Tudor SA, commonly known simply as Tudor, is a Swiss watchmaker based in Geneva. Established in 1926 by the founder of Rolex, Hans Wilsdorf, the brand is still sister to Rolex, both businesses being owned by the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation.
Initially, Tudor had become renowned for supplying watches to military personnel and divers. In the period from the 1960s to the 1980s, some navies, such as the US Navy SEALs and French Marine Nationale, issued Tudor Submariners to divers.
Drawing on sixty years of TUDOR diving heritage, the iconic Black Bay line is the perfect blend of classic design and modern craftsmanship. With a COSC-certified in-house manufacture Calibre MT5602 movement and a 70-hour power reserve, this Swiss-made watch is certainly a discerning choice.
Taking its inspiration from historic Submariner models, the iconic Tudor Black Bay first made its appearance in 2012. Defined by a vintage style with large crowns, domed sapphire crystals, and snowflake hands with squared-off tips, the Black Bay watch collection embodies deep roots in Tudor’s past. It wasn’t until 2016, that Black Bay models began being equipped with in-house developed movement.
Click here to read our article on the Tudor Submariner.
When the Heritage Black Bay model was released in 2012, it created quite a stir in the watch world. The Ref. 79220R had a striking burgundy-coloured dial that stood out amongst the sea of similar wristwatch designs. This bold choice by Tudor not only gave the Heritage Black Bay its identity, but it also helped forge a whole new look for the company, that departed from the shadow of Rolex. The Heritage Black Bay combined elements from a variety of earlier Tudor dive watches, such creating a truly unique and iconic style.
Perhaps the most divisive of models was the Tudor Black Bay P01 M70150-0001. Tudor created a prototype watch for the U.S. Navy back in 1967 featuring a unique system for locking the bezel and a case with its crown at the 4 o’clock position. Despite this, the American branch of armed services chose another wristwatch and put the prototype pieces into the Tudor vault. A patent was awarded to parent company Rolex for the bezel locking mechanism in 1968.
However the Tudor Black Bay P01 is a contemporary take on the 1967 prototype, keeping the same sleek lines in the case, including the characteristic position of the crown at the 4 o’clock marker. Other features include 42 mm case, stainless steel, water resistant to 200 meters and bidirectional rotating bezel with stop system and a power reserve of 70 hours.
The Black Bay P01 pays homage to a historical research project not only through this detail. In the end, despite its prototype being initially designed for divers, this is not a dive watch. It has a pressure resistance of 20 bar, a modern movement, an extraordinarily designed bezel with unusual functionality, thus making it a unique and strong outdoors sports watch. This appeals to collectors of fine timepieces, as well as those desiring a practical timepiece for everyday use.
At first glance, you may be forgiven for mistaking the Tudor ‘Pepsi’ for its big sister version, the Rolex ‘Pepsi’. With its vintage design and modern engineering, the Black Bay Tudor Pepsi is a watch reminiscent of the classic Rolex GMT models, with its iconic Pepsi bezel design and its history behind it.
It was first released in 2019, and it quickly became a fan favourite due to its classic yet modern design. It has a 41mm case, a unique and attractive blue and red bezel design, and a 3-6-9 chronograph option, making it both stylish and functional. The movements and materials used in the making of this watch are of top quality, making it highly durable and hard-wearing.
The Black Bay GMT features a stainless steel case that is resistant to water up to 200 meters (656 feet). The crown is secured with a screw–down mechanism, displaying the Tudor rose logo; making it suitable for activities that require water–resistance.
The beautiful construction and period details of the Tudor watch make it a great choice for even the most dedicated purist.
In 2021, Tudor combined traditional aesthetics and modern watchmaking to release the Black Bay Chrono, which celebrates the brand’s 50-year chronograph history. The slim case, dials with contrasting subdial counters, and a contemporary movement make the watch more than just a classic remake.
The Black Bay Chrono from Tudor provides the aura of 1970s racing with its cuff bracelet crafted of aged black leather featuring ecru stitchery and folding clasp. An additional option is a stainless–steel bracelet featuring riveted links. This design is inspired by the 1950s and ‘60s bracelets boasting the eye–catching side rivets connecting the various links.
The Black Bay Chronos come in two similar styles to the iconic Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ‘Big Red‘: ‘panda‘ with white dial and black subdials, and ‘reverse panda‘ with black dial and white subdials. Other dial options include champagne and black. As well as striking aesthetics, the watch boasts a 70 hour power reserve, water resistant down to 200 metres, luminescent hands and dot markers and screw-down pushers positioned at two o’clock and four o’clock.
Celebrity ambassadors such as David Beckham have helped propel the Black Bay Chrono out of the shadow of its older sibling, the Rolex Daytona.
The Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight, one of the greatest watch designs in recent years, has been improved even further with an all-bronze look – the case and bracelet have both been fashioned out of bronze and it looks stunning.
Tudor has previously unveiled various bronze dive watches, however, this is the first time the compact Black Bay Fifty-Eight (BB58) features this material and the debut of a bronze bracelet. The combination of colours between the bezel insert, dial and the satin gold sheen of the bronze case is stunning and truly exemplifies successful colour juxtaposition.
The watch displays the classic “3-6-9” dial configuration, often associated with the Rolex Explorer; however, this dial’s rounded font numerals are different from the bold typeface of modern Explorers, giving it a vintage feel that is complemented by the warm hue of the bronze case. Owning a Black Bay Bronze (or any other bronze timepiece) is one of the most interesting parts of the experience due to the gradual and unique patina that comes with age.
The Tudor Black Bay watch is a stylish and classic timepiece that is sure to turn heads. With its timeless design and sophisticated aesthetics, the Black Bay is the perfect blend of traditional watchmaking and contemporary details that is sure to fit beautifully in to any watch afficionados collection.
Click here to read our guide on Tudor Black Bay models
Feel free to peruse our carefully curated selection of Tudor Black Bay watches below.
