Tudor v's Rolex: how much more are you really getting?

Put a Tudor beside a Rolex and the conversation often turns straight to price. One costs considerably less. The other carries one of the most recognisable names in watchmaking. But what does the extra money actually buy?

The answer changes with the watches you compare. Sometimes the practical functions are remarkably close. Sometimes the materials make them very different propositions. And sometimes the deciding factor is simply which watch you want to put on your wrist each morning.

For this Friday’s feature, we have paired six Tudor models with six Rolex counterparts, looking at their functions, appearance, materials and prices. These are comparisons of purpose and appeal, rather than claims that each Tudor is a direct substitute for its Rolex neighbour.

Understanding the prices

Our retail figures are UK authorised-dealer RRPs where established for the selected variant. Where we could not establish a current exact-variant RRP, we use a clearly labelled historical retail benchmark.

The grey-market figures are selected asking-price examples for 2025-dated watches with box and papers, checked on 11 November 2026.

The difference shown is the asking price minus the retail benchmark, with the percentage calculated against that benchmark. It does not measure an owner’s investment return or depreciation since purchase. A published RRP also does not guarantee that an authorised dealer can supply the watch at that price.

1. The divers: Black Bay Monochrome vs Submariner

Tudor Black Bay Monochrome 7941A1A0NU, 41 mmRolex Submariner 124060, 41 mm

These two make a natural starting point. Both have black dials, black rotating dive bezels, steel bracelets and a clean, time-only display without a date window.

The Tudor combines a domed crystal and Snowflake hands with a black aluminium bezel insert. Its appearance has a softer, vintage-influenced character. The Rolex has crown guards and a glossy ceramic bezel insert, giving it a different finish and a more contemporary feel.

Both offer approximately 70 hours of power reserve. The Tudor is rated to 200 metres of water resistance; the Rolex to 300 metres. For many owners, either provides more capability than their everyday routine demands.

The materials deserve attention: the Tudor uses a steel case and bracelet, while the Rolex uses Oystersteel. Aluminium and ceramic also wear differently, so the bezel choice is about ownership preferences as well as appearance.

Watch	New AD RRP	2025 box-and-papers ask	Difference from retail
Black Bay Monochrome	£4,170	£3,149	£1,021 below / 24.5%
Submariner	£8,450	£10,499	£2,049 above / 24.2%

Our view: the Tudor makes a persuasive case on everyday capability and price. The Submariner’s design, finish and personal appeal may still justify the extra spend for you. Try both before deciding how much those differences matter.

2. The travellers: Black Bay GMT vs GMT-Master II Pepsi

Tudor Black Bay GMT 79830RB, 41 mmRolex GMT-Master II 126710BLRO on Jubilee, 40 mm

Both combine a date with a GMT display and an independently adjustable local hour hand: useful when travelling between time zones.

Their red-and-blue bezels create an obvious family resemblance, but the execution differs. The Tudor’s aluminium insert has muted burgundy and blue tones. The Rolex’s ceramic insert is glossier, while its Jubilee bracelet gives the watch a distinct look alongside the Tudor’s three-link bracelet.

The Tudor offers 200 metres of water resistance against the Rolex’s 100 metres. That does not settle the comparison, but it illustrates why a higher price should not automatically be read as more functionality in every category.

Watch	Retail benchmark	2025 box-and-papers ask	Difference from retail
Black Bay GMT	£4,120	£2,404 — archived	£1,716 below / 41.7%
GMT-Master II Pepsi	£10,050 — historical	£20,495 — archived	£10,445 above / 103.9%

Our view: if your priority is practical travel functionality, the Tudor deserves serious consideration. If the Rolex Pepsi is the watch you have always wanted, buying something else purely because it costs less may not satisfy that ambition. Be honest about which question you are trying to answer.

3. The explorers: Black Bay Pro vs Explorer II

Tudor Black Bay Pro 79470, 39 mmRolex Explorer II 226570, 42 mm

Fixed metal bezels, black dials and brightly coloured GMT hands give this pairing a purposeful appearance. The Tudor uses a yellow GMT hand; the Rolex uses orange.

Both provide a date and traveller GMT functionality. The Tudor has 200 metres of water resistance, while the Rolex has 100 metres.

The biggest practical distinction may be how they wear. The Black Bay Pro is smaller in diameter, but has a substantial case profile. The Explorer II has a wider case and a larger dial. A smaller diameter does not automatically mean a watch will feel less prominent on your wrist.

Both have steel bracelets and fixed metal bezels, with Rolex using Oystersteel for its case and bracelet.

Watch	New AD RRP	2025 box-and-papers ask	Difference from retail
Black Bay Pro	£3,980	£2,895 — archived	£1,085 below / 27.3%
Explorer II	£8,850	£7,999 — archived	£851 below / 9.6%

Our view: this is a pairing to judge on the wrist. Pay attention to thickness, balance and comfort as well as the diameter on the specification sheet.

