This project has just finished and I would like to share my experience
about building this Tudor Big Block. I was thinking a while to
build this Tudor Chronograph. I used to have Tudor Big Block 79170
in 1990 a gift from my mom when I graduated high school. It was a
lovely watch. It was sold when my teenage life had run out
of money. Still missed it until now. Price on that day was about
1,000 USD. Now the price on that piece would cost 5 times more.
About Tudor Big Block
From earlier Tudor chronograph were 7000 series in 1970 "Monte Carlo"
dial's resemblance to a casino roulette wheel.
Tudor 7031 "Plastic Bakellite Techymeter bezel"
Tudor 7032 "Brushed steel tachymeter bezel"
First introduce 9400 series in 1976 was the first start the Big Block.
This was made possible by the introduction of a new movement -
the Valjoux 7750 which also allowed the introduction of the quick-set
date feature too. The biggest development, however, was the introduction
of an automatic movement making these watches the first self winding
chronographs from the Wilsdorf group and over a decade before Rolex
introduced their first automatic Daytona chrono. Big Block watches
(9400 series), Tudor continued to produce exotic dials that were heavily
influenced by the dials in the first and second series watches.
Collectors also refer to these watches as the three register Monte Carlos.
There were two types of these Monte Carlo dials, a version with painted
hour markers that were very reminiscent of the 7100 series watches
and a version with applied hour markers.
Tudor 9420 "Plastic Bakellite Techymeter bezel"
Tudor 9421 "Twelve Hours celibrated Bi-dirction bezel"
Tudor 9430 "Brushed steel tachymeter bezel"
Later Big Block was released the regular dials "Daytona 6263's style" all
featured the "Oyster date" and "Automatic-Chrono time" in the late of 1980's
Tudor replaced the 94300 series watches with the 79100 series which were
the same Big Block case but only cam with the regular dial.
Tudor 79160 "Black Plastic Techymeter bezel"
Tudor 79170 "Twelve Hours celibrated Bi-dirction bezel"
Tudor 79180 "Polished steel tachymeter bezel"
From the day that I had sold my Tudor 79170. I was always missed it and
finally last year when I found this web RWI. I was research how to build
a big block and I calculated the cost to build this big block base from
Yuki 9420 case which was around 950 usd and the most of rare parts such
as Gen Tudor Big Block dial and the most important thing was 589 End link
which they were rarely hard to find.The total cost of this building this
Tudor Big Block was nearly buying used Gen Tudor Big block. So I made a
decision to buy Gen Tudor Big Block 79160 with condition was good came
with original box and papers.
While I was almost quit trying to build Tudor Big Block. I found my Japanese
friend. He sell this 9420 case with broken Asian 7750 movement to me in
reasonable price. It came with Monte Carlo style dial. That was started me
to project this Building Tudor Big Block again. This 9420 case with Brushed
steel tachymeter bezel when I put dial Oyster date with only "Swiss" text
at 6 position.This is the oldest Big Block dial that I can find, it would be a Tudor
Big Block 9430 for some I had research that first of 79180 model will use
case of 9430 and dial in between Tudor text, Crono Time on dial and some
Oysterdate.
Tudor Big Block 79180 would comes with Polished steel tachymeter bezel.
So here is a list parts from This watch,
- Tudor 9420 case from friend which I think it is Yuki case.
- New ETA7750 Movement.
- Gen Dial in Silver (Panda).
- Gen Rolex 703 crown.
- Yuki crown tube.
- Clark Crystal Ref. # 25-130 For Tudor.
- Rep Daytona's 6263 for 7750 hands.
- Gen Tudor Tiger's sub dials hands.
- Gen 589 End link.
- Yuki 20mm bracelet.
- Rep Tudor Buckle clasp from Raffle tims.
Thank you! Any comment welcome
about building this Tudor Big Block. I was thinking a while to
build this Tudor Chronograph. I used to have Tudor Big Block 79170
in 1990 a gift from my mom when I graduated high school. It was a
lovely watch. It was sold when my teenage life had run out
of money. Still missed it until now. Price on that day was about
1,000 USD. Now the price on that piece would cost 5 times more.
About Tudor Big Block
From earlier Tudor chronograph were 7000 series in 1970 "Monte Carlo"
dial's resemblance to a casino roulette wheel.
Tudor 7031 "Plastic Bakellite Techymeter bezel"
Tudor 7032 "Brushed steel tachymeter bezel"
First introduce 9400 series in 1976 was the first start the Big Block.
This was made possible by the introduction of a new movement -
the Valjoux 7750 which also allowed the introduction of the quick-set
date feature too. The biggest development, however, was the introduction
of an automatic movement making these watches the first self winding
chronographs from the Wilsdorf group and over a decade before Rolex
introduced their first automatic Daytona chrono. Big Block watches
(9400 series), Tudor continued to produce exotic dials that were heavily
influenced by the dials in the first and second series watches.
Collectors also refer to these watches as the three register Monte Carlos.
There were two types of these Monte Carlo dials, a version with painted
hour markers that were very reminiscent of the 7100 series watches
and a version with applied hour markers.
Tudor 9420 "Plastic Bakellite Techymeter bezel"
Tudor 9421 "Twelve Hours celibrated Bi-dirction bezel"
Tudor 9430 "Brushed steel tachymeter bezel"
Later Big Block was released the regular dials "Daytona 6263's style" all
featured the "Oyster date" and "Automatic-Chrono time" in the late of 1980's
Tudor replaced the 94300 series watches with the 79100 series which were
the same Big Block case but only cam with the regular dial.
Tudor 79160 "Black Plastic Techymeter bezel"
Tudor 79170 "Twelve Hours celibrated Bi-dirction bezel"
Tudor 79180 "Polished steel tachymeter bezel"
From the day that I had sold my Tudor 79170. I was always missed it and
finally last year when I found this web RWI. I was research how to build
a big block and I calculated the cost to build this big block base from
Yuki 9420 case which was around 950 usd and the most of rare parts such
as Gen Tudor Big Block dial and the most important thing was 589 End link
which they were rarely hard to find.The total cost of this building this
Tudor Big Block was nearly buying used Gen Tudor Big block. So I made a
decision to buy Gen Tudor Big Block 79160 with condition was good came
with original box and papers.
While I was almost quit trying to build Tudor Big Block. I found my Japanese
friend. He sell this 9420 case with broken Asian 7750 movement to me in
reasonable price. It came with Monte Carlo style dial. That was started me
to project this Building Tudor Big Block again. This 9420 case with Brushed
steel tachymeter bezel when I put dial Oyster date with only "Swiss" text
at 6 position.This is the oldest Big Block dial that I can find, it would be a Tudor
Big Block 9430 for some I had research that first of 79180 model will use
case of 9430 and dial in between Tudor text, Crono Time on dial and some
Oysterdate.
Tudor Big Block 79180 would comes with Polished steel tachymeter bezel.
So here is a list parts from This watch,
- Tudor 9420 case from friend which I think it is Yuki case.
- New ETA7750 Movement.
- Gen Dial in Silver (Panda).
- Gen Rolex 703 crown.
- Yuki crown tube.
- Clark Crystal Ref. # 25-130 For Tudor.
- Rep Daytona's 6263 for 7750 hands.
- Gen Tudor Tiger's sub dials hands.
- Gen 589 End link.
- Yuki 20mm bracelet.
- Rep Tudor Buckle clasp from Raffle tims.
Thank you! Any comment welcome
