Tudor Ranger automatic beige dial fabric bracelet 39 mm

The Ranger Spirit & the 39mm Format

The TUDOR Ranger is one of those watches that earned its legitimacy in the field long before becoming an icon. Its modern history traces back to 1952, during the British North Greenland Expedition, a British scientific mission that spent two years on the ice fields of Greenland. Thirty members of the team were equipped with Oyster Prince watches — TUDOR’s first models combining automatic winding and water resistance — and recorded their daily accuracy according to a strict protocol. In polar cold, isolation and the complete absence of technical support, these real-world tests established the foundations of TUDOR’s philosophy: reliable, simple and robust watches designed to withstand the unimaginable.

The spirit of adventure associated with TUDOR goes even further back. As early as 1929, Hans Wilsdorf registered the name “Ranger” for watches intended for exploration, long before it became a standalone model. In the 1960s, the Ranger’s style took shape and became instantly recognisable: large Arabic numerals at 3, 6, 9 and 12, a high-contrast matte dial, uniquely shaped hands, exemplary legibility and a distinctly utilitarian sobriety. Over the decades, the Ranger appeared in various iterations — manual or automatic, with or without a date, bearing the rose or the shield — culminating in the 1973 Ranger II with its integrated bracelet, all while remaining true to its primary purpose: an accessible, reliable toolwatch for those who operate far from comfort.

In 2014, TUDOR revived this lineage with the 41mm Heritage Ranger, then refined it in 2022 with a more balanced 39mm model powered by the Manufacture Calibre MT5402. The 39mm diameter quickly asserted itself as the ideal format: present enough to echo vintage expedition watches, yet perfectly suited to modern daily wear. In 2025, the arrival of the “Dune White” dial brings a new dimension to the design: sand-toned, lightly grained shades inspired by extreme desert environments and the Dakar, the toughest race in the world. Scorching heat, abrasive rocks, omnipresent dust and constant vibrations challenge both mechanics and drivers. In such conditions, the Ranger naturally reclaims its role as a simple, legible and reliable instrument, ready to face the vast immensity of the Rub' al Khali — the “Empty Quarter” — one of the most hostile places on Earth.

In this 39mm format, the Ranger Dune White stands as one of the most accomplished expressions of the TUDOR spirit: a genuine exploration watch with contemporary proportions, conceived first and foremost as a tool designed to accompany every moment — from scorching dunes to city pavements.

The “Dune White” Dial & Legibility

The “Dune White” dial is the defining feature of this new generation of Ranger 39mm. Its sand-coloured, finely grained surface immediately evokes extreme desert landscapes: the dust of Dakar tracks, the dry whiteness of arid plains, the mineral light of dunes heated by the sun. Unlike a traditional white dial, its matte, textured finish eliminates unwanted reflections, reinforcing the functional nature of the watch while giving it a completely new personality.

To ensure perfect legibility despite the light background, TUDOR chose fully black Arabic numerals and markers printed in strong contrast. Unlike the black Ranger, where the numerals are luminescent, this “Dune White” version embraces a more graphic, more “toolwatch” aesthetic, prioritising functionality over visual effect. Night-time readability is provided by small luminescent dots placed around the edge of the dial — a discreet but highly effective solution aligned with the instrument-like design.

The hands retain the signature Ranger styling while adapting to the sand-coloured dial. Darkened to match the numerals, they follow the historical codes:

• a shovel-shaped hour hand, instantly recognisable,
• a sharp, angular minute hand offering excellent precision,
• and a central seconds hand with a bordeaux-red tip, now a visual hallmark of modern Rangers.

The result is a display of great clarity, sober and perfectly balanced. In this 39mm diameter, the proportions create a slightly more open dial than on the 36mm version, enhancing the sense of space and overall legibility. This Dune White version asserts a unique visual identity: brighter and more mineral, yet entirely faithful to the Ranger’s original mission — a toolwatch designed for real-world use, equally suited to polar severity and the most extreme desert conditions of today.

