In celebration of the 50th anniversary of its very first chronograph, Tudor has released two new Black Bay Chronos. These are some of our favourite pieces from Watches & Wonders 2021 so far!
A Quick History of Tudor Chronographs
In 1970, Tudor introduced their first watch to feature the chronograph complication. This Series 7100, featured revered watches such as “The Homeplate” from 1970 and the 1971 “Montecarlo”, undoubtedly Tudor’s most famous chronograph.
If you would like to learn more about this horological dynasty, look no further than our complete article!
If we look at more recent history – more specifically – 2017, we find a hugely imporatant release. Following various re-editions in 2010 and 2013, for the first time, the Black Bay line got its very own chronograph.
The Tudor Black bay Chronograph
As we mentioned in our article, Tudor chronographs were made for the world of speed and motorsports.
However, their inclusion in the Black Bay line introduced them into an entirely new and different one: the world of diving. This harmonious combination of the two sectors led the watch to contain elements of both nautical and racing pedigree.
We’ve noticed that over the past 3 years, the Black Bay line as a whole has exponentially risen in popularity. This comes as no surprise when you look at the reliability, design and retail price of some of their pieces. The entire collection is a very competitive candidate across all categories.
Perhaps the most important factor for the success of this collection’s chronograph in particular, is the following:
The In-House Movement
This huge milestone occurred in 2017: an all new chronograph with an all new movement. Tudor’s totally in-house movement – the cal. MT5813 – boasted an impressive 70-hour power reserve, a magnetic and temperature-resistant silicon hairspring, and a COSC Certification. That is some exceptional quality for its asking price. For this reason, the Black Bay Chrono won itself an award at the GPHG for the sub-8,000 CHF price bracket.
The movement, although in-house, was actually the product of a close collaboration with Breitling. Other salient features include a Tungsten rotor and a column wheel with a vertical clutch.
(if you would like to know what those are, and why they’re impressive, read here!)
The New 2021 Tudor Black Bay Chrono
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of their trail-blazing first chronograph – the “Homeplate” – Tudor chose a more classic and elegant look, but with some very cool inclusions!
For starters, we get not one but two anniversary timepieces: one with a “panda” dial and one with a “reverse panda“, arguably the two most beloved dial configurations for chronographs. But, as you will soon see, the watches are unique in their own right for a multitude of reasons – not just the dial layout!
Tudor Black Bay Chrono 2021: Case
Remaining faithful to the canons of the Black Bay line, the new Chronos come in a robust 41mm steel case. This is slightly larger and a little bit thicker than the Rolex Daytona, but equally as comfortable on the wrist!
The cases also feature screw-down pushers and – in typical Tudor fashion – a screw-down crown to ensure waterproofness. The latter also displays a subtle Tudor Rose engraving: very tastefully done.
Tudor Black Bay Chrono 2021: Dial
“Okay, it’s just a panda and a reverse panda, nothing special”. I couldn’t disagree more, because I’ve had the privilege of trying them on my wrist. I must say, these are some of the cleanest and most legible dials I have ever seen. The indices are perfectly positioned and visible from a mile away, and give such a great balance to the dial. The signatures, particularly that touch of red (complimented by the tip of the central chronograph hand) is such a great addition, too.
Naturally, it wouldn’t be a Tudor if it didn’t have Snowflake hands, so these make both a subtle but unmistakeable appearance. Another noteworthy detail, thanks to the innovative in-house caliber, is the peculiar 45 minute scale for the 3 o’clock chronograph sub-dial, which would normally be 30 minutes on other watches.
One final thing that we would like to point out is Tudor’s consistency when it comes to date windows. They are one of the very few (if not the only) brands which have always included date windows on their chronographs, and haven’t just thrown them in when the time comes for re-issues. Remaining faithful to their roots, this complication is located at the 6 o’clock position (below).
Tudor Black Bay Chrono 2021: Bezel
I can’t quite put into words the effect that the bezel has on this watch, if not for absolutely marvellous. It is, without a doubt, my favourite aspect of the watch.
The bezel itself is made from black anodised aluminium and features a tachymeter scale.
(remember that racing pedigree that we were talking about?)
This manufacturing process leads it to have both an opaque yet striking appearance…it’s just done so well!
Tudor Black Bay Chrono 2021: Configurations
As we mentioned before, the dial colours aren’t the only way that you can configure these watches to your liking.
In the photos within this article (which are exclusive to IWS), we can see that the watches have been paired with a steel bracelet whose rivets recall the early Oyster bracelets of the past. But that’s not the only option that Tudor is giving you.
As with many Tudor watches, you can choose to pair your Black Bay Chrono with a high-quality black fabric strap made by Julien Faure, a – now long time – partner of the brand. As well as this, Tudor is also offering a black “bund” leather bracelet.
Panda dial, black leather bund bracelet….wait – is this a Paul Newman?
Tudor Black Bay Chrono 2021: On The Wrist
As we already mentioned, this watch sits very comfortable on the wrist, both for its ergonomic case and bracelet. Even for my smaller wrist, I would gladly wear this as an everyday watch.
The steel bracelet, as well as being comfortable, is very light. My only criticism? It would have been very nice to have a quick-adjust mechanism like we see on Rolex bracelets – it would have been a fantastic addition.
For me, personally, if I were to have it (as I said) as an everyday watch, I would go for the black dial – reverse panda configuration. Whether you’re sitting trackside, at the seaside, or in an office, this watch will feel right at home. In three (or four) words: robust, elegant and versatile.
My only thought right now is: if I’m liking it so much with a steel bracelet, how will I react if I wear it with a bund bracelet? I think I may well and truly fall in love.
In our opinion, there is no better way to celebrate 50 years of Tudor chronographs than with these stunning Black Bay Chronos! Now, all that’s left to do is to pick a favourite: black or white? Let us know in the comments!
-Translated by Patrick R.
