Tudor was originally created by Rolex in 1926 as a brand of watches that were more affordable than the average Rolex. Founder Hans Wildorf wanted something that was just as durable as a normal Rolex but sold at a price that was more appealing to the average consumer. Keep reading to discover the reason behind the Tudor logo design.
Tudor Logo Design Elements
Tudor’s logo uses a striking black, red, and white color scheme that stands out amid all the other monochromatic watch logos. At the top of the logo is a shield emblem drawn in bright red lines. The shield has three points along the top, and then it curves down to a point at the bottom. Within the shield is another horizontal red line with one vertical red line going from the top of the shield to the horizontal line.
Beneath the Tudor shield is the brand name “Tudor” written in either white text on a black background or black text on a white background. All of the lettering is done in a classic, Roman serif font. Each letter is done in capital letters of even height.
Changes and Evolution
1. Shape
Tudor’s first logo was just the brand name, and then they added a shield that contained the Tudor rose insignia in it. This rose design proved to be quite popular, and it was used for a few decades. By the 1950s, Tudor had decided to simplify the logo by removing the shield around the rose. Instead, they just used the five, double petal rose on top of the brand name. This logo was altered yet again when the leaves and stem were removed to further simplify the rose. Tudor continued to use this logo for a few decades until they switched to their modern shield one.
2. Color
Tudor’s logo has always included red, white, and black because they have used an adapted version of the traditional Tudor rose that is red and white.
3. Font
The original Tudor logo used a font that had a vaguely gothic, Tudor appearance. This font used thick lines and a script like font to reference the brand’s historical name. However, this font did not work well when produced in small lettering on watch faces. Tudor eventually decided to simplify this font to a more basic Roman font.
Influences/Inspiration
The Tudor logo bears many similarities to the logo for its parent company, Rolex. Like the Rolex logo, the Tudor logo is a simple emblem centered above a brand name written in capitalized letters and a serif font. This intentional similarity helps to ensure consumers that Tudor watches have the same great quality and luxury as Rolex. Instead of using Rolex gold and green, Tudor used white and red to reference their original logo.
According to Tudor company history, the shield on the logo did not start showing up until 1969. The shield has a vaguely medieval design that references the Tudor name of the watches. This shield is supposed to symbolize resistance and reliability, and it replaced the rose because the Tudor rose looked too feminine and elegant. Tudor decided that a shield better represented their brand’s reputation of making durable watches for practical and athletic people.
Trivia
- Despite a loyal following in the United States, Tudor discontinued their USA watch sales between 2004 and 2013.
- The Tudor watch company is named after one of the United Kingdom’s most famous royal dynasties. Their name goes all the way back to a Welsh nobleman named Tudur Hen from 1250 AD.
- When Tudor does their ladies line, the Claire de Rose collection, the logo uses the old rose logo instead of the more modern shield logo.
Conclusion
Despite a few changes over the years, the logo for Tudor watches has remained consistent enough to appeal to old fans of the brand. The Tudor logo does an excellent job of tying together the brand’s historical reputation and modern image. Its bold colors and graphic image are impactful even when shrunk down to fit on tiny watch screens.
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