Rolex, Tudor, Audemars Piguet: Men's Watches We Loved To Hate From The Year Of Controversial Watches

Tim Mosso's "Watches Tonight" is the premier forum for discussing luxury watches and topics in watch collecting. Tonight, Tim discusses controversial men's watches from Rolex, Tudor, Audemars Piguet, A Lange & Sohne, and other top watch brands. From the two-tone Rolex Sea-Dweller to the Tudor Black Bay P01, the watches that stirred debate are here for your review. Tim discusses each model and the case for learning to love the watches we loved to hate. The 2019 Rolex and Tudor watch model year was a contentious one. First, the 2018 Rolex Sea Dweller 43 gained a flamboyant running mate. Rolex reference 126603 -- the two-tone steel-gold Sea Dweller -- was more than watch collectors could bear. Given Rolex's reputation as a purveyor of premium priced sports watches, the dandy-like character of the steel gold SD43 placed it in the company of pure showboat watches like the Hublot Big Bang, Audemars Pigeut Royal Oak, and various Franck Muller models. While Rolex had built immense two-tone sports watches before -- witness the Yacht-Master II and Sky Dweller -- the use of two-tone on an oversized dive watch was viewed by many as a path too far. Even worse, the new two-tone Sea Dweller dispensed with the standard SD43's "Fliplock" diving suit extension. The Submariner's 20mm "Glidelock" system is present, but the standard steel Sea Dweller's extra fold-out links are gone. However, Rolex does have a precedent for building and selling monumental two-tone dive watches, and the Rolex "D