The Tudor Submariner is a watch that has at times lived in the shadow of its bigger brother from the brand with the Crown, however, it is by no means less capable, with the watches following the philosophy of Hans Wilsdorf in making watches just as reliable, but available to more people. Its functionality would prove to be useful to those in the military, being used by many members of the US Armed Forces, as well as the “Snowflake” Submariners being famously adopted by the Marine Nationale of France. These stories of provenance and hard use have created a cult following amongst watch enthusiasts for Tudor’s vintage divers watches which see their continuation in the Black Bay.  

The Black Bay 54 takes its inspiration from the original Tudor Oyster Prince Submariner Ref. 7922 that was released in 1954, remaining true to its proportions measuring in at 37mm. In this era, this size was plenty big enough for people to wear diving, and this reference was tested and adopted by French and US Navies, as well as being widely used by civilian diving outfits.

Historical details abound on this watch, with a coin-edged unidirectional rotating bezel that echoes the original ref. 7922, as well as a bezel insert that, like the original, does not have individual minute graduations from 0 to 15 minutes – a purely aesthetic choice, but one that will please lovers of vintage Tudor. Further design elements taken from the annals of history include the hands, which although are from a later 1970s era design, feature tapers at the base near the cannon pinion, which are reminiscent of the pencil hands seen on some models that were released around the time of the ref. 7922. The dial is also very subtly domed, with a more modern yet soft radial brushing with gilt accents on the minute track, dial font and applied markers with the same gilt finishing. A no-date dial completes the vintage-inspired look for even the most fastidious of us watch aficionados. The watch is available on two options, a vintage-style metal bracelet with stylised rivets, or a form-fitting rubber strap – both of which come with the renowned T-Fit clasp for rapid size adjustment on-the-fly.

Powering the Black Bay 54 is the Manufacture Calibre MT5400, which is COSC certified, protected against magnetic fields thanks to a silicon balance spring, and has 70 hours of autonomy. Curiously, it is rated internally to -2/+4 seconds per day, much higher than COSC standard, which should bring peace of mind to the wearer that their watch is a reliable timekeeper.

Tudor keep on coming with the hits from the Black Bay, and rightfully so – it is a watch that captures the sentiment of many watch lovers for something that looks antiquated, but is fully capable of keeping up with active lifestyles, as well as keeping time to a modern standard. The brand continues to dig deep into its archives, and much to the delight of watch fans around the world, we can only continue to imagine the treasures that the Shield unearths in their vaults.

Technical Specifications:

REFERENCE 79000N

CASE

37mm stainless steel case with polished and satin finish

BEZEL

60-minute unidirectional bezel in stainless steel with aluminium insert devoid of minute graduations 

WINDING CROWN

Stainless steel screw-down crown with the TUDOR rose in relief

DIAL

Black, domed

CRYSTAL

Domed sapphire crystal

WATERPROOFNESS

Waterproof to 200m (660 ft)

BRACELET

Three-link stainless steel bracelet with polished and satin finish, or rubber strap, both with TUDOR “T-fit” clasp

MOVEMENT

Manufacture Calibre MT5400 (COSC)

Self-winding mechanical movement with bidirectional rotor system

PRECISION

Swiss Chronometer officially certified by the COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute)

FUNCTIONS

Hours, minutes and seconds hands at the centre

Stop-seconds for precise time setting

OSCILLATOR

Variable inertia balance, micro-adjustment screw

Non-magnetic silicon balance spring

Frequency: 28,800 beats/hour (4 Hz)

TOTAL DIAMETER

30.3mm

THICKNESS

5mm

JEWELS

27 jewels

POWER RESERVE

Power reserve of approximately 70 hours

As such, in the modern era, watches have always had an air of utilitarianism, no matter who or what they were created for – their very nature of being a timekeeper automatically makes us evoke a tool that is purpose built. These watches would accompany explorers to far flung corners of the world – including the ice sheets of Greenland. In particular, it would be a Tudor that would accompany British explorers on this odyssey to the Arctic Circle – and to celebrate the 70th anniversary of this expedition, Tudor has unveiled a new version of the Tudor Ranger, adding to its impressive stable of heritage-inspired watches.

