Tudor

Wristwatches from Tudor are highly coveted among watch enthusiasts. This is true of both their current and vintage models. Since their foundation, Tudor's primary focus has been on high-quality craftsmanship and the use of precise movements. They stepped out of sister company Rolex's shadow long ago and are creating luxury watches at a level on par with the world's most famous watch manufacturers. Their most popular collections include the Black Bay, Pelagos, North Flag, and Heritage Chrono Blue.

The centerpiece of Tudor's current portfolio is the Black Bay collection, which is regularly updated with new variations. The Black Bay Fifty Eight series is a version of the standard Black Bay that has been scaled down to 39 mm. As of 2023, you can also opt for the Black Bay 54, which measures just 37 mm across. Both versions are great unisex watches.

The Heritage Chrono series contains a selection of distinctive men's chronographs. The very first model won the "Petite Aiguille" ("little hand") prize at the 2017 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève. This column-wheel chronograph uses an in-house caliber that Tudor developed in collaboration with Breitling, and boasts a 70-hour power reserve.

Tudor now uses in-house calibers in almost all of their watches, often accompanied by chronometer certification from the COSC. Indeed, select movements have even earned the METAS seal as Master Chronometers since 2021. The Swiss manufacturer also offers a wide range of case materials, including stainless steel, gold, titanium, bronze, and silver.

When considering Tudor, it's also worth looking at their collectible neo-vintage models like the Submariner Snowflake. This timepiece has ridden the wave of success created by various Rolex Submariner watches, and prices for well-maintained examples have increased significantly in recent years.

Diving watches enjoy widespread popularity. Those that combine retro looks with state-of-the-art technology are especially sought after. Some of the industry's most popular retro diving watches belong to the Heritage Black Bay series. This line premiered in 2012 and has since grown by several models.

Three-Hand Black Bay Watches

Water-resistant to 200 m (20 bar, 656 ft), the Black Bay is modeled after early Submariner models from the 1950s. This explains its large crown, lack of a crown protector, and domed crystal. Tudor initially equipped the Black Bay with the ETA caliber 2824.

Watches from 2012 with a 41-mm case and an ETA movement are especially popular and can make sound investments. The Black Bay ref. 79220N with its black bezel demands at least 5,500 USD. For comparison, a brand new Black Bay ref. 79230N from 2017 with the in-house caliber MT5612 costs roughly 3,700 USD.

At Watches and Wonders 2023, Tudor introduced a revised version of the Black Bay with a burgundy aluminum bezel. At just under 13 mm, it is slightly thinner than its predecessors and is powered by the caliber MT5602-U. The crowning jewel of this movement is that it is certified as a Master Chronometer by the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS), which makes it particularly accurate as well as anti-magnetic. You can find this timepiece under the reference number M7941A1A0RU-0003 for prices around 5,500 USD.

Black Bay Dark and S&G

If you prefer all-black watches, you should take a look at the Black Bay Dark. Its 41-mm stainless steel case and bracelet have a black coating. The white luminous hands and hour markers make for a stark contrast and offer excellent readability regardless of lighting conditions. The white minute markers and the bezel's minute scale also stand out against the black background. A Black Bay Dark in new condition costs about 4,300 USD.

The two-tone Black Bay S&G is also popular and features in many promotional photos with retired English soccer star David Beckham. As a style icon, Beckham is the perfect brand ambassador for Tudor. The stainless steel Black Bay S&G is available with a two-tone metal bracelet or leather strap. Like the Black Bay Steel, the in-house movement MT5612 with a date display powers these watches. Set aside around 5,000 USD for a new version with a stainless steel and gold bracelet. You can save around 500 USD by opting for a leather strap instead.

About the Black Bay Fifty-Eight Navy Blue

Introduced in 2020, the Black Bay Fifty-Eight Navy Blue resembles the Tudor "Snowflake" Submariner from the 1960s and 70s. Like the black edition, the Navy Blue has a 39-mm stainless steel case that is water-resistant to 200 m (20 bar, 565 ft). However, as its name implies, the Navy Blue comes with a blue dial and aluminum bezel. It gets its power from the in-house caliber MT5402 with a 70-hour power reserve.

