The 41mm Tudor Ranger was created during Tudor’s awkward teen years. It was a fantastic watch with a ton of potential but many would tell you that it was too big. The same went for many of Tudor’s other watches at the time. The 41mm Black Bay suffered from the same large case sizes, albeit much thicker than the Ranger. The case sizes of these two watches probably held the watches back from reaching their full potential, with the Black Bay still finding ways to charm fans.
The Ranger couldn’t quite hit the mark with fans of the Explorer-style watch. The large dial size and thin bezel made the watch feel larger on the wrist than it needed to. It was still one of my favorite fixed bezel watches when I reviewed it back in late 2020. Almost every comment on that review said something to the effect of, “if only it was smaller I would buy it in a heartbeat.” Tudor heard you and it’s time to put your money where your mouth is.
Scaled Down
I’m fairly confident that Tudor read all the comments on my Instagram posts and review of the 41mm Ranger while they were making the new version. At least, that’s what I will tell myself. Today, Tudor introduced reference # M79950, also known as the Tudor Ranger 39mm.
The new Ranger brings almost everything fans of the Ranger wanted in a smaller size watch. A clean dial, a proper fitted bracelet (the 41mm had straight end links), and the obvious 2mm reduction in case size. The 39mm Ranger also packs in a Tudor calibre MT5402 which is a chronometer-certified movement. This is the same no-date movement that powers the Black Bay 58. I’m not surprised at the movement inside as much as I am that Tudor has taken a polar opposite approach to the dial when compared to the Black Bay 58 or Pelagos. Nowhere on the dial does it indicidate that this is a CHRONOMETER OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED watch and I’m here for it. The clean look is perfect for this style of watch. With that said, I wish they kept the rose logo instead of the Tudor shield, but beggers can’t be choosers.
Tudor Ranger 39mm Specs | |
Case Width 39mm | Lug-to-Lug 47.7mm |
Case Thickness 11mm | Lug Width 20mm |
Water Resistance 100m | Strap Bracelet |
Crystal Sapphire | Lume Yes |
Movement Tudor Calibre MT5402 | Price $3,050 |
Not much else has changed from the 41mm Ranger beyond the things listed above. It gains the T-Fit clasp (Tudor, I know you listen to me. Make one for the Black Bay 58. Thanks) which I’ve heard is fantastic. There is a small reduction in water resistance from 150m to 100m, but with the screw down crown, I don’t see this as anything to write home about.
The two biggest things for me are that the dial elements are kept the same (hands, markets, etc) and the fact that this barely carries a premium over the 41mm Ranger (when it was available). The 41mm Ranger retailed for around $2,900 and the new 39mm variant is $3,050. In the current climate of rapid inflation and increasing costs everywhere, I’m happy Tudor kept this around $3,000. Combined with the fact that this is a standard production watch and not a limited edition, these should be readily available for under $3,000 once the hype dies down.
If you’ve been missing the 39mm Rolex Explorer, wanted a smaller Tudor Ranger, or have just been looking for the perfect Explorer-style watch that won’t cost an arm and a leg, Tudor has answered your prayers. The 39mm Tudor Ranger is available starting today although it will likely be difficult to get until production and demand are in sync.
More info is available on the Tudor website here
