Tudor Advisor

Modern life is punctuated by the sound of alarms. But these tinny ringtones are nothing compared to the robust sound that resonates from a vintage alarm watch. These watches were meant to be heard, and one listen transports you back to a time when all you needed to know was right there on your wrist. 

Vulcain started it all back in the 1940s with the Cricket. Known as the watch of Presidents for being gifted to every U.S. President since Truman (except George W. Bush), the Cricket—despite the rarified nickname—has seen some of the world’s most forbidding climates. The jungles of the Amazon, the forbidding slopes of K2, even the deepest depths of the ocean—the Cricket has seen it all.

Not to be outdone, other brands started releasing their own versions of wrist alarm watches throughout the 1950s.

Jaeger-LeCoultre followed in 1950 with the Memovox. Though initially powered by a mechanical hand-wound movement, by 1956 the manufacture replaced it with an automatic movement. It’s been that way ever since.

And the following year, Rolex—under the aegis of Tudor, their daughter brand—released the Advisor.

The Advisor (Reference 7926) was a milestone for Rolex, in more ways than one. Firstly, it was the first—and only—alarm watch that Rolex ever made. However, though the Advisor used the trademark Rolex Oyster case, neither of the watch’s two crowns—one to set the alarm and the other to wind the movement and set the time—bore the Rolex coronet.

Secondly, in terms of construction, the Advisor radically departed from its competitors. While the Cricket relied on a dual case back design, the Advisor employed a pin on the casebook, against which a hammer struck to sound the alarm. Though Rolex would eventually turn to a dual casebook design similar to the Cricket, at the time of the Reference 7926’s release, it was something entirely different.

This particular Reference 7926 has a black dial that shows the wisdom of its years, a stippled look that we find delightful. The Calibre 1475 movement is housed in a 36mm Oyster case—the same size as Datejusts of the period, making it eminently wearable. The inner case back shows signs of a recent service in 2009.

Very few of the Reference 7926 were made before Rolex would phase it out for the new dual-case back design in 1968. Estimates put their number in the low thousands, making surviving examples rare to find. To put a finer point on it, we have never before had the pleasure of offering one with a black gilt dial, and we couldn't begin to guess when we might come across another.

Though Tudor reintroduced the Advisor in its Heritage collection in the early part of this decade, it’s the vintage version that truly captures our hearts—and ears.

Our Pledge

Analog:Shift stands behind the authenticity of our products in perpetuity.

Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a one-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.