You can purchase the Black Bay Navy Blue on your choice of a stainless steel bracelet (ref. 79030B) or a blue synthetic strap. The former variant was selling for roughly 3,600 USD on Chrono24 in July 2023.

The Black Bay Fifty-Eight in Silver and Gold

In spring 2021, Tudor presented two new Black Bay Fifty-Eights in precious metals. The first was the Black Bay Fifty-Eight 925 ref. M79010SG-0001 in sterling silver. This model is also the first Black Bay that Tudor outfitted with a transparent sapphire crystal case back. Thanks to this feature, you can watch the in-house caliber MT5400 at work.

Like the rest of the Black Bay series, the 925 is water-resistant to 200 m (656 ft, 20 bar). Tudor fits this timepiece with a taupe dial and bezel and mounts it on a matching textile or leather strap. A never-worn edition will set you back around 4,100 USD.

If you like the look of the Black Bay Fifty-Eight but wish it came in gold, look no further than the Fifty-Eight 18K (ref. M79018V-0001). Its 39-mm case is solid 18-karat yellow gold, and a completely satin finish lends this timepiece a more subtle feel. Similar to the Black Bay 925, the 18K has a sapphire crystal case back. The dial and aluminum bezel are green with gold accents on the hands, indices, and diving scale.

Finally, Tudor ships this watch on a leather strap with a complimentary textile strap. The only thing standing between you and this timepiece is 14,000 USD.

The 41-mm Ceramic Black Bay

Ceramic watches are a trend Tudor have fully embraced. In 2021, the manufacturer announced the Black Bay Ceramic (ref. 79210CNU), a new version of the 41-mm Black Bay with a black ceramic case.

Another new feature is the caliber MT5602-1U, which the independent Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS) has certified as a Master Chronometer. This black movement boasts a 70-hour power reserve and a silicon hairspring. What's more, it can resist magnetic fields of up to 15,000 gauss and is chronometer-certified.

A black dial and bezel enhance this model's sleek look, and a black leather strap completes the package. As for the price, you can call this watch your own for roughly 4,400 USD new.

Extraordinary: The Black Bay P01

Those with more extravagant tastes may enjoy the Heritage Black Bay P01. This isn't your average wristwatch. Its design comes from a diving watch prototype Tudor developed for the U.S. Navy in the 1960s. However, the public didn't get their first glimpse of this once-secret watch until the 2019 release of its remake, the P01. Defining details include a crown at 4 o'clock and bulging lugs with clamps for locking the bezel in place – a feature unique to this timepiece alone.

At 42 mm in diameter, this watch is also the largest three-hand Black Bay model. You can find mint-condition models on Chrono24 for roughly 3,700 USD.

Black Bay 31, 36, 39, and 41 With No Diving Bezel

Tudor also offers versions without diving bezels in the form of the Black Bay 31, 36, 39, and 41. As their names reveal, these timepieces are 31, 36, 39, and 41 mm in diameter, respectively. In addition to stainless steel watches with a blue, black, or champagne dial, the brand also produces two-tone models known as the Black Bay S&G. These variants are available with a gold or black dial. No matter which version you choose, it will have a polished bezel similar to that of the Rolex Explorer.

Tudor has been powering these watches with in-house calibers since 2023. The movements are certified by the Swiss Chronometer Control Center (COSC) and have a power reserve of 70 hours. One exception is the movement in the Black Bay 31, which only has a power reserve of 50 hours on account of its smaller size.

Prices for the Tudor Black Bay models without diving bezels range from around 2,600 USD for older stainless steel models with ETA calibers to roughly 6,600 USD for two-tone watches with in-house calibers and diamond-set bezels.

