Tudor Subs ETA movements question for watchmakers.

[Blackdog]

Considering that many Rolex/Tudor expert watchmakers are active in this sub-forum, I'll repost my question also here…

When did Tudor start to modify the ETA movements in their Submariners ?

I know that today they modify the 2824-2 with a different regulator (triovis ?) and a KIF shock absorber.

But I keep seeing pictures of mid-late 70s Subs' movements with the stock Etachron regulator, i.e. other than the decoration these would be stock ETA movements, right ?

When did they actually start to modify them ?
Thanks for any insight.

[Dan Pierce]

No idea, sorry. Wouldn't know a Etachron regulator if it bit me on the backside.
dP

[Blackdog]

Originally Posted by Dan Pierce

No idea, sorry. Wouldn't know a Etachron regulator if it bit me on the backside.
dP

Oh, believe me. If an Etachron regulator bites you on the backside you'll never forget it !!

I was gathering info on Tudor Sub movements since I was considering flipping my Blackbay for one of those.
But now I'm thinking I'll be going in a different direction: Tudor Oysterdate Chrono. Either BigBlock or early pre-Tiger (Rolex signed crown and caseback). Personally I'm liking the design of the pre-tigers a bit more and they seem to be a bit more affordable too.

You do own some of those, don't you ?

[breitlings]

I thought the old Tudors ran Rolex movements and new Tudors run ETAs. There may have been only in the USA though as they have only recently been reintroduced.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by breitlings

I thought the old Tudors ran Rolex movements and new Tudors run ETAs. There may have been only in the USA though as they have only recently been reintroduced.

Rolex began marketing the Tudor in the mid 40's with the idea to use third party movements (AS/Eterna, Grenchen for example, which merged with ETA in 1978) in order to provide quality watches at a lower cost, however, some of the early models did, indeed, use Rolex in-house movements..

[Blackdog]

Originally Posted by Tools

Rolex began marketing the Tudor in the mid 40's with the idea to use third party movements (AS/Eterna, Grenchen for example, which merged with ETA in 1978) in order to provide quality watches at a lower cost, however, some of the early models did, indeed, use Rolex in-house movements..

On a related topic, I read somewhere that the 2824 movement was actually commissioned to ETA by Rolex for their Tudor watches. Is there any truth to this ?

[breitlings]

Originally Posted by Blackdog

On a related topic, I read somewhere that the 2824 movement was actually commissioned to ETA by Rolex for their Tudor watches. Is there any truth to this ?

That's interesting I have an idea of someone who may know and I'll ask, however I don't think it was see here: http://www.chronometrie.com/eta2824/eta2824.html

the design seems completely un-rolex as well, although the 2892 is likely ETA's best movement and the 2824 is imo 2nd. There are very nice examples of 2892s by DD out there, one of my favorites the Blackbird has one in it which get close but are still quite far from Rolex movement imo.

[mrfreaz]

They started using a custom Trivolis Regulator towards the end of the Prince Submariner run, I believe around the late eighties. The advantage over the Etachron is that it's more resistant to getting knocked out of timing due to impacts. Harder to adjust though. The other big modification is the KIF shock absorber, which is what Rolex has always used instead of Incabloc. Also, the quick date change mechanism is faster, and begins changing about 11:55, and clicks over exactly at midnight.