There is justifiable hype around this brand, which has seen a substantial rise in popularity over the last few years. At previous Watches & Wonders events, Tudor has turned up with strong entries; perhaps not groundbreaking, but arguably more interesting, certainly more accessible, and affordable than their famous sibling. As the "crown" subtly passes between brands, what has Tudor released today?
No surprises, really; it's Black Bay time again.
We have three new Tudor Black Bay 58s. Two are GMTs with a classic "Coke" bezel, and one is an 18-carat gold.
The two GMT models are steel with an oyster-style bracelet and a 39mm case. Tudor describes the bezel as black and burgundy, and it's fair to say that the lower half of the GMT bezel definitely has a mauve hint as opposed to the red we were accustomed to on the GMT-Master II. Nevertheless, it's similar.
The second GMT release is an identical watch, but on a rubber strap, It probably looks better and makes the new Black Bay 58 look a little less like its illustrious predecessor. Both are METAS Master Chronometer certified.
The third new Black Bay 58 is a solid gold model in 18-carat yellow gold with an open case back to reveal the MT5400 COSC movement. Coming in at over £27,000, this is definitely the top-end Black Bay on the market. The green bezel and dial may well prove to be divisive, but there's no denying that the colour palette Tudor has selected matches the matte gold extremely well and presents a luxurious yet understated look.
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Black Bay Monochrome
Next, we have an entirely new Black Bay. The Monochrome version looks a lot like the Submariner, but in every measurable way, it is a completely new watch with a revised bezel, indices, hands, and dial design. The result is quite possibly the best-looking Black Bay to date.
Three versions are available: a classic Oyster bracelet, a Jubilee style bracelet, and a rubber strap, all with the T-Link link micro-adjust system. As with the 58s, these watches benefit from Master Chronometer-certified movements. The case size is user-friendly at 41mm, and the changes, while subtle, become more noticeable the longer you look at the watch. The aluminium bezel is particularly attractive. Again, does it look a bit like a Sub? Yes, it does, but one could argue it's actually better looking.
A new Clair De Rose
Finally, from Tudor, we have a Clair De Rose available in a new "Tudor Blue" dial. Previously, it was only available with a white dial and thermally blued hands and indices, but the transition to a blue dial with silver hands is sophisticated and striking.
The model is available in three sizes: 26mm, 30mm, and 34mm, so the demographic of buyers is relatively clear. Two versions are available, one with Roman numerals and one with diamond indices, although the price differential is not that great. The range enters at £2160 and finishes at only £2890 for the top-end diamond model. Is there a hint of Cartier Ballon Bleu? Perhaps but this is still a very attractive watch. The multilink bracelet is beautiful, finished off with the Tudor Rose lock. Unlike the larger Black Bays, this range has a self-winding calibre T601 with a power reserve of approximately 38 hours.
Conclusions
Here is a very brief summary of the 2024 models released by Tudor within the last hour. We will analyse these in more detail as the days pass, but what are our initial thoughts?
The GMT Black Bay 58 is perhaps a little disappointing because it doesn't look vastly different from previous models. However, the Monochrome Black Bay 41mm is stunning and will surely become a preeminent dive/fashion watch this year. It's a brave move to design this watch because the reality is it does look remarkably like it's more expensive underwater relative, yet at £3820, it is less than half the price for arguably the same quality.
