If you’ve been reading Bring A Loupe with regularity during my tenure, you would already know my affinity for gilt-dialed Tudor Submariners. As with the Rolex Sub, there is a deep and nerdy history to explore when it comes to those offered by Tudor throughout the vintage period. In the 1960s, while Rolex’s Subs featured dials with a deep gloss, now known simply as “gilt” dials, their Tudor contemporaries offered a different finish — matte gilt. The text and chapter ring tone are the same, but the black of the dial is softer, making for a distinctly different look in the metal. Some collectors have begun to shy away from Rolex gilt dials, fearing fragility and scratches on the gloss surface. With the Tudors, there is less to worry about.