On the 8th of July 1952, the expedition party left Deptford (located on the Thames), bound for Greenland. Their mission – to study important glaciological samples, seismic activity in the region, as well as gathering performance data on 30 Tudor Oyster Prince watches that would accompany the party on their surveys.

As part of preparations for this expedition, the watches were specifically lubricated for extreme cold conditions, as well as bracelet extensions that enabled the watches to be worn on the outside of insulating parkas. In addition to this, the explorers would be noting the timekeeping performance of the watch in comparison to timing signals they would receive from the BBC. One comment from a member of the expedition party stated that his watch was “maintaining a remarkable accuracy”, and that “on occasion did it require to be wound by hand”. This led to the “Trial of destruction”-type of messaging that would be the signature of Tudor – watches that were focused on performance under adverse conditions, rather than status and prestige. 

The aesthetics of the Tudor Ranger that we see today originally appeared in the 1960s, with its matte black dial, and hour markers and hands given liberal amounts of luminescent material for excellent legibility. Over the years, we see the Ranger marque appearing on models with and without the date, and even an integrated bracelet ‘Ranger II’ model around 1973. 2014 would see the last release of the Tudor Ranger in a 41mm case with an ETA movement, before it was discontinued in mid-2020.

The modern re-creation of the Ranger comes in at a 39mm diameter, which brings it more in line with the original models coming in at 36mm, giving it a good mix of vintage and modern case proportions. The case is entirely satin brushed, with some polished accents on the bezel and the lugs to accentuate their lines. The screw-down crown provides 100m of water resistance – enough robustness for a casual swim. The dial is matte black with a grained texture, featuring a clean aesthetic – no date windows are present on this model.

Most distinctively on this dial are the large Arabic numerals at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock, and all of the markers and hands have SuperLuminova that is liberally applied for optimal visibility. The hands are also a distinguishing feature of the watch, with a rounded shape for the hour hand and an angular shape for the minutes hand, making them easily readable at a glance. The seconds hand bring their vintage inspired shape to this modern model, with the additional flourish of a tip painted in a burgundy colour.

The watch can be delivered on three strap options – the Jacquard strap in olive with red and beige straps woven by the artisans at Julien Faure, a hybrid strap with fabric-textured leather and a rubber backing, or on a stainless steel bracelet with form-fitting end links and their now lauded “T-fit” clasp that enables quick adjustment of the bracelet up to 8mm.

Housed within the new Tudor Ranger is the MT5402 which is manufactured by their movement partner Kenissi. The movement boasts a silicon balance spring for anti-magnetic protection as well as a traversing bridge construction for the balance wheel that ensures stability. It also features a 70 hour power reserve, and COSC certification, guaranteeing timekeeping performance between -4 and +6 seconds per day. For this movement, Tudor insists on heightening the tolerances of this movement, and claims that their standards stipulate the movement runs between -2 and +4 seconds per day (an improvement of 40%).

Tudor was created to bring the reliability and robustness of its sister company to more people, with the Ranger and indeed the Oyster Prince proving their chops in extreme environments. Through this and their other exploits, Tudor firmly cemented themselves as producers of fine tool watches over the years. Today, the Tudor Ranger joins the Heritage Chrono as part of their collection of sports watches that have lasted the test of time. In particular, the Tudor Ranger really displays the brand’s commitment to its heritage – giving modern touches to a vintage classic, and celebrating true achievements and explorations of the Earth that have furthered our understanding of nature and our place in it.

