1973 Tudor Submariner ref. 9411/0 Snowflake Unpolished

Up for grabs is a Tudor Submariner Date

Reference 9411/0

This is possibly an issued US military or training Sub. Here is the story of how I found it: I got a call from a pawn shop owner who usually sells me some interesting vintage watches whenever they get them. This shop is located in the Florida panhandle area, an area with US NAVY bases as well as long history of dive training facilities. He told me that someone came in and sold him 4 vintage Tudors. Three of these watches were missing bezels and the 4th one was this 9411. There were 3 9411’s and 1 7928. This 9411 as well as the 7928 both have hand inscribed numbers on outside of the caseback, which I believe are inventory numbers. The other two 9411’s do not have the numbers engraved, but they are also the “newest” of the 4, with 1976 serial numbers, so it is my belief that for those watches, they no longer used the caseback engraving inventory system and rather used serial number as reference or such. The reason I I am certain those two watches are connected is that they are only 92 digits apart in serial numbers, which leads me to believe that they were ordered together and stayed together for the last 47 years. The last piece that for SURE connects each of the 4 of these watches is that every single one of them have the same service mark 4/3/1984 followed by #2XX. So, evidently they were all serviced on “industrial” scale and probably by NAVY watchmakers or their contractors, but this is not possible to prove at this point. I can certainly say that this watch has lived a more “exciting” life than just a timekeeping tool, but can only guess by who. Why the other 3 watches were all missing bezel assemblies is also unknown and why 4 of these watches were together from 3 different periods is also unknown. Perhaps these were all put away somewhere as “decommissioned” pieces, even though there is nothing missing or broken on this 9411/0 you are considering for sale in this listing.

Back to the watch itself. The case is clearly unpolished with factory chamfers. The numbers between the lugs are legible.

The dial is original, blue which has faded to a dark gray/blue hue. The patina is phenomenal and the hands are original. The dial surface has the typical (and correct) paint degradation. The crystal has some crazing and scratches.

The original bezel insert has faded to a “ghost” coloring.

The caseback is also original and like mentioned before has an inventory number on outside of it.

None of the watches had bracelets with them, which would also make sense. I have installed a new blue NATO style strap.

The watch winds and runs, but not further service history is known.