The Tudor Ranger’s famously durable pedigree just gained another legendary member: The newest Tudor Ranger delivers both a streamlined case size and eye-catching dial color inspired by Saudi Arabia’s notorious Dakar Rally.
The most extreme conditions on Earth, like that of Saudi Arabia’s Empty Quarter (population: Zero) during the Dakar Rally are nothing if not prime proving ground for tools of all sorts, field watches very much included, and the tough-as-nails design of the slimmed-down Ranger echoes that durable sentiment in a smaller build. Its older brother, the 39mm Tudor Ranger, boasts a hard-working heritage dating back to frigid 1950s-era Arctic expeditions, and the windswept desert delivered just as much modern inspiration for the eye-catching “Dune White” 36mm Tudor Ranger.
The decision to streamline the Tudor Ranger was made with efficiency in mind, the Swiss watchmaker said, noting that “complexity increases the likelihood of failure,” with a mechanical failure at the Dakar Rally, for instance, serving as “the difference between finishing the race and spending a part of the night in the desert, cold and alone.” The image is nothing if not striking, and in designing the new Tudor Ranger, the horologist noted “there are parallels in watches” as with endurance racing, with the matte Dune White dial bolstering the “robust, reliable and simple” nature of the Tudor Ranger lineup.
The specs are dialed down to the most precise manner possible, including a satin-brushed 316L stainless steel case, available in both the new 36mm size and the original 39mm case design. Super-LumiNova ‘Ranger’ hands stand out in low-light conditions, while the chronometer-certified Manufacture Caliber MT5400 or MT5402 movement powers the timepiece, dependent on case size selected.
Arabic numerals dot four key points on the dial in keeping with the design heritage of the Ranger roster. Both the 36mm and 39mm editions are delivered on either a satin-brushed stainless steel bracelet or alongside an earthy tri-color fabric strap, each offering a suitable mix of rugged functionality and stylish form across the globe.
Priced reasonably starting at $3,350 for the new fabric-strap iteration of the hard-wearing 36mm Tudor Ranger, the offering carries forward the same famously functional heritage for which the lineup is known (the Ranger was originally tested in the frigid north of Greenland, after all).
As Tudor rightly notes, “the Ranger is a watch that was designed to stand up to any environment or situation,” further billed as “the perfect tool for the job.” Between a crisp new dial color and a more sleek yet no less tough case design, consider the new Tudor Ranger a worthy partner in the fight against grueling conditions far afield.
