A symbol of TUDOR’s technical expertise, the Black Bay Ceramic is the first TUDOR watch to attain the Master Chronometer certification, a set of stringent quality control standards by Federal Institute of Metrology (Metas). Sporting a full-black aesthetics, the watch retains its fine familial lineage, the brand’s signature “Snowflake” hands—one of the key hallmarks of TUDOR’s diving watches introduced in 1969—with Super-LumiNova luminescent material; a domed dial with applied hour markers; a domed sapphire crystal; and a familiar 41mm-wide case.
Understated and stealthy, its black appearance is more than just skin deep. Like its name suggests, it sports a matte black monobloc ceramic case, which has sand-blasted surfaces with bevelled edges—mirror-polished for a striking contrast—and is finished with very pronounced lines. The insert of its rotatable bezel is also crafted in black ceramic with a sunray satin finish. On it are engraved graduations in matching tones that offer a complementary additional matte detail, playing subtly to changes in light. Measuring 14.4mm in thickness, the watch is slimmer than previous versions and sits comfortably on the wrist.
For the first time, the Black Bay family name and the words “Master Chronometer” are inscribed on the dial area just above 6 o’clock. The Black Bay Ceramic is naturally accompanied by a black hybrid leather and rubber strap, but TUDOR sweetens the deal with a complimentary black fabric strap with cream band.
And if you think the jet-black look only applies to the exterior, flip the watch around and you will be pleasantly surprised. The Swiss watchmaker ups the ante by producing the Manufacture Calibre MT5602-1U in full black, in line with the watch’s appearance. Its rotor in black tungsten monobloc is openworked and satin-brushed with sand-blasted details, while its bridges and mainplate boast alternate sand-blasted, polished surfaces and laser decorations.
What differentiates the Manufacture Calibre MT5602-1U from the regular Manufacture Calibres is that its architecture has been tweaked slightly to ensure robustness and precision. Coupled with its non-magnetic silicon hairspring, the movement boasts a tolerance range of 5 seconds (0 +5), a marked improvement over (-4 +6), the standards set by Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC). It is also a second less than TUDOR’s internal standard of (-2 +4), which is applied to the brand’s models with a Manufacture Calibre. On top of it all, the movement has a power reserve of 70 hours, making it “weekend-proof”—the wearer can take the watch off on a Friday evening and put it back on again on Monday morning without having to wind it.
A comprehensive test with high standards, the Master Chronometer certification covers functional characteristics of a watch such as precision, resistance to magnetic fields, waterproofness and power reserve. The certification also ensures the timekeeping accuracy subjected to magnetic fields of 15,000 gauss, and that the waterproof capability and power reserve of the watch meets the ISO standard 22810:2010.
The Black Bay Ceramic, which comes with a five-year transferable guarantee with no registration or periodic maintenance checks required, is more than just a handsome timepiece by the watchmaker. It represents TUDOR’s continuous and persistent pursuit of achieving excellence and pushing its limits and is something all watch enthusiasts will appreciate.
