The Black Bay’s Back, Alright! Tudor Launches the New Black Bay 54 and more

We never know what to expect from Tudor at Watches & Wonders, and, well, they didn’t let us down in the surprise department this year, including with a new Black Bay model featuring a – get this – 37mm case. If you had called that one, you might be a psychic. But that was hardly it, we saw a new dial of the GMT, and the return of the Black Bay Burgundy, but with a METAS flavored surprise. The Black Bay’s Back – alright, let’s get into it.

I recall being kind of blown away at Basel 2018 when Tudor launched the Black Bay 58. A 39mm Tudor dive watch! I couldn’t really believe it, as common as it might seem today. Well, today Tudor bested themselves once again with the Black Bay 54, a 37mm spiritual recreation of Tudor’s first dive watch, the 7922 from 1954. What you’ll find in the BB54 is a mashup of new (well, vintage-inspired new) and old, in, essentially, a scaled-down BB58. The case is said to have the proportions of the 7922 at 37mm x 11.24mm with 20mm lugs.

Additionally, the bezel insert copies the layout of the 7922’s. The insert is black, and features numerals at intervals of 10 in a thin typeface, alternating with blocky rectangles that feel just a hair larger than they should be, but in keeping with the proportions of the original. It’s the kind of quirk that adds personality and quickly sets it apart from its slightly more contemporary siblings. I’m sure plenty of people will be excited to see that markings maintain the tone of the metal below, rather than the golden hue of the BB58 black.

Other elements feel a bit more blended. The dial looks straight out of the Black Bay 58 black from the gilt print to applied numerals with cream-colored lume, and the three lines of text we’ve come to expect. It would have been great to see the smile and the rose make their way to this piece given the specific vintage callback. Of course, the snowflake hour hand is also present, rather than the Mercedes.

Tudor kept their stepped rivet bracelet as an option, now featuring their T-fit clasp, which is visually accurate to the original, but also standard on the 58. In another surprise, however, they created a rubber strap with a fitted end link as well as a t-fit clasp, which should make for a very comfortable strap, and a far more contemporary style.

In terms of technical specs, the Black Bay 54 is all modern. Inside is the MT5400, with 70-hour power reserve, free-sprung silicon balance, and a stated accuracy range of -2/+4, which is greater than chronometer standards. Of course, it’s still chronometer certified. The Black Bay 54 maintains 200m of water resistance as well.

On the wrist, this is the vintage-inspired Submariner we’ve been dreaming of for all these years. It looks the part, it feels the part, but it’s built like a modern watch. Priced at $3,625 – $3,850, it’s in-line with the current pricing of the Black Bay 58.

While the 54 is a dip into the past, this next launch points directly at the future. The Black Bay Burgundy 41mm has returned, once again, with a new movement and certification. For those unaware, the Black Bay burgundy in 41mm was the very first version of the family, launched in 2012. Back then, it was powered by an ETA movement, which was later swapped out when Tudor brought out their in-house movements.

For 2023, the Burgundy has been given the MT5602-U, which has been given the METAS Master Chronometer certification. This includes an accuracy of 0/+5, tighter than typical chronometer standards, as well as being subjected to 15,000 gauss magnetic field, and tested in 6 positions, 2 temperatures, and at different levels of power reserve. There is actually a new facility dedicated to this testing in the Kenissi building in Le Locle, as Tudor will be introducing METAS across their whole catalog in the coming years.

Aesthetically, the Burgundy is the same as before, though the dial now reads “master chronometer” on it. The case has the same general sizing as well, but has come down in thickness from 14.5mm to around 13.5mm. The bracelets are all new, however. There are three options, the rivet bracelet, a new 5-link (jubilee), and a new rubber strap with end-links. All three with t-fit clasps. The Black Bay 41 Burgundy is priced at $4,125 – $4,450 depending on the strap.

Last but not least, the Black Bay GMT 41mm gets a new dial. Launched back in 2018 alongside the Black Bay 58, the GMT was actually the bigger news at first. A Pepsi bezel with an in-house flyer GMT, it was hard to not like. Since then, we’ve seen a “root beer” two-tone version, and the Black Bay Pro, though that is sort of its own thing. For 2023, Tudor has gone back to the original model, and added in an “opaline” dial.

White at a glance, the opaline is actually a light, textured silver. It’s surprisingly striking in person, making the blue and red bezel pop, and seem like brighter tones. Fun and preppy, this is a logical addition to the Black Bay GMT collection. The Opaline is available on a fabric strap or a steel rivet bracelet, starting at $3,975.

Stay tuned to #watchesandwonders2023 for more news and releases from Geneva.