Tech Specs:

REFERENCE 79950

CASE

39 mm steel case, satin finish

BEZEL

Smooth satin-brushed steel

WINDING CROWN

Steel screw-down crown with the TUDOR rose in relief

DIAL

Black, domed

CRYSTAL

Domed sapphire crystal

WATERPROOFNESS

Waterproof to 100 m (330 ft)

BRACELET

Steel bracelet with three links and a folding clasp with the TUDOR “T-fit” safety catch, hybrid rubber and fabric bracelet with folding clasp and steel safety catch or green fabric bracelet with red and beige stripes and buckle

CALIBRE

Manufacture Calibre MT5402

Self-winding mechanical movement with bidirectional rotor system

PRECISION

Swiss chronometer certified by COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute)

FUNCTIONS

Hour, minutes and seconds hands at the centre

Stop-seconds for precise time setting

OSCILLATOR

Variable inertia balance, micro-adjustment screw

Non-magnetic silicon balance spring

Frequency: 28,800 beats/hour (4 Hz)

TOTAL DIAMETER

26 mm

THICKNESS

5 mm

JEWELS

27 jewels

POWER RESERVE

Approximately 70 hours

Urwerk UR-112 Aggregat

Having been teased on Instagram as a movement under construction during Geneva Watch Days, the unveiling of the UR-112 Aggregat was well received by those who are fans of independent watchmaking. Constantly devising new ways of telling time, Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei of Urwerk outdid themselves with the new UR-112 Aggregat with its three dimensional construction. A result of the Special Projects collection, the watch features a few novel construction methods, with the inclusion of a drive shaft-like component called the “Cardan shaft”. Incorporating gears with conical teeth, this enables the power to be transmitted from a horizontal plane to a vertical plane – this in turn powers the time display that is formed out of triangular prisms that are reminiscent of old classroom clocks. Incredibly futuristic in its appearance, the UR-112 Aggregat features its time display in cylindrical sapphire crystal pieces – combined with its titanium case, this brings a sci-fi look to the entire watch in a way that has not been accomplished before by the brand. Fans of watchmaking, take note – Urwerk has never left the building, and is bringing its unique interpretation of time-telling for us to enjoy. 

Breguet Queen of Naples Heart Ref. 9825

Released in time for Valentine’s Day 2021, the Breguet Queen of Naples Heart Ref. 9825 is a gem-set wonder with a novel time display. Breguet’s oval-shaped Queen of Naples case has been the brand’s signature ladies watch that was modeled after the watch made for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples. The Queen of Naples Heart provides this model with its unique time display through a mechanism of oval shaped cams and gears that allows the two-piece minute hand to follow the shape of the case, and form heart shapes as it travels around the dial. This method of time indication is protected by four patents, made even more beautiful with the addition of 128 diamonds on the case and chapter ring, and its sapphire crystal dial with white lacquer giving it a translucent effect. The watch is delivered on a vermilion alligator leather strap with a rose gold deployant buckle set with 0.98 carats of diamonds. Its beauty is undisputed – fit for a queen, however, with only 28 pieces available to the public, only the lucky few will be able to make this a permanent treasure to their collections.

Tudor Pelagos FXD

Earlier 2021, Tudor teased a partnership with the Marine Nationale – a storied partnership between the famed watch company, and the French Navy. With their last issued watch coming from the 80s, this renewed partnership sheds light on the history of these institutions, whilst modernising the military timepiece for the 21st Century. Based on the existing Pelagos model, the Marine Nationale provided Tudor with strict criteria that led to the Pelagos FXD, with its most distinct feature being the fixed bars that add strength to the watch – hence the suffix “FXD”. Also modified from the original watch is the bezel – made more pronounced for added grip, as well as a bi-directional countdown bezel made of ceramic with SuperLuminova inlays. The watch keeps its tool watch roots, with its case made from titanium, and coming in at 42mm. Delivered on a fabric strap with “self-gripping fastening system”, as well as an additional thread-through rubber strap, the Tudor Pelagos FXD provides incredible historical value with its connection to the Marine Nationale, as well as housing great utilitarian watchmaking able to withstand the most punishing of conditions – do a quick search of Instagram and you can find the model that is issued to the navy personnel of today. If that is not enough to convince you of its chops, nothing will.

