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.