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All the watch news, reviews, videos you want, brought to you from fellow collectors
All the watch news, reviews, videos you want, brought to you from fellow collectors
The Dakar Rally 2026 has begun in Saudi Arabia on 3 January and will end on the 17th. For this edition, Tudor has been named the official timekeeper of the popular off-road endurance event, which starts from Paris, France, and ends in Dakar, Senegal. The brand will oversee precise timing across every stage of what is widely regarded as the toughest race in motorsport. Run in a demanding rally-raid format, the Dakar requires competitors to navigate vast stretches of extreme terrain using only a roadbook, often driving for up to 12 hours a day. Overall times are tracked alongside complex timing for special stages such as the 48HR Chrono and the Marathon stage, where accuracy and reliability are critical. The Dakar Rally traces its origins to 1978, inspired by French racer Thierry Sabine, who designed the event after becoming lost in the Sahara during the 1977 Abidjan-Nice Rally.
The announcement came after the brand unveiled the desert-inspired timepieces in its Ranger line at Dubai Watch Week 2025, with a new 36 mm case and a “Dune White” dial. The novelties have extended the already existing 39 mm version.
Even the Ranger has its roots in exploration. In the early 1950s, Tudor equipped the British North Greenland Expedition with around 26 Oyster Prince watches, primarily reference 7809. The idea was to test them in extreme Arctic conditions. Specially made with cold-resistant lubricants and bracelet extensions designed to fit over heavy parkas, the watches were closely monitored by the expedition members, who recorded their performance throughout the journey. The results confirmed exceptional reliability and accuracy in sub-zero temperatures, forming the basis for successful marketing campaigns and later inspiring modern Tudor models such as the Ranger and North Flag.
It is this robustness and reliability that make the Ranger line a perfect flagbearer of the Dakar Rally. However, it was in 1929 when Hans Wilsdorf registered the name “Ranger” shortly after establishing the Tudor brand. Initially, the name was used to suggest adventure rather than to define a specific model. The Ranger aesthetic as it is known today emerged in the 1960s, characterised by bold numerals, strong luminous treatment, and highly legible hands. Over the decades, Ranger watches appeared in multiple configurations, including manual- and automatic-winding movements, versions with and without a date, and different logos reflecting the brand’s evolving identity. In the early 1970s, Tudor introduced a Ranger II with an integrated bracelet.
Until now, the modern Ranger was available only in a 39 mm stainless steel case. The introduction of a 36 mm version offers a more compact alternative while retaining the same design and technical standards. Both versions are crafted in fully satin-brushed 316L stainless steel, from the case to the bracelet.
So far, the collection was available with a black dial, which is now accompanied by a new “Dune White” dial. Subtly referencing the desert landscapes associated with endurance racing, the dial has a muted, matte finish intended to offer legibility in bright conditions. The dial layout remains faithful to historic Ranger models, with large Arabic numerals at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock, painted hour markers, and arrow-shaped hands. The seconds hand is finished with a burgundy tip to add a small accent of colour, a detail that has become a modern Ranger signature.
Powering the new Ranger models is the Calibre MT5400 for the 36 mm and Calibre MT5402 for the 39 mm case. Both are automatic, COSC-certified chronometers with silicon balance springs, variable-inertia balances, and a power reserve of approximately 70 hours.
The watches are water-resistant to 100 metres, thanks to the screw-down crown. The watches are available on a satin-brushed steel bracelet fitted with Tudor’s “T-fit” clasp, which allows tool-free micro-adjustments, or on a woven fabric strap produced in France on traditional Jacquard looms.
The 36 mm models are priced at INR 3,01,900 on fabric strap and INR 3,33,400 on steel bracelet, and the 39 mm model is priced at INR 3,12,400 on fabric strap and INR 3,43,900 on steel bracelet.
The Dakar Rally 2026 has begun in Saudi Arabia on 3 January and will end on the 17th. For this edition, Tudor has been named the official timekeeper of the popular off-road endurance event, which starts from Paris, France, and ends in Dakar, Senegal. The brand will oversee precise timing across every stage of what is widely regarded as the toughest race in motorsport. Run in a demanding rally-raid format, the Dakar requires competitors to navigate vast stretches of extreme terrain using only a roadbook, often driving for up to 12 hours a day. Overall times are tracked alongside complex timing for special stages such as the 48HR Chrono and the Marathon stage, where accuracy and reliability are critical. The Dakar Rally traces its origins to 1978, inspired by French racer Thierry Sabine, who designed the event after becoming lost in the Sahara during the 1977 Abidjan-Nice Rally.
The announcement came after the brand unveiled the desert-inspired timepieces in its Ranger line at Dubai Watch Week 2025, with a new 36 mm case and a “Dune White” dial. The novelties have extended the already existing 39 mm version.
Even the Ranger has its roots in exploration. In the early 1950s, Tudor equipped the British North Greenland Expedition with around 26 Oyster Prince watches, primarily reference 7809. The idea was to test them in extreme Arctic conditions. Specially made with cold-resistant lubricants and bracelet extensions designed to fit over heavy parkas, the watches were closely monitored by the expedition members, who recorded their performance throughout the journey. The results confirmed exceptional reliability and accuracy in sub-zero temperatures, forming the basis for successful marketing campaigns and later inspiring modern Tudor models such as the Ranger and North Flag.
It is this robustness and reliability that make the Ranger line a perfect flagbearer of the Dakar Rally. However, it was in 1929 when Hans Wilsdorf registered the name “Ranger” shortly after establishing the Tudor brand. Initially, the name was used to suggest adventure rather than to define a specific model. The Ranger aesthetic as it is known today emerged in the 1960s, characterised by bold numerals, strong luminous treatment, and highly legible hands. Over the decades, Ranger watches appeared in multiple configurations, including manual- and automatic-winding movements, versions with and without a date, and different logos reflecting the brand’s evolving identity. In the early 1970s, Tudor introduced a Ranger II with an integrated bracelet.
Until now, the modern Ranger was available only in a 39 mm stainless steel case. The introduction of a 36 mm version offers a more compact alternative while retaining the same design and technical standards. Both versions are crafted in fully satin-brushed 316L stainless steel, from the case to the bracelet.
So far, the collection was available with a black dial, which is now accompanied by a new “Dune White” dial. Subtly referencing the desert landscapes associated with endurance racing, the dial has a muted, matte finish intended to offer legibility in bright conditions. The dial layout remains faithful to historic Ranger models, with large Arabic numerals at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock, painted hour markers, and arrow-shaped hands. The seconds hand is finished with a burgundy tip to add a small accent of colour, a detail that has become a modern Ranger signature.
Powering the new Ranger models is the Calibre MT5400 for the 36 mm and Calibre MT5402 for the 39 mm case. Both are automatic, COSC-certified chronometers with silicon balance springs, variable-inertia balances, and a power reserve of approximately 70 hours.
The watches are water-resistant to 100 metres, thanks to the screw-down crown. The watches are available on a satin-brushed steel bracelet fitted with Tudor’s “T-fit” clasp, which allows tool-free micro-adjustments, or on a woven fabric strap produced in France on traditional Jacquard looms.
The 36 mm models are priced at INR 3,01,900 on fabric strap and INR 3,33,400 on steel bracelet, and the 39 mm model is priced at INR 3,12,400 on fabric strap and INR 3,43,900 on steel bracelet.
