This is part of a
larger post I wrote about all Tudor chronograph references, and the Small Block timeline was definitely the toughest to nail down given all the dial options and non-simultaneous changes throughout the run. I'm curious if this timeline looks right to you guys. Thanks for looking!
Small Block: 1995-2009ish, 40mm, automatic
Sapphire crystal, same movement with slightly better finishing, slimmer lugs than the Big Block.
Pre-Tiger: 1995-1998 (Originally labeled "Oysterdate" on the dial with Oyster bracelet only, and colorless dials that still resembled Big Blocks. 79260 debuted in 1995 and the other two bezel options came in 1996. In 1997, a leather strap option was added, and then two-tone models appeared as "Prince Date" replaced "Oysterdate." Colorful dials appear at the very end of the pre-Tiger run, most often on ref. 79280)
79260 Pre-Tiger - Black aluminum tachymeter bezel
79263 Pre-Tiger - Gold tachymeter bezel (two-tone)
79270 Pre-Tiger - Black 12-hour bezel
79273 Pre-Tiger - Gold 12-hour bezel (two-tone)
79280 Pre-Tiger - Steel tachymeter bezel
Tiger Woods era: 1998-2002 (Many colorful dials are offered, with the word "Tiger" now appearing. Blue, green, and burgundy dials have a guilloche pattern on the dial. By the end of 1998, the Prince bracelet had replaced the Oyster bracelet and Tudor branding had replaced Rolex branding on the crown and caseback. Polished lugs are now an option, indicated by a "P" in the model number, i.e. "79260P")
79260 Tiger - Black aluminum tachymeter bezel
79263 Tiger - Gold tachymeter bezel (two-tone)
79270 Tiger - Black or orange 12-hour bezel
79273 Tiger - Gold 12-hour bezel (two-tone)
79280 Tiger - Steel tachymeter bezel
Post-Tiger: 2002-2009ish (Tiger signed with TAG Heuer in 2002, at which point Tudor dropped the word "Tiger." They also dropped the 12-hour bezel, and the green and burgundy dials. Some
font changes occur to the Arabic numerals, and a slate dial is added while the blue dial loses the guilloche texture. Oyster bracelet option reinstated. Post-Tiger Small Blocks were seen in AD's in some places as late as 2010, though they were discontinued in most of the world several years before that.)
79260 Post-Tiger - Black aluminum tachymeter bezel
79263 Post-Tiger - Gold tachymeter bezel (two-tone)
79280 Post-Tiger - Steel tachymeter bezel