1994 Tudor Chronograph "Big Block" 79170 Panda Dial

The year 1976 saw the launch of the third family of Tudor chronographs, known as “Big Block”. With the Prince Oysterdate models, the brand presented its first chronographs equipped with a self-winding mechanical movement and confirmed what the Oysterdate family had begun. Tudor offered immediately recognizable chronographs with excellent technical qualities just like the bigger brother Rolex Daytona line of chronographs. The movement uses the Valjoux caliber 7750. Having the same diameter as the manually wound Valjoux 234, 30.4 mm or 13 lines, it was 1.5 mm thicker than the latter and had a frequency of 28,800 beats per hour. Its chronograph mechanism was a highly reliable cam and oscillating pinion system.

The Tudor Big Block was an exciting piece for Tudor as it was the first automatically wound chronograph from the WIlsdorf stable – a full decade ahead of the reference 16520 Rolex Daytona.

Serial: B,586,XXX

Year: 1994

Case Reference: 79170

Bracelet: 78360 Clasp Code with 589 Endlinks - Stainless Steel

Dial: Silver Panda - tritium

Hands: Tritium

Case Size: 40mm x 14.5mm Thickness

Lug Width: 20mm

Case: Stainless Steel

Caliber: Valjoux 7750 - Automatic - Serviced 7/29/24

Functions: Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Date, Chronograph

Accessories: No box/papers - watch only

Crystal: Acrylic

Bracelet size: 7.5”

Case is unpolished with very light surface wear. Bracelet has light normal surface wear with nothing notable, and minimal stretch. Dial has slight browning patina on subdials. Hands have some deuteriation to the steel with lume intact. Crystal is free of wear. Watch was serviced 7/29/24 and comes with a one year warranty on the movement.

Tudor was established in 1926 by Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Rolex, with a vision to create watches that offered the same reliability and precision as Rolex, but at a more accessible price point. Built with robust Swiss movements and housed in Rolex-quality cases, Tudor quickly earned a reputation for producing tool watches trusted by military units and professional divers around the world. In the 1950s and ‘60s, Tudor introduced iconic models like the Oyster Prince Submariner, worn by the French Navy, and carved out a legacy as a maker of rugged, no-nonsense timepieces built to perform under extreme conditions.

In recent years, Tudor has reemerged as one of the most exciting names in modern watchmaking. Collections like the Black Bay, Pelagos, and Ranger pay homage to the brand’s vintage roots while incorporating in-house calibers and contemporary design updates. The Black Bay Fifty-Eight, in particular, has become a collector favorite for its perfect blend of vintage proportions and modern engineering. With a design language all its own and a renewed focus on manufacturing independence, Tudor has established itself as far more than Rolex’s younger sibling—it’s a brand that balances heritage, innovation, and value with serious horological credibility.