Before You Buy the Tudor Ranger - All Versions Featured

Tuner tends to come out of the blue and drop a new model in select pockets of the year. And during Dubai Watch Week 2025, they surprised us again with an extension to their nononsense Ranger collection. Not only did we get a new 36mm case size that brings the Ranger closer to its vintage roots, but it's now available in a new matte beige dial that the brand calls Dune White. The 36 millm variant joins the 39mm model already in the catalog with the larger case size also gaining the dune white dial, bringing the lineup to a total of four versions when you're not including the different straps and bracelet options. Now, I have all four of them in hand for review. The Ranger serves as the entry point for tutor watches featuring manufactured calibers as well as the gateway into that seemingly contradictory category known as luxury tool watches. And that's one I know some people might be squirming at just the concept of, but for context, the Ranger is a prominent figure in Tutor history. A descendant of the 1950s Tutor Oyster Prince reference 7909. The Oyster Prince Ranger was introduced in the 1960s and first listed in the catalog in 1969, remaining in production until 1988. It was the 34mm reference 79.95 that established the Rangers design language with its black dial and 12369 layout and the spade hourhand which later made the comeback in the 2014 upsized 41mm version called the Heritage Ranger. After that model's discontinuation, the Ranger got a 39mm reboot in 2022 to mark the 70th anniversary of the British North Greenland Expedition, now with a COSC certified movement to go along with it. Now, there were plenty of people that loved the 39mm case option from the Ranger. The 36 millm, though, does seem to be resonating even more with collectors at the time of its release. We're finding many also now more comfortable with the gradual downward trend in case sizes, which skew closer to vintage models, and 36 mm isn't that far off from the 34mm of the originals and aligns with the corporate sibling Rolex's long-standing legend in the Explorer. And paired with the already established 39mm case size, we now have this new dial colorway that adds more to the model family to serve a wider range of collectors. So before we explore what is new, if you guys have not seen our look into the Tutor archives, it's an amazing video. It's on our website. Danny Milton from our team and Cole Pennington from Tutor sit down to go through some of the rarest watches in the Tutor archive. And many of those watches not even being released to the public. They go through models like the '90s burgundy prototype sub that was the main inspiration for the burgundy tutor black bays that would come later. Also models going back to the 1930s with cushion rectangular cases. Yes, tutor did that, believe it or not. Militaryisssued dive watches, some of the iconic tutor submariners as well with big crown series and a lot more. So, if you've not seen this video, definitely recommend it for any tutor lover out there. It is 30 minutes of watch nerdiness for anybody that loves this subject. Now, there was a lot of things I liked about the 41mm Heritage Ranger. Yet, there were a lot of people out there with the singular 41mm size that found it too overpowering for many wrists. With the latest generation, it makes perfect sense that Tutor would scale things down. given the success that they have seen with other models in the lineup like the tutor Black Bay 58 and that a watch of the Ranger style can feel slightly oversized relative to its diameter. Given the dial's larger aperture and slimmer bezel, the 36 mm version's dimensions keep things tight with a case height of 11 mm and a compact lugto lug of 44.1 mm. For the larger version, along with the 39mm diameter, the case offers a reasonable 47 mm lugto lug measurement and a relatively slim 12 mm of thickness. Those case heights include a nicely do sapphire crystal, which to my eyes, and they may be just tricking me here, but it appears that it is more pronounced, the doming of the crystal on the 39 mm than the 36. The legibility through the crystal is solid given the lack of reflective treatments on the dial below and the anti-reflective coating on the underside of the crystals. Now, you have the question of what is the better case size to go for? And this is going to come down mostly to preference. I think when you're dealing with watches that are 39 mm and under, it's going to work on most wrist sizes out there. And I always think it's easy to pull off a watch that is smaller than it is a watch that is too large for your wrist. Now, if I had to put a comparison point here for just the tutor language with some other models, I would say the 39mm Ranger wears slightly larger than the Tudtor Blackbay 58 given its larger dial opening. And the 36 mm wears comparably to the Black Bay 54 with some optical differences