Tudor
submariner meter first - lollipop tritium

Vintage diving watch — Tudor Submariner Diver Watch 7928 “The Rose Smiley” from 1967, featuring its original riveted Oyster bracelet signed by Rolex. This Submariner model, known as the "exclamation point," is the first Tudor Submariner to feature the Tudor rose, symbol of the British royal lineage, on its dial. Equipped with an automatic mechanical movement, calibre 390 with 17 jewels, a black dial with silver inscriptions and gilt indices, rotating bezel — this is a watch emblematic of Tudor’s 1970s era. In excellent condition, it is often seen as a highlight of any serious Tudor-themed collection. Introduced in the early 1960s, this model is an evolution of the Tudor Submariner line that first launched in 1954 with reference 7922. The Tudor 7928 is especially notable for its strong ties to the history of professional and military diving watches, as well as its classic, rugged aesthetic.

The Tudor Submariner line began in 1954 with reference 7922, a model water-resistant to 100m with a screw-down crown and caseback. In 1959, reference 7928 pushed the diving depth rating to 200m and introduced crown guards. The 1967 Tudor Submariner 7928 featured here is one of the last produced in this configuration, before moving on to crown guards with a triangular shape and dials with matte finishes and white inscriptions.

The 7928 reference was introduced in 1960 and remained in production until 1968. It succeeded the earlier Tudor Submariner 7924, also known as the "Big Crown". The 7928 was one of the first Tudor models to feature crown guards, which would become a standard in dive watch design to protect the crown from impacts and damage. The Tudor 7928 features a 39mm stainless steel case — a classic size for the era — offering a good balance between readability and wrist comfort. It comes with a unidirectional bezel for tracking dive time, with an aluminium insert and a matte black dial, often featuring tritium-painted luminous markers for excellent legibility underwater.

Unlike Rolex Submariners which used in-house movements, the Tudor 7928 is powered by the ETA Calibre 390, a 17-jewel automatic movement, modified by Tudor. It retains its original riveted bracelet with Rolex-signed folding clasp, along with the caseback and crown also signed Rolex. It features Mercedes hands, a dial naturally tropicalized by UV exposure, a domed plexiglass crystal, and crown guards. This movement is renowned for its reliability and ease of maintenance, making it an ideal choice for a dive watch built for harsh conditions. The 7928 was the first Tudor Submariner to feature crown guards — a key design evolution that improved impact protection and water resistance, further boosting its durability in diving operations.

The Tudor Submariner 7928 was water-resistant to 200 meters (660 feet), meeting the professional diving standards of its time. This capability earned Tudor the trust of military units and professional divers alike. Today, due to its age, this watch should no longer be used for diving.

The Tudor 7928 is now extremely difficult to find, given the low production numbers and its primarily American market distribution. For reference, the number of Rolex Submariner 5513 models — already considered rare — appearing at auction over the past 20 years is ten times higher. The 7928 also became famous for its adoption by various military forces worldwide, including the French Navy (MN) and the U.S. Navy. These watches were often ordered in large quantities to equip combat swimmers and clearance divers, thanks to their proven robustness and reliability. Military versions were frequently marked with engravings on the caseback, such as "M.N." followed by the service year.

Explore unique stories about the Submariner on our watch history page, and dive into brand history on our Brand History page, where you’ll find articles on Tudor’s evolution and iconic models.

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