The Manufacture MT5402 Movement

At the heart of the Ranger 39mm Dune White lies the Manufacture Calibre MT5402, engineered to deliver outstanding reliability and long-term precision, perfectly aligned with the utilitarian and exploratory spirit of the collection. Developed within TUDOR’s Manufacture, this automatic movement carries official COSC certification, but even exceeds those standards thanks to tighter internal tolerances imposed by the brand: between –2 and +4 seconds per day on the fully assembled watch, whereas COSC allows a much wider deviation on the movement alone.

The MT5402 is built around a variable-inertia balance held in place by a robust transversal bridge with double anchoring — ensuring superior resistance to shocks, vibrations and abrupt temperature variations, whether in Greenland’s frozen landscapes or the scorching dunes of the Dakar. Paired with an anti-magnetic silicon balance spring, it guarantees remarkable stability and natural immunity against everyday electromagnetic disturbances.

With a power reserve of approximately 70 hours — the so-called “weekend-proof” autonomy — the MT5402 allows the wearer to set the watch down on Friday evening and pick it up again on Monday morning without winding. This generous reserve is complemented by a construction designed to last: robust, low-maintenance and consistently precise.

Powerful, modern and ready for adventure, the MT5402 is one of the most accomplished expressions of TUDOR’s Manufacture know-how. A movement perfectly in tune with the Ranger philosophy: reliable, durable mechanics built to withstand the field, no matter the environment.

The Julien Faure Fabric Strap

In this fabric-strap version, the 39mm “Dune White” Ranger reveals an even more authentic personality, closely aligned with the origins of exploration watches. The strap is woven in a single piece by the Julien Faure workshop in Saint-Étienne, a French manufacturer renowned for preserving ancestral craftsmanship thanks to 19th-century Jacquard looms. The result is a textile of rare quality: supple, exceptionally durable and surprisingly comfortable, even when worn continuously in demanding conditions.

The colour palette — a deep green crossed by a double central stripe in red and beige — creates a striking contrast with the sand-coloured dial. This pairing immediately evokes the world of modern exploration: dusty Dakar tracks, technical textile equipment used in expeditions, and landscapes where burning sand meets rare touches of vegetation. Together, the strap and the dial form a unique visual identity, more adventurous and organic than the steel version.

Naturally lightweight, breathable and flexible, this strap enhances the Ranger’s nomadic nature. It hugs the wrist without adding bulk and practically disappears in motion — whether walking, driving, climbing or navigating a dynamic day. More relaxed, more rugged and resolutely field-oriented, this fabric version of the 39mm “Dune White” Ranger embodies the toolwatch closest to its roots: simple, reliable, functional, ready to withstand the elements and accompany adventure every day.

The Everyday Toolwatch

With its fully satin-brushed case, versatile 39mm diameter and sand-coloured dial that is both soft and highly legible, the 39mm “Dune White” Ranger stands as a true modern toolwatch, built to face environments as extreme as Greenland’s glaciers and the blistering heat of desert landscapes. Water-resistant to 100 metres, protected by a domed sapphire crystal and fitted with a screw-down crown adorned with the TUDOR rose, it combines strength, restraint and efficiency in a remarkably balanced ensemble.

Brighter than the black version yet equally functional, this Ranger offers a perfectly balanced wrist presence, capable of facing environments as opposite as Arctic cold and the furnace-like dunes crossed by Dakar pilots. Its grained dial, exemplary readability and enduring Manufacture movement make it a reliable, precise and intuitive instrument, ready to meet both daily demands and unexpected challenges in harsher terrain.

Whether worn on a steel bracelet for a more urban, assertive look or on a Julien Faure fabric strap for a more adventurous and organic spirit, the 39mm “Dune White” Ranger remains true to the philosophy that shaped its legend: a simple, robust, accessible watch designed to last and accompany every moment.