Since the 1950s, TUDOR has supplied divers watches to navies around the world, a testament to their exceptional robustness and reliability. This philosophy lives on in the current collection.

In 1954, TUDOR's first divers watch was created for the professional divers of the rapidly expanding world of scuba diving. It was born as a wristwatch that offered reliability, robustness, and precise timekeeping underwater. Since then, TUDOR established itself as a supplier of watches to the world's navies, delivering divers watches of solid quality and pioneering spirit.

The story of TUDOR and the navy began in 1956. That year, the French Navy began trials with the TUDOR Oyster Prince Submariner (Ref. 7922). Once its performance was recognized, it was soon officially adopted. During rigorous field tests, the French Navy's next requirement was for a 200-meter water resistance.

To meet this requirement, improvements were made, leading to the birth of a new Oyster Prince Submariner (Ref. 7924), affectionately known as the "Big Crown." The French Navy continued to adopt various models (Ref. 7928, 7016) and use them in demanding missions.

Among the divers watches supplied to the French Navy, the most famous is the blue-dial Submariner (Ref. 9401). Its hour hand, featuring the design known as "Snowflake," was developed to ensure visibility when diving in darkness.

The case back is engraved with "MN" (Marine Nationale), the initials of the French Navy, along with the year of supply (those supplied in 1977 are marked "MN77"). The watches were delivered to the military without bracelets. It appears they were used with black fabric straps made within the French Navy, or sometimes with straps made from parachute material. Subsequently, TUDOR's Submariner was standard issue until the mid-1980s, with supplies continuing into the early 2000s.

TUDOR's relationship with the U.S. Navy began with the TUDOR Oyster Prince Submariner (Ref. 7924) supplied in the late 1950s. The model most closely associated with them is the subsequent Ref. 7928. Equipped with the automatic Calibre 390, this model evolved through several refinements into one with distinctive crown guards and dial design. It was adopted by various units, including the U.S. Navy's special forces, the Navy SEALs.

In the late 1970s, the U.S. Navy began adopting models with "Snowflake" hands (Ref. 7016, 9401, 9411). Similar to the French Navy, straps were provided by the military to personnel and were designed to also accommodate a compass or thermometer worn on the wrist.

However, while various types of engravings exist on the case backs of models supplied to the U.S. Navy, they were not marked with the year of supply as they were for the French Navy.

An untold connection between TUDOR and the U.S. Navy involves a project known as "Commando." Initiated in 1967, this endeavor aimed to develop a successor model to the then-current Ref. 7928. This new wristwatch needed to meet standards set by the U.S. government, and through the latest research, ergonomic functionality was incorporated, drawing on the ingenuity of engineers. Consequently, a prototype with a crown at the 4 o'clock position was completed, and its innovative bezel functionality was patented. However, this prototype was ultimately not adopted as a standard model.

The Royal Canadian Navy also shares a long-standing connection with TUDOR. Adopting the Ref. 7928 in the 1960s, it continued to be supplied until the 1980s. Concurrently, models featuring "Snowflake" hands were adopted during the 1960s and 70s. However, for collectors, the models that might come to mind in relation to the Canadian Navy could be those with triangular hour markers, such as the Ref. 76100 and 79090.

At the southern tip of the Americas, the Argentine Navy also has a history of adopting TUDOR watches, starting with what is known as the "Big Crown" in the late 1950s. The letters "ARA" engraved on the case back are an abbreviation for Armada de la República Argentina, meaning Argentine Navy in Spanish. Subsequently, successor models such as Ref. 7928, 7016, and 9411 were adopted.

Furthermore, navies from various other countries, including Italy, South Africa, and Jamaica, adopted TUDOR divers watches. All these facts serve as proof of the reliability of TUDOR's professional divers watches.