Sometimes a watch appears so miraculous, so serendipitously molded by the forces of time that it doesn’t matter what the name is on the dial, or the creator of the case, because the beauty of each element together is so resplendent and sublime it erases their meaning. Such is the case with this Tudor Submariner reference 7928 with a uniquely aged glossy, gilt dial.

The first Tudor Submariner was the reference 7922, first produced in 1954, followed by the introduction of the reference 7928 beginning in 1959. The ref. 7928 introduced crown guards for Tudor’s Submariners, much as the ref. 5512 did for Rolex. Four generations of Tudor crown guard cases exist for the reference 7928: in order of appearance, Mark I or “square” crown guards, Mark II or “ Eagle Beak” crown guards, Mark III or “PCG” crown guards - as found on the present watch, and Mark IV or rounded crown guards. The dials feature a gilt chapter ring and gilt text printed in relief showing through the black gloss paint. Unlike the Rolex Submariners, which all feature straight lines of text, Tudor Submariners feature a curved line of text for “Self-Winding” which adds an element of charm to the dial, alongside the Tudor rose and Gothic typology. Fitted with a riveted Rolex C&I bracelet indicating manufacture in the United States, the watch correspondingly bears the ‘ROW’ designation stamped on the movement, indicating it was exported to the United States. The faded grey “Long 5” bezel insert is similarly correct for the watch, and the wide chamfers on the lugs indicate a watch that may have seen wear but not a polishing wheel.

The deep “dulce de leche” hue of the dial, attractively and evenly spotted throughout like glimmering stars, is the main attraction of this wristwatch. Other similarly aged examples have been seen in the scholarship across reference 7928s of this era, but not many have surfaced with this level of balanced tropicalization, where all the further components of the watch are harmoniously correct and in peak condition.