This year, the Black Bay returns in a third evolution foreshadowing the aesthetic and technical future of the line. Throughout the years, the Black Bay has become an emblematic design in the Tudor collection, shining a spotlight on Tudor’s expert command of one of the industry's most demanding standards in terms of chronometry and resistance to magnetic fields.
Tested by the Federal Institute of Metrology or METAS, the Black Bay brings together cutting-edge watchmaking technology with design elements inspired by Tudor’s nearly six-decade heritage of making robust professional diving watches.
Tested by METAS, the Black Bay brings together cutting-edge watchmaking technology with design elements inspired by Tudor’s history of watchmaking
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Following in the footsteps of the Tudor Black Bay Ceramic, which achieved its Master Chronometer status by METAS in 2021, the Black Bay is the second watch in the Black Bay collection available commercially to have done so, as part of Tudor’s constant bid to improve the quality of its products.
This is an exceptional standard applied to a watch and is a step towards a future where the entire collection is METAS certified. This certification means that Tudor is able to extend substantially its offer of accreditation by an independent body, confirming the exceptional quality of its watches.
Certified movement
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The comprehensive METAS Master Chronometer certification is only awarded to Swiss made watches and covers the main functional characteristics of a watch including precision, resistance to magnetic fields, waterproofness and power reserve.
Tudor has fitted the Manufacture Calibre MT5602-U to power the Black Bay. It displays hour, minute and seconds functions, while offering the general look and feel of Tudor Manufacture Calibres with a dedicated sun laser design and bears the Master Chronometer mention on its bridges, emphasising its distinctive performance.
The Manufacture Calibre MT5602-U fitted in the Black Bay ensures robustness and precision.
Its rotor is fashioned in tungsten monobloc and is open-worked. It also features the distinctive laser radial grooving with sand-blasted details. Its bridges and main plate have alternate sand-blasted and polished surfaces and laser decorations.
Its build is designed to ensure robustness and precision. To achieve this, the variable inertia balance wheel is maintained by a sturdy traversing bridge with two-point anchoring. This system together with its non-magnetic silicon hairspring, means the Manufacture Calibre MT5602-U is able to function within a tolerance range of 5 seconds (0/+5) tested on a fully assembled watch.
Another notable feature is that the power reserve of the Manufacture Calibre MT5602-U Calibre is “weekend-proof”; that is to say, it has been certified for 70 hours by METAS, which enables the wearer to take the watch off on a Friday evening and put it back on again on Monday morning without having to wind it.
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So, even if you need a weekend away, your watch does not!
Classy, comfortable, reliable
The Black Bay with burgundy bezel remains one of Tudor’s most recognised models. In its latest iteration, the case keeps the original proportions of a 41mm diameter case with a thinner profile. The unidirectional rotatable bezel offers very prehensile sides and its insert shows subtly curved numerals aligning with the outline of the outer ring.
Meanwhile, the second-hand recalls the look of the early diving watches of the brand with a lollipop design, while the satin black dial is subtly radial-brushed for a very subtle shine under direct light.
The ergonomics on this timepiece have evolved as well, with a redesigned crown, reminiscent of the curves found on the crowns of the brand's historical technical watches, that is set flush to the middle case band so that its tube is not visible.
The “T-fit” clasp allows the wearer a more comfortable and better fit on the wrist
The Black Bay comes fitted with either an entirely satin-brushed three-link steel bracelet or a five-oval-shaped-link brushed and polished steel bracelet, both complete with the Tudor “T-fit” clasp equipped with a system for rapid length adjustment.
Easy to use, requiring no tools and offering five positions, this practical system allows wearers to carry out a fine, instant adjustment of the total length of the bracelet along an adjustment window of 8mm. The clasp features ceramic ball bearings that ensure a smooth and secure closure in addition to adding a pleasing tactile element to the action of the clasp. A black rubber strap option is also available, which comes in three sizes, complete with the Tudor “T-fit” clasp.
Visit Kee Hing Hung to discover the Tudor 2023 new watches.
