Rolex against TUDOR
Rolex 124270 vs TUDOR M79950-0008
13 published specifications differ between these two. Every figure below is what the manufacturer states for that reference; nothing is inferred from the other watch.
What differs
| Specification | TUDOR Ranger, 39mm beige dialM79950-0008 | |
|---|---|---|
| Case | Oyster, 36 mm, Oystersteel. Monobloc middle case, screw-down case back and winding crown | 39mm steel case, satin finish |
| Diameter | 36 mm | 39 mm |
| Water resistance | Waterproof to 100 metres / 330 feet | Waterproof to 100m (330 ft) |
| Crystal | Scratch-resistant sapphire | Domed sapphire crystal |
| Bezel | Smooth | Smooth satin-brushed steel |
| Dial | Black, with highly legible Chromalight display with long-lasting blue luminescence | Beige, domed |
| Crown | Screw-down, Twinlock double waterproofness system | Screw-down winding crown in steel with the TUDOR rose in relief |
| Bracelet | Oyster, three-piece solid links, Oystersteel | Steel bracelet with three links |
| Clasp | Folding Oysterlock safety clasp with Easylink 5 mm comfort extension link | Folding clasp with the TUDOR "T-fit" safety catch |
| Calibre | Calibre 3230, Manufacture Rolex | Manufacture Calibre MT5402 |
| Movement | Perpetual, mechanical, self-winding; bidirectional self-winding via Perpetual rotor | Self-winding mechanical movement with bidirectional rotor system |
| Power reserve | Approximately 70 hours | Power reserve of approximately 70 hours |
| Certification | Superlative Chronometer (official chronometer certification + Rolex certification after casing) | COSC |
Stated for one, not the other
These rows cannot be compared, because one maker publishes the figure and the other does not. An empty cell is a gap in the manufacturer's documentation, not a gap in the watch — and not a licence to fill it in from the other column.
| Thickness | not stated | 12 mm |
|---|---|---|
| Lug width | not stated | 20 mm |
| Case back | Screw-down | not stated |
| Movement notes | Precision −2/+2 sec/day after casing. Centre hour, minute and seconds hands with stop-seconds; no date. Paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring with Paraflex shock absorbers. | not stated |
What the differences cost you
Each note below follows from the published figures in the tables above — what they mean for intake, for a listing, and for the handover. Nothing here estimates a price or a margin.
These reach different buyers
39 mm on the M79950-0008 against 36 mm on the 124270. Diameter is a poor predictor of how a watch actually sits, but it is the field buyers filter on, so the two land in front of different people. Do not let one listing's photographs or copy stand in for the other.
Different movements to verify and to service
The 124270 runs the Calibre 3230, Manufacture Rolex and the M79950-0008 the Manufacture Calibre MT5402. Two consequences at intake: the service history that is normal for one calibre is not evidence about the other, and the calibre is the check that catches a movement swapped into the wrong case. Confirm the movement matches the reference rather than assuming it from the dial.
What to check on each
124270
- Put almost all your attention on the case. With no bezel insert, no date and no complication, condition and originality of the steel is most of what distinguishes one example from another.
- Check the crown is the Twinlock system rather than Triplock. This reference uses the two-seal crown, and knowing which you are looking at matters when assessing a case that has been apart.
- Sight along the polished lug chamfers. At 36mm there is little material to lose, and a refinished case shows in softened bevels long before it shows anywhere else.
M79950-0008
- Examine the beige dial under strong light for discolouration. A light dial shows moisture marks, fingerprints and ageing that a black one hides entirely, and it is the first place a problem with case sealing becomes visible.
- Note the rating is 100 metres, not the 200 of the dive references. Describe it correctly — a buyer assuming parity with a Black Bay has been misled, whether or not anyone intended it.
- Run a fingernail across the fixed bezel and the case flank. The whole exterior is satin, so a stray polished patch from a careless refinish stands out badly and is hard to correct.
Sources
- Rolex official product page for reference 124270 (Explorer 36; Oyster 36 mm; Oystersteel) - Model case: Oyster; 36 mm; Oystersteel; Oyster architecture: monobloc middle case; screw-down case back and winding crown; Diameter: 36 mm; Material: Oystersteel; Bezel: smooth; Winding crown: screw-down with Twinlock double waterproofness system; Crystal: scratch-resistant sapphire; Water resistance: waterproof to 100 metres / 330 feet; Movement: perpetual; mechanical; self-winding; Calibre: 3230; Manufacture Rolex; Precision: -2/+2 sec/day after casing; Functions: centre hour; minute and seconds hands; stop-seconds for precise time setting; Oscillator: paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring with high-performance Paraflex shock absorbers; Winding: bidirectional self-winding via Perpetual rotor; Power reserve: approximately 70 hours; Bracelet: Oyster; three-piece solid links; Oystersteel; Clasp: folding Oysterlock safety clasp with Easylink 5 mm comfort extension link; Dial: black with highly legible Chromalight display; Certification: Superlative Chronometer — retrieved 2026-09-22
- TUDOR official product page for reference M79950-0008 (Ranger; 39mm steel case; beige domed dial) - Case: 39mm steel case; satin finish; Lugs: 20mm lug width; Case thickness: 12.0mm; Waterproofness: waterproof to 100m (330 ft); Bezel: smooth satin-brushed steel; Dial: beige; domed; Crystal: domed sapphire crystal; Movement: Manufacture Calibre MT5402 (COSC); self-winding mechanical movement with bidirectional rotor system; Power Reserve: power reserve of approximately 70 hours; Winding Crown: screw-down winding crown in steel with the TUDOR rose in relief; Bracelet: steel bracelet with three links and a folding clasp with the TUDOR T-fit safety catch — retrieved 2026-09-22
Not affiliated with Rolex or TUDOR. Specifications are read from each manufacturer's own published documentation on the dates shown and may change; the manufacturer's current documentation governs.