Petermann Bedat 1967 Second Series

There has not been a time when independent watchmakers have had as many eyes on them as now, and the rise of Petermann Bedat is a testament to that. The duo of Gael Petermann and Florian Bedat have come up with a watch that is essentially a love letter to the independent watchmakers of Switzerland, drawing on talent from Kari Voutilainen’s Comblemine dial factory, and the legendary Dominique Renaud’s movement development expertise. The watch itself is crafted in grade 5 titanium, and is modestly sized at 39mm – a great size for all watch lovers. The dial crafted by Comblemine features a sapphire panel that enables viewing of the German silver baseplate below, bringing contrast to the blue tones with its warmth. Flipping the watch over, we see a massive synthetic ruby jewel, as well as a steel bridge spanning close to the entire diameter of the movement. This steel bridge houses the deadbeat seconds system of the watch, a complex mechanism called the Gafner system that utilises pallets and shaped gears to release the power at one second intervals. Overall, the Petermann Bedat 1967 Second Series shows great promise from these two millennial watchmakers, and we cannot wait to see what the future has in store for them.

Blancpain Air Command

The Air Command from Blancpain is as enigmatic as it is an attractive pilots chronograph – much of its history has been lost to time, but what has been unearthed is an amazing watch with a speculated history of originally being a US Air Force project (Source: Phillips Watches). Regardless of this unknown background, the watch remains as a tribute to a bygone era when watches were essential tools in the cockpit. Coming in either a red gold or an unusual Grade 23 Titanium case (the same type used in the medical industry), the watch is a flyback chronograph utilising the Blancpain F388B. A high-frequency chronograph movement, combined with vintage aesthetics is paired with a blue dial and bezel, creating the perfect mix of old and new for this enigmatic model.

2021 has shown us that the watch world still has ingenuity within it – regardless of the hype surrounding certain pieces. While there may never have been as many eyes on the industry as there have been this year, we can rest assured that the watch world will continue to innovate and proceed on its path to improve its mechanisms as well as capture the hearts and minds of those who love great stories and vintage aesthetics.

On the surface, it might look like a typical diving watch from Tudor, but look slightly closer and you’ll find a plethora of details that mark this release as quite different and very special. 

The first thing to note is that if you happen to be shopping for a new dive watch and are considering this new Pelagos FXD from Tudor, then know that it is not an ISO-certified dive watch. Certainly, while it has an adequate 200 metres of water resistance and a running seconds hand to indicate that it is running, the main stumbling block to it being a proper diver is that it doesn’t have a unidirectional rotating bezel as you’d expect. Instead it has a bi-directional countdown bezel, something more commonly seen on pilot type watches instead. 

Why this rather strange and uncommon feature? 

Well, the key is in it’s intended usage. It was made in collaboration with the Marine Nationale or French Navy, and specifically for the combat swimmers who typically are not required to descend to great depths like a scuba diver. Instead, what they typically do is surface swimming – moving just under the water at up to 6 metres below the surface. 

If you’re imagining it, then it’ll be easy to understand why they do this, since by moving just beneath the water, they can move undetected into enemy territory, which allows them to do a number of things – reconnaissance, sabotage (strapping bombs onto enemy ships) or straight up unleash all manner of hurt on the enemy.

With this in mind then, we start to understand the intended purpose of the Pelagos FXD, with the bi-directional countdown bezel being an essential tool for navigation timing between a series of predetermined waypoints. It’s necessary to do it this way, on account of the sometimes complex path required to navigate a coastline for example, requiring precise turns at precise points, all done underwater because the divers can’t surface or risk giving away their presence. 

