Today we take a look at two slightly off the beaten path watches from Tudor and Rolex—the Heritage advisor and the Rolex Datejust Turn-o-Graph. Read on to find out how these offbeat timepieces fare against each other in our latest edition of Watch Compare.
Modern Reissues of Vintage Watches
Both the Tudor Heritage Advisor ref. 79620T and the Rolex Datejust Turn-O-Graph ref. 115964 are modern iterations of vintage timepieces from the 1950s. The original Tudor Advisor was the brand’s first watch equipped with an alarm function. Produced from 1957 to 1977, Tudor made three different models during that time. In 2011, Tudor revised their alarm watch as the Heritage Advisor ref. 79620T and has been making them ever since.
The Turn-O-Graph made its debut in 1953 as the first serially produced Rolex with a rotating bezel—preceding the Submariner and the GMT-Master. Over the years, the Turn-O-Graph evolved from a tool watch aesthetic to a sporty dress watch one, even joining the Datejust collection. The Datejust Turn-O-Graph picked up the nickname “Thunderbird” as it was the watch officially issued to the U.S. Air Force’s Thunderbird aerobatic squadron. Rolex manufactured the Datejust Turn-O-Graph until the late 1970s. And while Rolex continued producing some Datejust models with the signature bezel after that, the Turn-O-Graph name no longer appeared on the dial. In the early 2000s, Rolex re-issued the “Thunderbird” with the Datejust Turn-O-Graph ref. 115964. Unfortunately, the watch was eventually discontinued again in 2011.
The Design: Advisor vs Turn-O-Graph
The Tudor Heritage Advisor ref. 79620T and the Rolex Datejust Turn-O-Graph ref. 115964 are both white metal watches, both of which actually combine two types of metals. The Tudor Advisor uses stainless steel and titanium, while the steel Turn-O-Graph includes a white gold bezel.
The Heritage Advisor alarm sports a larger 42mm case and sits quite high on the wrist. Conversely, in true Datejust fashion, the Thunderbird comes with a more restrained 36mm Oyster case. Both timepieces include a sporty steel Oyster bracelet and a variety of dial color options. Regardless of the dial color, however, all modern Heritage Advisors and Datejust Turn-O-Graphs have red details on the dial.
The Functionality: Advisor vs Turn-O-Graph
The Tudor Heritage Advisor ref. 115964 features a mechanical alarm mechanism that is adjusted via a pusher a 2 o’clock and turned on and off via a pusher at 8 o’clock. There’s an alarm ON/OFF indicator on the dial at 9 o’clock, while the alarm power reserve display sits on the opposite side at 3 o’clock. Along with the alarm feature, there’s also the center hour/minute/seconds hand and a date subdial at 6 o’clock. The Tudor runs on the Caliber 2892 automatic movement, based on ETA 2892 but with the added alarm function. The watch includes a power reserve of 42 hours.
In addition to the time and date features of the Rolex Datejust Turn-O-Graph Thunderbird ref. 115964, the watch can also time events thanks to its rotating bezel. As with all Rolex Datejust models, the date window sits at 3 o’clock with the famous Cyclops magnification lens above it. The date disc is, in fact, a roulette version, displaying alternating black and red numbers. As a member of the modern Datejust family, the Thunderbird runs on the famous Rolex Caliber 3135 automatic mechanical movement. Built entirely in-house, the movement operates at 28,800 beats per hour and offers around 48 hours of power reserve.
Both the Rolex Thunderbird and the Tudor Heritage Advisor are fantastic choices for someone looking for watches that are a little different from the rest. Celebrating important watches from their achieves, these timepieces offer a touch of vintage flair repackaged to suit modern tastes.