4. The chronographs: Black Bay Chrono vs Cosmograph Daytona

Tudor Black Bay Chrono 79360N, 41 mmRolex Cosmograph Daytona 126500LN, 40 mm

An opaline Tudor and a white-dial Daytona make an attractive comparison, but their dial layouts and functions differ.

The Black Bay Chrono has two contrasting subdials and a date window. The Daytona has three subdials and no date, including a counter for elapsed hours. That distinction matters if you use the chronograph rather than simply enjoy its appearance.

The Tudor combines a steel case and bracelet with a black aluminium bezel insert. The Rolex pairs Oystersteel with a ceramic bezel. The Tudor’s 41 mm case and the Rolex’s 40 mm case also create different proportions on the wrist.

Watch	New AD RRP	2025 box-and-papers ask	Difference from retail
Black Bay Chrono	£5,370	£3,200 — archived	£2,170 below / 40.4%
Cosmograph Daytona	£14,050	£28,950	£14,900 above / 106.0%

These examples show a particularly wide gap, although they are individual listings with different condition descriptions and availability.

Our view: the Tudor is a compelling chronograph in its own right. The Daytona may be a long-held ambition. Decide whether you want a sports chronograph, or specifically a Daytona, before treating one as a replacement for the other.

5. The everyday watches: Black Bay 36 vs Oyster Perpetual 36

Tudor Black Bay 36 79640, anthracite dialRolex Oyster Perpetual 36 126000, navy-blue dial

This is one of the closest pairings for everyday functionality. Both are 36 mm, time-only watches with 100 metres of water resistance and approximately 70 hours of power reserve.

With no additional complication to separate them, the design details become especially important. The Tudor has Snowflake hands and a five-link bracelet. The Rolex uses baton markers and a three-link Oyster bracelet, with a domed bezel framing its blue dial.

The Tudor uses a steel case and bracelet; the Rolex uses Oystersteel. Both offer a straightforward format that can work across a wide range of daily settings.

Watch	Retail benchmark	2025 box-and-papers ask	Difference from retail
Black Bay 36	£3,680	£2,690 — archived	£990 below / 26.9%
Oyster Perpetual 36	£5,400 — historical	£7,950 — archived	£2,550 above / 47.2%

The Rolex benchmark relates to the selected older navy-blue variant. It should not be read as the current RRP for every Oyster Perpetual 36 dial.

Our view: choose the dial, bracelet and proportions you enjoy most. When the core functions are this similar, comfort and personal taste should carry considerable weight.

6. The day-date watches: Royal 41 vs Day-Date 40

Tudor Royal 28600, 41 mm, blue Roman-numeral dialRolex Day-Date 228238, 40 mm, champagne Roman-numeral dial

Both display the day and date, but this is the least direct comparison of the six.

The Royal combines a steel case, an integrated steel bracelet and a notched bezel. The Day-Date uses solid 18 ct yellow gold for its case and President bracelet, together with a fluted bezel. The material difference affects the price, weight and experience of wearing the watch.

There is also a power-reserve difference: approximately 38 hours for this Royal and 70 hours for the Day-Date.

The Tudor offers the convenience of a day-and-date display in a steel watch. The Rolex adds a very different precious-metal proposition. Similar calendar information does not make them equivalent products.

Watch	Retail benchmark	2025 box-and-papers ask	Difference from retail
Royal 41	£2,530 — historical	£2,150	£380 below / 15.0%
Day-Date 40	£42,100	£36,950 — archived	£5,150 below / 12.2%

Our view: the Royal deserves consideration for its own design and price. The Day-Date’s appeal includes its solid-gold construction and distinctive presence. Here, the difference goes well beyond the name on the dial.

What should you take from the comparison?

Tudor offers a great deal of practical capability at a lower purchase price. In several pairings, the everyday functions are similar enough that spending more will not necessarily give you more of what you actually use.

Rolex brings different designs, materials and an ownership appeal that some buyers value highly. Those preferences are personal. You do not have to justify them through a specification sheet, but it helps to understand what you are paying for.

The price examples also show why broad rules are unhelpful. Not every Rolex asks more than retail. A discount does not automatically make a Tudor the right purchase. And a premium does not establish that a watch will hold its value or rise in price.

Before buying, consider the exact reference, dial, bracelet, condition, provenance, warranty and seller. Box and papers matter, but they do not tell the whole story.

At 5and20to, our advice is straightforward: buy the watch you love, at a price that makes sense to you. If you are deciding between two watches, we are happy to talk through the differences and help you work out which fits your wrist, your lifestyle and your budget.

Explore our watches and services at 5and20to.co.uk, or get in touch to discuss what you are looking for.

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