Black Bay Chrono With Stopwatch Function

Black Bay Chronographs are tremendously popular in the watch community for their attractive retro design. All timepieces in the series share a tachymeter scale that allows the wearer to measure speed and distance. The dial features a small seconds subdial at 9 and a 45-minute chronograph counter directly opposite at 3 o'clock. The Black Bay Chrono also hosts a date display at 6 o'clock. Dot indices dominate as hour markers, interrupted only by a triangle at the top of the hour. The watches are powered by the in-house caliber MT5813 and thus offer a 70-hour power reserve.

The first generation Tudor Black Bay Chrono with a black dial and stainless steel bezel (ref. 79350) with a steel bracelet change hands for about 4,800 USD. You can find the follow-up version with a panda or reverse panda dial and slightly thinner case with a stainless steel bracelet on Chrono24 for about 5,600 USD (ref. 79360N-0001) or 5,700 USD (ref. 79360N-0002). You can save a few hundred dollars if you choose one of the models on a leather or textile strap instead.

Two interesting variations of the retro chronographs are the Black Bay Chrono Dark and the S&G models. Tudor launched the former for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in honor of the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team. The completely black !{chronograph,chronograph} is currently limited to 1,181 pieces. Prices for an unworn copy in summer 2023 came in around 10,500 USD – a significant increase from the original list price of 5,450 USD.

The Black Bay Chrono S&G is in normal series production. The two-tone watches combine stainless steel and yellow gold for a sporty-elegant design and can be found on Chrono24 in mint condition for anywhere between 5,500 to 6,800 USD, depending on the exact version.

Tudor Black Bay 54: Newest Member of the Black Bay Family

At Watches and Wonders 2023, Tudor took the opportunity to announce the addition of a new model to their Black Bay collection. Pulling inspiration from the first Tudor diving watch from 1954, the Black Bay 54's most important feature is its modest diameter of 37 mm. At 11.2 mm thick, the watch is also significantly thinner than the other Black Bay models. The Black Bay 54 features a black dial and black aluminum bezel inlay. The bezel's hash marks are at 5-minute intervals, just like the original. The lollipop second hand is also taken directly from the 1950 muse.

In the interior of the watch, Tudor uses state-of-the-art technology. The automatic caliber MT5400 is chronometer-certified and offers a power reserve of 70 hours.

Expect to pay around 4,500 USD for this stainless steel watch on a three-piece link bracelet. The version on the rubber strap costs a good 200 USD less.

The name Heritage Ranger makes it clear that this model is inspired by a historic watch – namely the Oyster Prince Ranger from the 1960s. The new Ranger's simple design is very similar to its historic predecessor, especially its dial. Arabic numerals are located at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o'clock, while indices are used for the other hour markers. The arrow-shaped hour hand and the skinny second hand with a luminous rectangular box on its final third bring to mind the original model from the 1960s. Rolex aficionados will notice similarities to the Rolex Explorer, which should come as no surprise since Tudor – a Rolex sister company – uses numerous Rolex components. This includes the Oyster case, which explains the original watch's name: Oyster Prince Ranger.

The first generation of the Tudor Heritage Ranger under the reference number 79910 comes in a 41-mm stainless steel case. The ref. 79950 from 2022 is much closer to the original from the 1960s with its 39-mm diameter. You can choose between a three-piece stainless steel bracelet, a brown leather strap, and a fabric strap.

The 41-mm version uses the ETA caliber 2824, while the smaller 39-mm watch is powered by Tudor's MT5402.

The larger and smaller Tudor Heritage Ranger models sell for between 2,800 and 3,200 USD, depending on which band you choose to pair your new watch with.

Tudor tool watches endeavor to conceal scientific instruments in a modern facade. The brand's tool watches include the Pelagos and the North Flag, which nowadays have in-house movements and are regarded as particularly robust and reliable. The Pelagos diving watch is made of light and durable titanium and is water-resistant to 500 m (1,640 ft, 50 bar).

