It must be said that the TUDOR Black Bay Chrono has a certain appeal that captures the attention of every watch enthusiast. From its handsome good looks and sporty appeal to its versatile wearability, every aspect of the chronograph makes it a well-loved creation.
This year, the Swiss watchmaker cements the Black Bay Chrono’s place in the hearts – and watch winders – of fans by unveiling the new Black Bay Chrono S&G at Watches & Wonders 2022. The chronograph’s dial, which comes in a sunray satin-finished champagne, is an immediate winner. Here, we share more about the new creation as well as two of its sibling chronographs from recent years, which we think are just as striking.
The latest member of the Black Bay Chrono line, this variant launched in 2022, features a dial in a sunray satin-finish champagne colour complemented by two recessed sub-counters in matte black. Boasting a circular-grained finish, the sub-counters are inspired by the first generation of TUDOR chronographs – hence the choice of a 45-minute counter and a date aperture at 6 o’clock. the chronograph also sports the iconic “Snowflake” hands – a design element that is a brand signature for divers’ watches since 1969. This Black Bay Chrono S&G is equipped with three bracelet options – a black Jacquard fabric, a bund in dark brown aged leather or a riveted 316L steel and yellow gold – making it ideal for both the boardroom and the bar.
The Black Bay Chrono was relaunched in 2021 to commemorate 50 years of TUDOR’s chronographs after the famous 1970 Oysterdate model . This steel version is updated with a reworked case and features two dial options with contrasting sub-counters – matte black with opaline, or opaline with matte black. Affectionately and informally nicknamed “Panda” because of its black-and-white aesthetics, this pair of chronographs are extremely popular among the watch cognoscenti. Its combination of sporty flair and classic aesthetics, complemented by the high-performance automatic Calibre MT5813 with column wheel and vertical clutch, makes it a well-loved timepiece.
When this version of the Black Bay Chrono S&G was launched in 2019, it made history for being the first TUDOR chronograph to sport a Manufacture Calibre. The self-winding Calibre MT5813, which powers the watch, performs at top-notch levels thanks to its strong architecture that features a column-wheel mechanism and vertical coupling aided by modern innovations such as a silicon balance spring. It has an impressive power reserve of about 70 hours, making it “weekend-proof” – it can continue functioning accurately and precisely even after the wearer takes it off on a Friday and wears it again on Monday. Eagle-eyed watch buffs will notice similarities to the 2022 variant except that the colours of the dial and its sub-counters are reversed. A fixed bezel in yellow gold with a black anodised aluminium insert and tachymetric scale completes the face of this elegant and sporty chronograph. Its slim 41mm-wide steel case comes with yellow-gold pushers inspired by the first generation of TUDOR chronographs.
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