The Making of a Legend: The Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight Black

 

The Making of a Legend

The Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight Black

Gareth Munden ©

There are times when a brand producers something that becomes legendary, The Converse Chuck Taylor All Star, The Levis 501 or the Rolex Submariner. A product that becomes an icon that spans generations. Rolex unveiled a watch that could lay the claim to being THE Dive Watch in 1953 the Submariner Ref. 6204. A no date three hand watch in a waterproof case and with a timing bezel. Many years and Iterations later the Rolex Sub is still the go to Dive Watch. Maybe now moving away from its original origins as a tool and into the realm of a luxury product, more likely seem on the wrist of Broker than an Adventurer.  Up steps Tudor. 

Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf formed Tudor in 1926. As a kind diffusion range to its bigger brother Rolex. Using many of the same parts, including the famous oyster cases and bracelets. But instead of their COSC movements Rolex used off the shelf Swiss movements from the likes of ETA in the Tudor watches. Tudor produced many companion products to the Rolex watches, notably the Tudor Oyster Prince Submariner Ref 7922. The Tudor Subs themselves found a market, even being the watch of both the French and U.S Navy (The French Marine Nationale Tudor is very highly collectable), but more on these later. Tudor has over the decades carved a name for itself as the People’s Rolex. Making no nonsense watches that had the durability of Rolex but at a much more obtainable price. 

It was in 2012 just as watch collecting and the internet came together in the perfect storm that Tudor (a brand that had been much in decline) released the OG Black Bay, the Tudor Heritage Black Bay Ref 7922R. A retro styled Tudor Sub that took the collecting world by storm and in its own way made vintage Tudor the sought after watches they are today. The Black Bay was not a homage to any particular watch, but to a genre itself, the mid century Tudor Dive Watch. Taking a mixture of vintage cues, the Oyster Case, Big Crown and the signature Snow Flag hands that set Tudor apart from Rolex and putting them together to produce something original. Those first Black Bays used ETA movements in the tradition of Tudor and came in a much lower price point than a Rolex Sub. But after a host of new colour ways, an in house COSC movement and even a bronze version Tudor did something special with the Black Bay. They sat down to produce a  legend. The Black Bay Fifty-Eight. 

Unveiled at Basel World in 2018 (alongside a Black Bay GMT) the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight was clearly something special. The buzz it made in the watch press was pretty extraordinary. The Black Bay Fifty-Eight was designed in a way to make you feel they’d gone through every Instagram #vintagesub #vintagetudor and built something with the highest likes. This is a product that you feel was guaranteed success, because it ticked all the right boxes. It was a by product of that vintage watch collecting bonanza that Tudor helped foster. It screamed vintage Tudor Sub, but was in fact totally modern product. If the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight were a band it would have been Oasis, yeah they kind of thought they were The Beatles, they kinda sounded like The Beatles, but they were most definitely (maybe) modern.    

The Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight was if anything a refinement of the original Black Bay. The case now a svelte like 39mm and 11.9mm thick. Reduced from the chunky 41mm case and a whole 3mm thinner. This doesn’t sound a great deal and in the measurement of things its not, but with a watch case this tiny change can make a world of difference. The Black Bay could now sit under the sleeve of your vintage Belstaff jacket, these things are important. The case is still in Oyster style of the classic Black Bay, with nicely brushed lugs and well polished sides. The same guard less oversized Crown and aluminium Bezel. It also has has the same caseback found in the Rolex Oyster case, with that space for a possible engraving. It really gives an impression that you're handling a vintage Sub.   

The dial and bezel of the Black Bay Fifty-Eight seemed on its release to spark a little outrage (I find myself a more outraged by kids going to school hungry, but that’s me) because of overall gilt and faux feel. The dial is a matte black, that at times takes on a warm, almost chocolate tone. The texts and and chapter ring are printed in gold. The hands are rose gold and the lume a warm off white. For some this was considered too much.  The black aluminium bezel itself has gilt numerals and a splash of red at the bezel lume pip to enhance that vintage Sub feel. I’ve got to say I don’t find it too much at all. I think the warm and vintage styling gives the watch a charm, a richness. Something a little out of the ordinary. 

