is highlighted with orange in both versions. A small date display is located at 6 o'clock and fits in seamlessly with the dial's design. In contrast to the historic models, Tudor decided to do without a Cyclops lens over the date display for the current watches in the Heritage Chrono collection.

The 42-mm stainless steel case of the Tudor Heritage Chrono is water resistant to 150m (15 bar) and satin-brushed on top and polished on the flanks and edges. Since the pushers are screw-down like the crown, the chronograph cannot unintentionally be started. The ridged crown is protected from impacts thanks to a crown protector. The three-piece link stainless steel bracelet is satin-brushed and polished on the sides, which matches perfectly with the case. The watch is relatively tall at 13 mm.