Tudor has turned their attention to the Ranger collection this week with a new dial and a new 36mm size joining the existing 39mm options. The move will be a welcome one for many enthusiasts who prefer life without a bezel. The modern Ranger has been a slow burn, with small updates gradually refining the small but historic collection. It’s a perfectly sensible approach to such a straightforward watch, which makes these latest additions a near watershed moment for the collection, and while the dune white dial will likely grab the headlines, it’s the move to add a 36mm frame to the collection that will ultimately carry the most weight.
I was recently reminded of a measurement that often goes overlooked, but makes a big impact on our perception of a watch’s size, and that is the dial opening itself. Even a small frame can appear quite large when there is no bezel to contain the dial. There’s a fine balance to find here in creating cohesive proportions, and Tudor uses a slanted bezel piece to create some breathing room for the design of the case to not be overtaken by the size of the dial.
In moving to 36mm, this tension takes on a very different form, and like the 36mm Explorer, is also reliant on the correct lug width proportion to create a taper. Tudor gets this exactly right with a 19mm span, allowing the natural curvature of the dial and bezel to sit in correct proportion to the tapering bracelet. It doesn’t look too small, nor too large. It’s something of a perfect middle ground for a time-only field watch like this, and the design doesn’t feel compromised as a result.
The decision to offer two different sizes falls in line with a trend that’s taken hold in recent years by brands. More options for buyers is always better, especially when it doesn’t compromise the vision of the original design. If anything, 36mm is more in line with the Ranger historically, but up to now, the modern expression could only be had in 39mm. With a thickness around 11mm, both of these watches should wear quite nice, if a touch tanky on the wrist. Exactly what you want from an all rounder tool watch like this.
The big news other than the size is of course the addition of a dune white dial color, which gets black accents for the hands and hour markers. There is historical presidence for a dial like this, and it breathes a new personality into the design that works rather well. A straight white dial would have been slightly awkward for this watch, but the warm eggshell hue suits the theme perfectly without feeling too over the top or forced.
The new 36mm Ranger watches use the manufacture caliber MT5400, while the 39mm variations use the MT5402. Both are COSC certified, and both sit behind closed casebacks. One of the unsung heroes here is the excellent three link bracelet, which would be a very welcome sight over in the Black Bay collection. The new Ranger is available now, priced from $3,350 (36mm) and $3,475 (39mm) on a strap; and $3,700 (36mm) and $3,825 (39mm) on a bracelet. Tudor