The Black Bay Fifty-Eight feature a new movement. The in-house MT5402. Which has 70 hours of power reserve and is COSC chronometer certified. This new movement is almost 5mm smaller then the previous in house Black Bay calibre. Which helps keep the size down. I’m no expert in specs of watches, in fact I can be kind of anti specs. I mean if I wanted a really accurate watch I’d get an Apple Watch. There is a small part of me that misses the ETA of the traditional Tudor Sub, there is an everyman appeal that is the new Black Bays don’t have. They have over the last few years moved their products into the luxury watch market, but at a more entry level price. 

There are three strap options for the Black Bay Fifty-Eight. A stainless steel bracelet, a vintage style leather strap and a black and gold Nato strap. Now I’m going just come out and say it. I’m not a bracelet guy. I just find a leather or Nato more comfortable and fitting with my style. In some ways the leather straps is my favourite choice, it has that vintage Sub worn out the bracelet feel. The Nato is also a great look. But for me there are many aftermarket Natos out there for you to pick up at a later date. Sure for most the stainless steel bracelet is the way to go and yes if you consider resale value I would go with the bracelet. Maybe it won’t feel like a proper Sub without one. 

The Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight does something that the Rolex family is expert at. It is a ‘one watch’ kind of watch. It has that only comes off for the night stand vibe. If your thing is maybe a Rolex Datejust, a Rolex Milgauss or a Tudor Pelagos it can be that one watch you’re known for. The Black Bay Fifty-Eight really fits nicely in that category. It could be the only watch you’d ever need or want (who am I kidding, I can’t stop wanting). The vintage styling may not be to everyones taste, but if you like that kinda thing you’ll love this watch. It really is the next best thing to a vintage Sub. The build quality is of such a high standard for this price, yes it’s not a Rolex level, but it’s not miles off. The cream lume does not stray too far into the Fauxtina world, it almost gets there but stays the right side of the line. The smaller case size to me is perfect, it mixes a delicacy and robustness. Yes these sound like contradictions, but trust me, with the Fifty-Eight they are not. The closest you can get is the IWC 39mm Spitfire, which has a similar tone. But comes in at over a £1500 more. The bezel has a great action, possibly the small size can make it harder to grip. But it clicks nicely. One thing that may have considered would be drilled lugs. But that has never been a Black Bay thing. But if it were this would be the Black Bay to do it. If that smaller size is not totally for you, there is the Black Bay range that comes in at 41mm, maybe a bit more modern Sub feeling you’d prefer. The Black Bay Fifty-Eight comes in at £2750 (€3063, $3063) on the bracelet and £2520 (€2807, $3331) on both the strap options. 

So you may ask. Why am I talking about the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight two years after it’s release (when there is even a new blue Fifty-Eight). Well I’m going to be straight here. I’m never the kind of person that likes to be told what I should have. I always thought of the Fifty-Eight as something obvious. I was wrong. What changed my mind was a visit to Selfridges in London, with a friend. I did have it in mind to buy a watch (I don’t randomly drop £2000 on a whim) but as I’ve said not considered the Black Bay Fifty-Eight. But there is was, in the case. On the leather strap. I looked at it, walked past and slowly slid back to have another look. I asked Marcio the friendly AD if I could just take a look at the Black Bay Fifty-Eight. It had everything I love in a watch. Warmth, vintage vibe and a smaller size. I was taken with it. It was full of charm. Now I could see why is was so popular, why it was obvious. 

The Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight almost distills what is the current collecting vibe. It is both luxury and very casual, it is as home worn with a black pocket tee or a suit. Which is the way style is going. Also I think Tudor have produced something that is masculine and genderless, yes I know this is another contradiction (I am good at that if nothing else) but it feels like a watch that anyone could ‘Pull off’ You make it your own. This to me is a very healthy approach from Tudor, because I feel products can now be masculine or feminine, that is their vibe, but it’s not who wears it, it's how it is worn. It really feels like Tudor have drawn a line in the sand, who else can produce a watch of this quality for under £3000? It kinda feels to me like Rolex were speeding round a country lane and tossed a Tudor grenade behind them to destroy the competition. I feel that Tudor will go from strength to strength. The Black Bay range is shaping the industry and with the Fifty-Eight it has something special, that something that those 501s or All Stars have. A legend. So………. Did I buy it? Of course I did.