To do this, a pair of divers swim together at a constant speed with one determining the direction to a way-point, while the other determining the corresponding required elapsed time. In this scenario, it’s easy to see how the bezel will work. Being bidirectional, it’s quick to set it to any marker with the required minutes for counting down and with up to 30 seconds of precision based on a 120 click bezel. It helps that the ceramic bezel insert markers are fully lumed as well to aid in this. Check out this video below for a more visual explanation of this. 

It’s a very specific watch for a very specific task and is similar to another well known watch made for this type of surface swimming – early Panerai watches from World War 2 used by Italian combat swimmers. 

The specialised design might put off someone who wants to use it for normal scuba diving, and in that case, you can get the standard Pelagos, which is one of the best all round dive watches on the market today. The FXD though is good for someone who doesn’t need this specific requirement, but wants an everyday tool watch that can handle deep water and everything else, along with the ability to imagine oneself as a military badass when wearing one.  

If you are that person, this watch is for you. It’s what the real combat divers wear after-all, and you can save yourself the worry of ruining that precious vintage Tudor Submariner.

The watch itself, being a member of the Pelagos collection, utilizes the same lightweight titanium for its case, albeit with some changes. Dimensionally, the case is 12.75mm, versus the 14.3mm of the standard Pelagos and with a lug to lug distance of 52mm. The bezel overhangs the case slightly as well to aid with grip under wet conditions, and lastly the watch can only be worn on a continuous strap? 

Why? The key is in the name. “FXD” stands for fixed, and here you find that the strap bars are fixed, with these and the entire case, machined out of a single block of titanium. They are beefy and look very strong, and also have rounded inner edges to protect any strap that is threaded through them. 

On this point, you can see the value of making the case thinner than the standard Pelagos. Since it can only be worn with the new polyethylene woven ribbon or rubber strap that comes with the watch, the thinner profile helps to keep the height of the case from being unmanageable. Also helping it along is the thin profile of both these straps. 

The rubber strap for example, with an embossed motif, and an included bead blasted titanium buckle, is thin, soft, yet very strong, and keeps the watch planted on the wrist. For more “formal” occasions, such as when you are receiving your medal for bravery, you can wear the watch on the polyethylene woven ribbon strap secured by velcro and a bead blasted titanium buckle, since it has a nice silver central line. 

The back case also comes with the engraving M.N. 21 and the reason why is interesting. It follows from the historical Tudors that were supplied to the Marine Nationale from 1969, which also were engraved “M.N”, then followed with the year that the watch was delivered. So following this logic, any watches made this year will come with an engraving M.N. 21, and then M.N. 22 for 2022 and so on.  

Rounding off the specification is the movement, and by this time, we already know what to expect, its an in-house calibre MT5602 with silicon hairspring and a 70 hour power reserve. No surprises there.  

I think that the release of the Pelagos FXD demonstrates that Tudor is a brand that knows what it is doing, and is willing to experiment with its releases. It’s an odd-ball piece, much like the Black Bay P01 that was based on a prototype that was produced for the US Navy. Unlike the Black Bay P01 however, it has more conventional looks and will probably find a wider appeal than the former. 

It’s also great that Tudor have taken advantage of their long-standing relationship with the Marine Nationale, making a watch that highlights this heritage and history, and given the modern watch buyer something interesting to consider. It’s probably also a perk to be issued such a nice watch if you’re an actual combat diver with the Marine Nationale.  

Lastly, with the Pelagoes FXD, Tudor becomes the only brand I can think of that offers diver oriented watches with three different kinds of bezels. The first, the standard unidirectional diver’s bezel we are all familiar with, then the one indicating on a 12 hour basis and with a locking mechanism on the Black Bay P01, and now the bi-directional 60 minute countdown one on the Pelagos FXD. 

I think that’s enough evidence to show that Tudor is willing to step outside the norm more often than not, and that can only be a great thing for the avid watch lover.