coming by way of its dial taking up more of that diameter. Although the Ranger on both of these is more compact in its length compared to both of these comparisons, it's really more of that dialto bezel ratio to look out for, but that gives you another data point. Now, one of my favorite aspects of the Ranger is its case finish. And to some of you, you might be scratching your head because it's pretty straightforward. It isn't overly extravagant, which I actually appreciate given the watch's intended approach. Many brands make this mistake of wanting to present a luxury package of alternating case embellishments, forgetting the watch's original premise in the process. This is something I see all the time, and I think the Ranger nails it. This is always given off this feeling when they go that way, like there's this overcompensation that's happening, and they're missing the plot. The Ranger, on the other hand, is a field explorer watch, and it feels like that given the satin brushing throughout. The case still has some refinement with the bevel running the length of the case, but unlike other tutor models, it's going to have more of this high polish. This one does not. The only hit of polishing that you're going to see is the outermost edge of the bezel, making a watch that will hide scratches well in the 316L stainless steel. The Ranger is unapologetic in what it represents, and that is a go anywhere, do anything 100 m of water resistance watch aided by the sign screw down crown featuring the famous tuda rose and an undecorated solid stainless steel case back. One detail that is absent from this generation of Rangers is going to be drilled lugs, which were present in the 2014 Heritage model. And that was a love feature among many frequent strap swappers out there. And it's a classification that likely accurately matches many tutor Ranger owners. Lugwis are 19 mm for the 36 millm version and 20 mm for the 39mm variant. While 20 mm is a more universal size, the 19 mm width presents less of a problem these days as more strap makers are offering options in odd sizes. This all becomes a moot point if you plan to keep the Ranger on its bracelet, which is a great bracelet. It's a sporty choice that works in a multitude of situations, and the three-length design is fully brushed with comfortable screwed in links. The sign folding clasp follows the form of the rest of the case and boasts the excellent on the-fly adjustment of Tit. The Ranger is also available on a single pass olive green fabric strap with red and beige striping woven in France on 19th century looms. The Ranger's dial format stays true to its roots, now presenting a new option in the form of a dune white colorway created to highlight its sponsorship of the Dar Rally, one of the world's toughest off-road races. The brand also refers to the color as beige, which is accurate. It's richer than simply off-white, more like an eggshell or a cream, but not quite khaki tan. So, Dune White is as good a name as any. The new color way is available in both sizes and offers a more light-hearted look than the traditional matte black option. The dome dials backdrop has a finely grain matte texture, which allows the printed elements to really stand out. And while legibility is fantastic in both colorways, the Dune White's more casual look makes it a great summer watch as those black printed elements pop against the light backdrop. Text is minimal with the Tutor Shield word mark in Geneive sitting below 12, while the text above six is perfect in its simplicity. Ranger straightforward hashes mark the minutes at the perimeter and further inward you'll find the hours marked with large Arabic numerals at the cardinal points joined by rectangles at the stops in between. In the black version, the hour markers have a light beige fotina tone. It offers a greenish glow that recalls vintage tridium and the loom gives off more than adequate brightness. Here, the two colorways take different approaches. The black dial opts for silver tone hands, while the Dune goes for a loom filled black handset, which does wonders for legibility. The Dune white dial differs also from the black in one other aspect. The black numerals do not house loom. Instead, Tutor applies small loom dots at the outer edge of the dial lining up with the hour markers. It's a necessary choice, understandable given the light dial and black markings, though it will not shine as well in low lit environments. The second hand on both colorways also features loom within the trapezoid that perfectly aligns with the hour markers finished with a red syringe tip that extends to the minute hash marks. And regardless of size, that's the thing with the Ranger. that offers a simple, highly functional design that is free of unnecessary distractions and that includes omitting a date window. Throughout its history, Tutor relied on outside movement providers such as Eta. However, that is no