THE ESSENTIALS
MAKE: TUDOR
MODEL: 9430/0
YEAR: 1978
BOX/PAPERS: YES/YES
CASE DIAMETER: 40mm
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC
In 1976, Tudor came out with its third series of chronograph. Enter the “Big Block” chronographs—the beefy successors to the slimmer, funkier Monte Carlo chronos of 1970's. The Monte Carlo (and Rolex’s Daytona at the time) were still stuck in manual-wind land, but the Big Block came in with an automatic movement, making Tudor ahead of the curve. Fun fact: Rolex didn’t get around to sticking an automatic engine in the Daytona until 1988. Yeah, a whole decade later.
Tudor also threw in something their big brother refused to give you—a date complication. The “Big Block” nickname itself simply came from the extra-thick mid-case that had to be upsized to house the Valjoux 7750 automatic chronograph caliber.
Now, let’s talk dials. Normally, underneath the “Tudor” logo you’d see “OYSTERDATE,” but on these? Nothing. Just a whole lot of empty dial real estate hence the name "solo dial" That might sound like a printing mistake, but it’s actually the earliest execution of the 9430/0 Big Block—and it’s extremely uncommon. This is only the second one we have come across in the flesh.
This watch itself is in superb condition, the case is tremendous, it would fool many as unpolished but it has seen one at some point, our guess based on the finish was in period as the chamfers are correct and the crown guards almost untouched bar the top surface. The dial has some mild staining around the rehaut, the rest of it is spotless and all the markers are intact. The hands remain clean with their tritium plots intact. The watch is fitted with a correct but service 7836/380 bracelet.
The watch was originally sold in Newcastle and comes complete with its inner and outer boxes, wallet, papers, translation papers, original bill of sale, Rolex service paperwork and booklet.
We had the watch serviced a few weeks ago and its -4 s/d, 285 amps and has a beat error of 0.2.