Tudor Tiger Chronograph

[Rainer]

Hi everyone,

I just found your great site today while searching for information about a Tudor Tiger Chronograph which I purchased via ebay. I hope there are some "veterans" of this website who may be able to help me. The watch I received looks great and all: case is solid, serial number is where it should be, the weight of the watch feels real, the face of the dial looks real, etc.

My few concerns is the feel of this watch when I move it. What I mean is when I move the watch side to side it has a wobbling feel, is this characteristic of the Tudor Chronos? My Tudor sub doesn't do that, so I am a bit worried. Another problem is this Tudor chrono is losing time as well, which means I should take it to a reputable watchmaker for them to take a look at it.

Any advise is most welcomed.

Sincerely,
Rainer

[dman]

Originally Posted by Rainer

Hi everyone,

I just found your great site today while searching for information about a Tudor Tiger Chronograph which I purchased via ebay. I hope there are some "veterans" of this website who may be able to help me. The watch I received looks great and all: case is solid, serial number is where it should be, the weight of the watch feels real, the face of the dial looks real, etc.

My few concerns is the feel of this watch when I move it. What I mean is when I move the watch side to side it has a wobbling feel, is this characteristic of the Tudor Chronos? My Tudor sub doesn't do that, so I am a bit worried. Another problem is this Tudor chrono is losing time as well, which means I should take it to a reputable watchmaker for them to take a look at it.

Any advise is most welcomed.

Sincerely,
Rainer

Welcome to TRF, we are glad that you found us.

Congrats on a very cool watch, one that I owned in the past and actually think about replacing one day. James, here, has one and likes it alot.

The feeling is the rotor wobble, something totally normal with watches that use the tried and very trusted Valjoux 7750. It actually adds a cool element to the watch if you ask me.

Congrats again and welcome to TRF.

[Gedanken]

Welcome aboard, Rainer!

Hmm, dunno about the wobble - my Tudor Chrono's a pre-Tiger and I believe the movements are different in the two models. However, if you are taking your watch for regulation, a competent watchmaker should be able to take a look at the movement and tell you if you've got the real deal. If there is a problem with the rotor, the watchmaker should be able to fix that too.

[dman]

Also, as far as the time, how much exactly? If you can track it say via time.gov for a week then you can decide. If it is enough that it is bothering you, just take it to a good watchmaker and tell them you want it as close to zero as they can do. With that movement, they should be able to get it pretty close.

Also depending on age, it may need a service.

[padi56]

Welcome to TRF Rainer like Daren has stated watches fitted with movements based on the Valjoux 7750 have the characteristic rotor wobble.This is perfectly normal its mainly because the rotor winds one way only.The 7750 can easily be tuned to COSC standards,and its a excellent movement in its own write.This movement or one of its derivatives, powers around 80% of all mechanical Chronos made today.And your Tudor Sub has a totaly different movement based on the ETA 2824-2T,and slightly modified to Rolex specifications.

[JJ Irani]

Hi Rainer,

Welcome to TRF.

Cheers - JJ

[mailman]

Hi Rainer and welcome to TRF Glad you found us. STick around and join in the fun. Can you post some oics of your Tudor? We love pics here.

[Rockrolex]

Welcome to TRF, Rainer. Glad you found your way over to our merry little madhouse.

Looks like your questions have been answered. Hope this helps. As others have said, the best way to know if you have the real deal is to take it to a competent watch repair person and let them open it up for a look under the hood.

If you do that, let us know how you fare. And do stick around and keep posting. We enjoy the company.

[Rainer]

Thank you to all who answered my query. You are definitely passionate about these beautiful instruments of time, I admire that. I'll take my watch to a competent watch repair shop and have them take a peek at it. In the meantime, I'll take a few photos (of both Tudors) to share with you guys.

[Gedanken]

I stand corrected - somehow I had assumed that later Tudor chronos stopped using the 7750 movement.

Anyway, I just had a go with my chrono, and while I wouldn't call it a wobble, the rotor's oscillation is certainly a lot more noticable than on my DateJust or Sea Dweller, and there's also a ratcheting sound - as the other guys have said, it's normal.

I bought my chrono second-hand, and just to be safe took it to another watchmaker who unscrewed the back and gave me the all clear after confirming that it was indeed a Rolex-modified 7750. It's really the only way to get peace of mind.

[Gedanken]

Originally Posted by Rainer

Thank you to all who answered my query. You are definitely passionate about these beautiful instruments of time, I admire that. I'll take my watch to a competent watch repair shop and have them take a peek at it. In the meantime, I'll take a few photos (of both Tudors) to share with you guys.

Yes, PHOTOS PLEASE!

Here's mine:

[Rockrolex]

Originally Posted by Gedanken

Yes, PHOTOS PLEASE!

Here's mine:

If Rolex can put a date on the Tudor, why can't they do that for the Daytona?

[Gedanken]

Ed, there you go again applying the presumption of common sense to Rolex SA!