Technical Specifications

Five year Guarantee: Five-year transferable guarantee with no registration or periodic maintenance checks required

Case: Titanium, 42 mm in diameter, 12.75 mm thick, 52 mm from lug to lug, satin-brushed finish, Fixed bracelet bars, Steel case back

Movement: Manufacture Calibre MT5602 (COSC), Self-winding mechanical movement with bidirectional rotor system

Power reserve: approximately 70 hours

Waterproofness: Waterproof to 200 m (660 ft)

Bezel: Bidirectional rotating bezel in titanium with ceramic disc, 60-minute retrograde graduation for navigation by successive stages

Dial: Navy blue

Crystal: Sapphire

Bracelet: Fabric strap with self-gripping fastening system, navy blue with grey central thread. Additional navy blue rubber strap with woven motif and titanium buckle, included in the box

Retail Price in Singapore: SGD$5370

First established in order to raise funds for research into Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy via the auction of unique watches from participating brands. This goal has progressed steadily along since then, with the funds raised over the years contributing to the milestone of the first clinical trial of a new ASO-tricycle-DNA designed for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy that will take place in 2022.

It hasn’t only benefited medical search however, for watchmaking, the Only Watch auction has allowed brands to debut new concepts and ideas in watchmaking, also allowing collectors the opportunity to buy unique pieces from a wide variety of brands instead of just from the usual suspects, and this on a somewhat regular basis.

In fact, comparing my experience with the earlier editions of the Only Watch auction which were relatively low key affairs, I have seen a steady growth in its importance to watchmaking. There is now a palpable sense that this is an event as worthy as the “real” auctions, given how at the recent exhibition hosted by The Hour Glass, at the Singapore stop of the 2021 edition’s tour around the world, more days and appointments slots had to be added to cope with the overwhelming interest. 

The nice thing is, unlike a regular auction where you try to get a watch as cheaply as possible, participating in the Only Watch motivates you to bid higher because the proceeds go to a good cause. 

Well, I won’t be bidding at the auction that will be held tomorrow on the 6th of November 2021 in Geneva, but I, along with contributor Martin Goh (see part two), go though some of our selections that we would bid on, if our bank accounts could support it. 

Bell & Ross BR-01 Cyber Skull Sapphire 

Bell & Ross has been making skull themed watches for some time, offering a wide variety of types over the years to the point that they are the only brand that seems devoted to the theme. Their contribution to Only Watch is a sapphire cased version of what I would consider their best Skull watch – the Laughing Skull – one that you can read about here. 

This time it’s called the Cyber Skull, and the reason why is that it is made of faceted orange sapphire, and this against a striking transparent sapphire case. The custom movement – BR.CAL.309, designed in the shape of the skull is available to view in all its glory because of this. 

As well, the owner of this watch can adjust the position of the mandible of the skull when winding, and then view it move up and down as the watch runs and the mainspring unwinds. 

MISS AUDREY SWEET FAIRY ONLY WATCH by Bovet 

This is a cute ladies piece that seems simple on the surface, yet knowing that it’s a Bovet, the essential question to ask is – what’s so special about this? 

Well, it’s all in the orange background of the miniature painting of “Miss Audrey Sweet Fairy”. It is sweet not just in name, but literally, as the dial is made out of pure sugar. It’s a new and patented technique by Bovet, and the sugar crystals coloured orange, are visible when you peer closely at the surface. 

It is definitely a surprising realization, a bit out of left field perhaps, but overall a cohesive idea taken to a logical conclusion. “Miss Audrey Sweet Fairy” as well has some integrated Super Luminova so it might look interesting in the dark, although I haven’t been able to see this in the press pictures. Would love to though. 

Lastly, thanks to the way that the case is constructed, this is a piece that can transition from being worn on the wrist to being worn as a pendant. 

Highlife Monolithic Manufacture Only Watch 2021 by Frederique Constant 

For a start, it’s worth pointing out that Frederique Constant’s new one piece silicon escapement that was launched early this year (Read our article here) is the fastest beating oscillator in a mechanical watch ever created. It is a technical marvel that uses the special qualities of silicon to run at an unprecedented speed of 40 Hz.

