When we think ‘Clair de Rose’ — gentle curves, blue cabochons, and classic TUDOR come to mind, evoking a unique feminine flair that’s delicate yet bold, like a rose in full bloom.
The secret to the Clair de Rose’s elegance lies in a handful of details celebrating the maison’s near-century-long heritage of crafting women’s watches. Here’s your guide to understanding the eternal romance of the TUDOR Clair de Rose.
TUDOR’s Legacy of Ladies Watches
The first women’s wristwatch in history was created in 1810. Bespoke and commissioned by Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples, it comprised a pocket watch attached to a bracelet. Yet, even a century later, women’s watches, being commonly adorned with gems, diamonds, and precious gold, were regarded merely as jewellery accessories. Hence, ‘wristwatches’ at the time were almost exclusively manufactured for men, serving as robust and reliable timekeeping tools.
TUDOR Founder Hans Wilsdorf had a vision to change that — for TUDOR to create timepieces more in tune with the evolving women of the time, taking on a modern-age multiplicity of roles and indulging in sport. Wilsdorf strived to offer dress watches for women positioned at the crossroads of elegance and functionality, comprising metal bracelets or straps, an extensive range of case sizes and adorned with diamonds.
The Spirit of TUDOR’s Clair de Rose
The first TUDOR women’s watches sparkled in the early 1930s, back when TUDOR’s logo was still the eponymous royal dynasty’s emblematic rose. These models struck the perfect balance of delicacy, grace, and feminine boldness — models like the TUDOR Glamour and Miss Tudor were prominent titles in the brand’s heritage of women’s watches. TUDOR soon began offering robust waterproof cases aimed at women who embraced an active, ‘vigorous’ lifestyle and pioneered in sports. In the 1970s, the TUDOR Princess Oysterdate and Princess Date Submariner surfaced as the brand’s first divers’ watch for ladies. They were compact, utility-minded, and featured TUDOR’s iconic ‘Snowflake’ hands.
TUDOR entirely revisited this spirit in later years — perfectly encompassing the bold feminine spirits of the Princess, Glamour and Miss Tudor lines. This came in the form of the TUDOR Clair De Rose, which blended the maison’s cutting-edge jewellery expertise with a renewed, modern, feminine spirit. The title, ‘Clair de Rose,’ poetically refers to clair de lune — “moonlight” in French, and the Maison’s emblematic rose motif.
Splash of ‘TUDOR Blue’
Draped in ‘TUDOR Blue’, the Clair de Rose embraces a deep, azure hue on its dial, reminiscent of twilight skies. As its title represents ‘moonlight’, think of the dial as a starry canvas of the night sky. TUDOR has embraced the blue dial aesthetic code right since 1969’s Submariner and has been featured on numerous iconic models throughout history. When it comes to playing with textures, the TUDOR Clair de Rose exudes a delicate interplay between the dial’s satin finish and the polished steel case. The signature blue cabochon crown elevates its elegance.
String of ‘Rice Grains’
Upon closer inspection of the stainless-steel bracelets, you’ll notice they are shaped like a string of rice grains or ‘beads of rice’. This distinctive design, skillfully engineered into small, ergonomic dimensions, creates an opulent play of light as it reflects off the shiny beads. Towards its end, we see a folding clasp and safety catch which feature a TUDOR rose emblem, securing the five-link metal band to the wrist – borrowed from some of the maison’s other iconic lines.
New TUDOR Clair de Rose Models for 2024
In current catalogues, the TUDOR Clair de Rose is adorned with a striking ‘TUDOR Blue’ or Opaline dial. Sizing in with options of 26, 30, and 34 millimetres, the satin-brushed and polished stainless-steel case retains its signature gentle curves and blue cabochon winding crown. The dial either features a full set of Roman numeral indexes or an alternating set of cardinal numerals and diamonds – its elegance is further elevated by a sunray guilloche/relief outlined by a minutes/seconds ring. Also present on deck is a date window at three o’clock.
TUDOR employs two movements for the Clair de Rose — Calibre T201 for the 26 and 30-millimetre models and Calibre T601 for the 34-millimetre model. All movements are self-winding, offering a 38-hour power reserve. The case’s lugs meet the Clair de Rose’s signature five-link ‘beads of rice’ steel bracelet, completed by a folding clasp and safety catch.
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