Many people search for a steel Rolex Day-Date only to realize that there is no such thing. If you want a steel Day-Date in an Oyster case, you only have one option, and it’s a rare bird: the Tudor 7020/0 Oyster Prince.
The Tudor Date Day Oyster Prince was only made for a few years in the late 60s and early 70s, and it’s one of the few vintage Tudors that has managed to slip under the radar of vintage Rolex/Tudor enthusiasts. This is likely due to the watch’s rarity; the production run is only a fraction of those of the Subs and Oyster Dates. The watch's relative obscurity is certainly not due to its style or features, as the watch ticks about every box that vintage collectors could imagine.
First off, the case is 39mm, about the same size as a Submariner. Many would consider that to be the perfect “Goldilocks” size, not too big, not too small - just right. It gives the watch a modern vibe without compromising the vintage bona fides.
The Rolex Day-Date is a classic and its style, history and quality is unimpeachable, yet if were to nitpick, the only thing we’d change is to make it available in steel. In the past half-century that Rolex has been producing the model, it has never sold one in a non-precious metal, much to the chagrin of budget-minded collectors. Considering that the Rolex is closer to a dress watch than a sports watch, it’s pretty remarkable the Tudor, under Rolexes stewardship, created the sporty 7020/0 with Rolex’s signature complication.
The icing on the cake is the rotating steel bezel, another sporty flourish that complements the case size and ties the 7020/0 to the range of Rolex sports pieces, most of which feature a functional bezel.
All in all, this is fantastically versatile and unique Tudor. It’s a little sporty, a little dressy, just about the perfect do anything, go anywhere daily wearer. If you want something that dresses up better than a Submariner but still works for casual wear, the Tudor Date Day is the perfect watch.
This particular example is in great condition throughout and features an incredibly rare Italian language calendar wheel. We originally sourced this guy from the open market and has been in the collection of two of our best clients for the past several years. The opportunity to buy one of these doesn’t come around very often, and if you're looking for an Italian model? Fuhgeddaboutit. Don’t miss out on this fantastic Tudor!