The inception of Tudor's Black Bay marked a pivotal moment in its journey to success. Introduced in 2012, amidst Tudor's absence from the US market, the original Black Bay swiftly gained acclaim, particularly in the $3,000-$4,000 range. Its retro dive watch design, featuring a distinctive burgundy bezel insert, catalyzed Tudor's triumphant return to the American market the following year. Since then, Tudor has diversified the Black Bay range, introducing chronographs, GMT models, and various sizes and materials. Some aficionados affectionately dub Tudor as the "Black Bay Watch Company," given the prominence of Black Bay iterations in its lineup. Here, we offer a succinct yet comprehensive guide to the Tudor Black Bay collection.
Dive into Style: Exploring the Tudor Black Bay
The Tudor Black Bay is a contemporary take on the iconic "Snowflake" Submariner, featuring its distinctive hour hand and luminous diamond-shaped tip. It encompasses four main families:
- Dive watches (available in four sizes and various materials)
- GMT watches (in both GMT-Master and Explorer II styles)
- Chronographs
- Non-sports watches (with smooth or diamond bezels, sizes ranging from 31-41mm)
All sports models are water-resistant up to 200m, while non-sports variants are rated up to 100m. Let's explore each Black Bay variant in detail.
Black Bay 41mm Dive Watch
The initial 41mm editions, dubbed "Heritage Black Bay," ran on ETA movements. Sporting the timeless Tudor rose emblem on their dials, they bore the iconic burgundy dive bezel insert. Alongside, blue and black inserts emerged. Tudor consistently presents its Black Bays with options of bracelets, leather, or fabric straps.
The Second Generation
In 2016, the Black Bay lineup underwent its inaugural overhaul, introducing the second generation with an in-house chronometer movement. Alongside, two fresh color variations emerged: a green bezel insert (exclusive to Harrod’s) and a PVD-coated case option known as Black Bay Dark, which ceased production in 2021. Notably, the "smiley" curved dial text and the rose logo were both omitted.
Third Generation: Master Chronometer
The third iteration of the 41mm Tudor Black Bay dive watch commenced in 2021 with the Black Bay Ceramic, boasting a sleek "black on black" aesthetic, a ceramic case, and an enhanced movement. Tudor's move to have these timepieces "Master Chronometer" certified by METAS, Switzerland’s Federal Institute of Metrology, seems to playfully challenge Omega, the sole brand previously holding such certification criteria. This certification demands precision within two seconds per day and significant magnetic resistance.
In 2023, the standard steel 41mm Black Bay with a burgundy bezel joined the "Master Chronometer generation," accompanied by the introduction of a Jubilee bracelet option alongside the Oyster. The black-bezel Black Bay saw updates in 2024, with anticipation among collectors for the blue variant to receive its update in 2025 at the upcoming Watches and Wonders fair.
Black Bay Bronze
Introduced in 2016, the Tudor Black Bay Bronze debuted with a charming brown "3-6-9" dial and a substantial 43mm diameter. A unique Bucherer-exclusive blue dial, known fondly as the "BBBBB" (Black Bay Bronze Bucherer Blue), followed in 2017. In 2019, the brown dial transitioned to slate. While bronze cases naturally acquire a patina, enthusiasts have the option to restore their shine through polishing, though many prefer to retain the natural aging process.
Black Bay 58
2018 marked a significant year for the Black Bay collection. The vintage-inspired Black Bay Fifty-Eight, with its 39mm diameter and gilt dial, paid homage to Tudor Submariners from 1958. Despite criticism from purists, the faux rivets on its bracelet proved inconsequential in practice. The introduction of a blue dial/bezel option in 2020 led to high demand and waiting lists for both colors. In 2021, variants representing Olympic medals were released, with notable attention on the gold and silver models. However, the silver variant faced scrutiny due to reported corrosion issues, highlighting the industry's preference for stainless steel. The bronze model, with its unique "brown-bronze" dial, was limited to boutique distribution in the US. Steel BB58 models remain highly coveted, boasting better value retention than their larger counterparts. Tudor's 2024 release of the Black Bay 58 GMT introduces modern elements like Master Chronometer certification and a T-Fit clasp, a feature absent in other BB58 models except the Bronze edition.