longer the case. The brand now has ownership stake in Kissi, which is utilized for their MT calibers. Kissi was set up as a separate entity from the Hans Willsdorf Foundation that owns Tutor and Rolex, allowing it to sell movements to other companies. Now, the Ranger utilizes manufacturer caliber MT5400 for the 36mm version and the MT5402 for the 39mm option, which are both no date calibers, differing by 4 mm in diameter. They're both costcertified chronometers, and having the manufacturer close at hand pays dividends in terms of consistency and quality control. The two calibers feature hacking and hand winding 27 jewels and a beat rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour or 4 hertz. They have a variable inertia balance being free sprung in their architecture and a silicon balance spring at its core which improves resistance to magnetism. And these are true threehand calibers too with no date complication or ghost position on the crown. The movements offer a nice healthy 70 hours of power reserve and cost is only going to ask for minus4 to plus 6. Tutor stays for an internal testing standard that goes beyond that though calling for minus2 to plus4 seconds per day in accuracy. decoration is well executed, if somewhat basic and industrial, with radial brushing and a touch of machine engraving. And like the Ranger itself, the MT5400 series is a caliber that's going to stick to the tool watch script, a reliable, well-made caliber that gets the job done without much of a fuss. So, now some closing thoughts on these new Tutor Rangers. So, when the Tutor Ranger was reintroduced in 2022, it represented a missing element to the Tutor catalog. With the passing of three years, it has still managed to have fans, albeit falling behind other sports watches such as the Pelos and even faced internal challenges of stacking up against another three-hand model, the Tudtor Black Bay 1. With that ranges up three-dimensional dial, fivelength bracelet as a consideration and added variety to suit a broader range of collector preferences. The 36 millm case and the Dune dials now provided a much needed ammunition for the lineup, serving as the entry point to the professionally capable aspect of the tutor catalog. The Ranger certainly falls short though in its refinement against other Blackbay models. It has a printed dial, a lack of master chronometer certification, although coming with a COSC certification, and an allbrushed case with no reflections in sight. It's a pretty plain looking watch when you get down to it. These decisions made from the design point of view though were clearly done with intention. The Ranger represents a bygone era of watch making from tutor and Rolex with watches like the Oyster Prince and the Rolex Explorer 1016 to significant effect. I've always struggled with the words tool watch when they leave my mouth nowadays, is I kind of find the phrase becoming increasingly oxymoronic, especially when you're talking about a watch that has a retail price starting at $3,350 on the strap. Despite this though, when you hold the Tudtor Ranger in hand, and better yet, when you have it on your wrist, you somehow feel it is worthy of that phrase of a tool watch. The Ranger is unabashed in its form. And for those select few who call on their watch that retails around $3,000 $4,000 to do more, it probably is just the tool for the job. But all right guys, that is my take looking at these new Tutor Ranger models. What do you think of this new release? I remember when this came out in the middle of Dubai Watch Week. This seemed to be one of the most uh reacted to releases of that entire show. And I think Tutor did a nice job lining this up at a time of year when they could make a big splash. But love to hear what you guys are thinking about these Rangers. Do you have also a Ranger in your collection at 39 mm? Love to see some long-term ownership uh discussion as well down in the comments. And I know that's helpful for other people that might be considering adding one of these to their collection. If you guys enjoyed this video, please give it a thumbs up, subscribe, hit the bell icon. Really do appreciate that as it does help out the channel and the content here. Also, check out teddyisher.com. Full authorized dealer for over 35 brands. Every purchase from our website comes with quick and fast fulfillment, dedicated customer support, and a full factory warranty for all the products that we offer. In addition, if you're ever in the Cleveland, Ohio area looking for a watch, we'd love to be able to help you out. Whether in store, online, it all helps us and what we're doing here, trying to create content every single day for you guys. Uh we love what we do. So, if you can help us out with purchase, we'd love to have your business. Uh means a lot to us. And thanks again for all your support. But guys, thank you again so much for watching. Be well and I will see you all very