Every year, watch enthusiasts wait with bated breath to find out what their favourite watch brands’ launch at the Watches & Wonders trade show held in Geneva, Switzerland. This year is no exception.
Late March this year, TUDOR released a slew of novelties that promised to excite the fans, interest the neutrals and even convince the naysayers. Here are three key Black Bay models unveiled by the Swiss watchmaker, with each living up to the brand’s slogan of “Born To Dare”.
At Watches & Wonders 2023, a new generation of the TUDOR Black Bay made its debut. This time round, the latest variant comes with minor design tweaks, a “T-fit” clasp and is Master Chronometer-certified by the Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS) in Switzerland.
The brand’s flagship model, which features the iconic unidirectional rotatable bezel in burgundy, retains the original size of 41mm in stainless steel but is reintroduced with a slimmer profile. The Swiss watchmaker has looked into improving its ergonomics, with a redesigned crown set flush to the middle case band so that its tube is not visible – this tweak is inspired by the curves found on the crowns of the brand’s historical technical watches.
The “Snowflake” hands – a hallmark of TUDOR divers’ watches introduced in 1969 – have been applied with Grade A Swiss Super-LumiNova luminescent material, which betters the legibility and durability of the luminescence in the dark. The second hand recalls the look of the early diving watches of the brand with a lollipop design while the satin black and subtly domed dial is radial-brushed for a slight shine under direct light.
These minor tweaks enhance the modern yet vintage appeal of the watch, further increasing its desirability among TUDOR fans and watch enthusiasts.
In 2016, TUDOR equipped the Black Bay with a Manufacture Calibre but the movement powering this latest variant is further enhanced. The Black Bay is now fitted with the Manufacture Calibre MT5602-U, which means it is certified as a Master Chronometer watch by METAS.
To achieve this certification, a watch has to meet incredibly stringent criteria: To be classified as “Swiss Made” and be certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC), guarantee its timekeeping accuracy even when exposed to magnetic fields of 15,000 gauss, be waterproof to 200m (660ft) and boast a 70-hours power reserve.
Simply put, the Black Bay is an extremely accurate and precise workhorse that is also “weekend-proof” – this means the wearer can take the watch off on a Friday evening and put it back on again on Monday morning without the need to wind it.
Another highlight especially for the vintage watch enthusiasts is the Black Bay 54. Fitted with Manufacture Calibre MT5400, with a power reserve of 70 hours, the movement is also COSC-certified, which simply means it guarantees robustness, reliability and precision. Not only is the MT5400 Manufacture Calibre a thoroughbred workhorse, it also is a stunner. Its rotor in tungsten monobloc is openworked and satin-brushed with sandblasted details, while its bridges and mainplate feature alternate sandblasted, polished surfaces and laser decorations.
Besides boasting technical excellence on the inside, the Black Bay 54, like the other variants in the family, incorporates signature elements of TUDOR’s past dive watches. But it is admittedly the creation that sports design nuances most faithful to its illustrious cousins, such as the Oyster Prince Submariner reference 7922.
The earliest versions of the 7922 sported a “small crown” and did away with the iconic red triangle at 12 o’clock for a cleaner, more uniform aesthetic. Ditto the Black Bay 54, which measures 37mm wide. Its hands have been adjusted for size but they are pinched at the base in the same manner as the 1954 piece.
The second hand recalls the look of the original with a lollipop design. Gimlet-eyed watch aficionados will find the bezel edge of the Black Bay 54 familiar because it takes inspiration from the 7922 though TUDOR gives it a modern spin.
The unidirectional bezel of the Black Bay 54 does not sport any graduated hash marks on the bezel insert, similar to the TUDOR creations from the 1950s. The watch comes with a choice of stainless steel three-link “rivet-style” bracelet or rubber strap, both with TUDOR “T-fit” rapid adjustment clasp.
What has always stood out for the Black Bay 31/36/39/41 models is that they boast the tool watch spirit of its parent line as well as an elegant and timeless touch of a classic timepiece. The latest iteration sticks to this hugely successful strategy but takes things one level up by being fitted with TUDOR’s Manufacture Calibres for all four sizes. This means they are all “weekend-proof” too.
Also new this year, is the availability of new dial colours: Blue, anthracite, or light champagne-coloured. Each of these sunray dials sports a minute track that comes in a contrasting colour for better legibility and an extra touch of style.
