Reasonable Grail: the Tudor Big Block 94200

There’s a strong demand from collectors for vintage Rolex chronographs (even vintage Rolex-ish chronographs). Exhibit A: all Daytonas. Exhibit B: all Monte Carlos. But the under-appreciated Exhibit C comes by way of the Tudor Big Block. It used to be the Big Block was considered a means to an end; a path toward Rolex. These days, it’s more of an end in and of itself. It’s just the right mix of Rolex aesthetic, collectibility, and value.

At eight grand, reasonable may seem a ridiculous moniker. After all, it’s just a Valjoux 7750. But this is an investment in a unique heritage of experimentation and taking risks. The exotic dial variations of this chronograph have already taken off in value. Usually, this pulls up the ‘lower,’ or more common, references as well. But this isn’t ‘lower’—I for one appreciate the reserved dial design here. 

This beautiful example isn’t boxed or documented but is a bit of a deal as a result. This is the first generation of big block, acrylic crystal with a clean reverse panda dial. The perfectly-proportioned 40mm case has only seen small wear since its 1986 production date. It comes on an original bracelet. The movement is said to be in excellent condition. By all accounts, this would be a simple but tasteful addition for any watch enthusiast’s wrist.

Find this Big Block here from Analog Shift for 7950 USD.