Thanks to the helium escape valve, the Pelagos is also suitable for professional saturation diving. The patented folding clasp on the titanium bracelet is ideal for divers, since it automatically adjusts the bracelet's length to the size of the wetsuit. When the pressure increases underwater, the wetsuit is compressed, and the band shortens. As pressure is released, the suit expands, and the band automatically lengthens.

The Tudor diving watch is available with a black dial and bezel or a blue dial and bezel. The crown of the LHD model ("Left Hand Drive") is on the left side and is geared toward left-handed customers who like to wear their watches on their right wrists.

In November 2021, Tudor introduced the Pelagos FXD (ref. M25707B/21-0001) in titanium, a new take on the beloved tool watch. This timepiece is actually the result of a two-year collaboration between Tudor and the French Navy's combat swimmer unit "Hubert." Like the black Pelagos, the FXD is 42 mm in diameter. However, unlike its sister model, its case and lugs are all from a single block of metal, making it nearly impossible to lose the watch while on an underwater mission. This construction is called "fixed lugs" and is where the term "FXD" comes from.

The Pelagos 39 joined the collection in 2022. Visually, it is almost identical to its sibling models, but has a case size of 39 mm. It is water-resistant to 200 m (20 bar, 656 ft) and does not have a helium escape valve.

Depending on the model, plan to spend between 3,600 to 5,200 USD on a mint-condition Tudor Pelagos.

Simple and Reliable: The Tudor North Flag

The understated North Flag is inspired by the reliability of Tudor watches worn during the British North Greenland Expedition in the 1950s. The 40-mm stainless steel case is entirely satin-brushed and has an angular design, underlining its scientific nature. The double bezel made of stainless steel and ceramic integrates seamlessly with the design of this functional watch. The in-house movement MT5621 is certified as a chronometer, shows the date at 3 o'clock, and features a power reserve display at 9 o'clock.

An as-new North Flag on a rubber strap costs about 4,400 USD. Pairing the model with a stainless steel bracelet will raise prices to around 4,800 USD.

In addition to numerous retro and sports watches, Tudor also offers classically elegant women's and men's timepieces that go especially well with a suit and evening wear. The Style collection is home to simple three-hand watches with designs reminiscent of traditional wristwatches from the 1950s through 70s. A majority of the watches are made of stainless steel, though there are also two-tone variants in stainless steel and yellow gold. For the bands, Tudor uses leather, stainless steel, and a combination of steel and gold for the two-tone version. The cases range from 28 to 41 mm in diameter, meaning there is something for every wrist size. Medium-sized models between 34 and 38 mm make fantastic unisex watches. You can purchase a stainless steel Tudor Style in mint condition with a steel bracelet for as little as 1,800 USD. If you have your eye on a new two-tone model with a metal bracelet, you should set aside around 1,900 USD.

Tudor sells luxurious women's watches in their Glamour series. Premium models boast diamond-encrusted bezels. The 36-mm two-tone edition demands about 3,900 USD. Men's watches include the 39-mm Date-Day (ref. M56000) with a day display at 12 o'clock, reminiscent of the Rolex Day-Date. This timepiece will set you back roughly 2,500 USD new. The 42-mm Double Date features a large date display beneath 12 o'clock and a small seconds subdial at 6. It requires an investment of about 2,900 USD.

Tudor's history stretches all the way back to 1926. Rolex's founder Hans Wilsdorf was also the man behind this Genevan company. Wilsdorf's goal from the beginning was to manufacture reliable watches that were more affordable than comparable Rolex models. To achieve this, original Rolex parts, such as the Oyster case or Oyster bracelet, were used for many years. For their calibers, Tudor relied on less expensive alternatives from movement manufacturers like ETA, which still supplies Tudor with movements to this day. However, Tudor have also been using calibers developed in-house and manufactured in Genevan production halls since 2015.

Tudor's name is taken from the eponymous royal family, which sat on the English throne from 1485 to 1603. The logo is the Tudor rose from the family crest; the framing shield is a later addition. Together they symbolize the unity of strength and aesthetics. Today, the shield and the inscription "Tudor Geneve" embellish the dials of every watch.