[Rockrolex]

Originally Posted by Gedanken

Ed, there you go again applying the presumption of common sense to Rolex SA!

I don't know what got into me, James.

[Gedanken]

Now Ed, you gotta stop hanging about with that JJ fella - he's a bad influence.

[C.J.]

Welcome to TRF, Rainer Please, stay a while and enjoy the fun

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by Rockrolex

If Rolex can put a date on the Tudor, why can't they do that for the Daytona?

Hmmmm....maybe, maybe not....but it would definitely have to be without the cyclops.

On second thoughts...NOT...the Daytona looks a classic without the date; just like the Sub-ND and the Explorer 1.

JJ

[Rainer]

Hi to everyone again.

Just came back from a watchmaker (not sure how competent, but I'll take his word for it). He opened the case and in a thick Russian accent says, "It has the ETA 7750 movement, Swiss made, 25 jewels. A good watch, but not a Rolex." He goes to the back of his store comes back and says: "I also resealed the watch for you." I asked him how much for the service and he asks for $10. I also asked him about the watch losing time and he says not to touch it. So is he right or not?

[Gedanken]

Did he say why you shouldn't touch it? Unless there's some damage or wear to the movement, regulation should be a fairly straightforward job. How much time are you losing? That'll give you an indication if it needs a service or just a regulation.

As for the movement not being a Rolex, of course it's not a Rolex - it's a Valjoux that's simply been modified by Rolex to bring it up to their specifications. The movement should bear the Valjoux's usual signings. However, you should at least see Tudor markings (mostly engraved but in my case printed) on the rotor:



Oh, and by the way, my man Phil Gore, who's reputed to be one of the best watchmakers in Melbourne, popped my Tudor open and inspected it right on the spot for free. Still, ten quid isn't much to pay for peace of mind.

[Rainer]

The repair person just said not to touch it without a reason. In reality I wouldn't trust him touching the watch further than opening it and letting me know what movement it had. I agree about the $10 for the peace of mind, your picture is identical to what I saw in my watch. Please excuse my ignorance again, but is there a noted difference between ETA 7750 and the Valjoux movement? He told me it was the ETA 7750 movement.

The watch is a bit weird with the time loss. After I set it loses a minute per hour, then it doesn't lose much after that, perhaps a few more seconds for a whole day. I'll use the time.gov website to measure it a few more times. Hmmm.

Thanks again for your replies and advise.

[dman]

Originally Posted by Rainer

The repair person just said not to touch it without a reason. In reality I wouldn't trust him touching the watch further than opening it and letting me know what movement it had. I agree about the $10 for the peace of mind, your picture is identical to what I saw in my watch. Please excuse my ignorance again, but is there a noted difference between ETA 7750 and the Valjoux movement? He told me it was the ETA 7750 movement.

The watch is a bit weird with the time loss. After I set it loses a minute per hour, then it doesn't lose much after that, perhaps a few more seconds for a whole day. I'll use the time.gov website to measure it a few more times. Hmmm.

Thanks again for your replies and advise.

The difference is ETA now owns Valjoux. Hog wash on the don't fix it if it aint broke. Any good watchmaker can get that baby running within great time, unless it is due a full service.

[Rainer]

Gentlemen,

Many thank you(s) to all of you who've settle my doubts about this beautiful time instrument. I believe it's due for a full service (does anybody know about how much it'll cost me?) since I found out it's about 6-7 years old. I think I'll send it into Rolex/Tudor in New York City.

Here's a photo of it:

[Gedanken]

Well, we've got a few New Yorkers here who might be able to help you out with prices.

If you're trying to work out how slow your watch is running, just check it once every 24 hours. The watch will speed up and slow down in different positions, so it's best to just take a net reading at the end of the day. If you're JJ, you'll spend the week leaving the watch in one of a multitude of positions for 24 hours each, and take the timing.

It's interesting that you say it slows down the most in the first hour after setting it. Do you wind it when you set it? If you do, it could be a problem with the escapement's hairspring having too much give, so that when the main spring gives it plenty of power, it increases the escapement wheel's amplitude, resulting in slower beats (since it takes more time to swing back and forth). Once the mainspring winds down and doesn't swing the escapement wheel so far, it speeds up.

By the way, I admire your taste! I also prefer the 1-to-12 bezel because it gives me a multi-timezone function.

[padi56]

Any competent watchmaker could service your watch,and if any parts are wanted they are easily available.But before you think of a service try this first.Give your watch a full manual wind around 40 turns of the crown.Then set your watch with a reliable time source.Wear your watch if possible the same amount time each day for a week.And if you take it off a night rest it dial up,check the time daily with the same time source.If time keeping is way off its time for a service.Now for cost these are UK prices,Independent watchmaker full service £80 -£150,and if Rolex does it expect to pay double perhaps even a bit more.Automatic watches are generally more accurate that manual, because the main spring is kept fully tensioned,and being constantly wound by the movement of the wrist.