This Only Watch version of the Highlife Monolithic manufacture comes in an 18K rose gold case, an open dial decorated with blue Côtes de Genève and the Monolithic Oscillator taking pride of place at the 6 o’clock position. 

Personally, it was exciting to see this watch as I have not been able to see the Monolithic Oscillator in person due to it not being available yet in Singapore. For Frederique Constant, it’s certainly a great way to get the technology in people’s hands, and it’s definitely one of the great ways that the Only Watch auction can be a platform to showcase the more nerdy side of watchmaking to the wider world.

Martian Tourbillon Only Watch by Konstantin Chaykin

The Joker series of watches from Konstantin Chaykin, has grown to become a signature offering from the brand, and it’s nice to see that the idiosyncratic design can evolve to take on slightly offbeat ideas. 

The Martian Tourbillon Only Watch therefore is billed the first first Martian tourbillon, as it runs based on the Martian minute, making a revolution every 61.65 seconds. This makes the watch not very useful here on earth, since the time shown will be a little bit out of sync at first, and more as the days go on. The main advantage however is that you’ll be ready with a watch to wear when the selection process happens for human beings to go to Mars. Or, if it takes longer than your natural lifetime for this to occur, you can use this watch to keep track of Martian time while viewing the inevitable broadcasts that come from the drones and rovers that will be sent first to conduct reconnaissance. 

Aikon Master Grand Date Only Watch 2021 by Maurice Lacroix

I have a particular affinity for the Maurice Lacroix Aikon Master Grand Date that was launched at Watches and Wonders 2021, since it was based on one of my favourite watches from the brand, the Gravity. (Read my love letter to the Gravity here). Now rendered in a sportier Aikon case, it continues to expand the offering of complicated watches for the Aikon line. 

As the current flagship model for Maurice Lacroix, it’s nice to see the Aikon Master Grand Date rendered in an unexpected manner for Only Watch 2021 since it does show the potential of this model being extremely sporty. 

The carbon fibre case is the main draw here, and the motivation for this is the brand’s involvement as the Official TImekeeper of Mahindra Racing, in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. The carbon fibre of the case and bezel comes from an actual Mahindra Racing car, which does make the collaboration much more meaningful. 

It would have been nice to have the colours (red, blue and white) from the racing team on this watch, but I can understand why Mautice Lacroix went with orange, as it is this year’s colour for Only Watch 2021. 

This watch does show the tantalizing possibility of Maurice Lacroix introducing carbon into a standard production Aikon Master Grand Date, which I would look forward to. If not, the new owner of this watch will be able to enjoy a full VIP hospitality package at any 2022 round of the ABB FIA FOrmula E World Championship with the only carbon AIkon Master Grand Date to exist. 

Tudor Black Bay GMT One  

This version of the Tudor GMT is interesting as it marks the second release of a Master Chronometer watch from the brand, following the one in the Tudor Black Bay Ceramic that was launched earlier this year. 

It was a surprise move when the Black Bay Ceramic was launched, making use of the extremely stringent certification that until that point had only been used by Omega. 

It’s great that this Black Bay GMT, a very popular piece in the Tudor line up, (read about it here) receives this technically forward certification, which might point to future production versions also having it as well. Though that is not the only interesting thing about this watch. The grey coated steel case and bracelet have been processed with a secret ageing technique that makes this Black Bay GMT One very cool. 

Will we see a new Black Bay GMT updated to Master Chronometer spec, or maybe other Black Bay watches with this new aged aesthetic? If one of both of these things happens, sign me up. 

Now, I’m probably beginning to sound like a broken record in my effusive praise of the manner in which Tudor has been releasing their new watches, so I’ll just say this: I was pleasantly surprised at the release of the new Fifty Eight Bronze because it is so fantastic.

How fantastic? Well, it was in my day of spending time with it that I began to entertain the notion of whether I should seriously consider getting myself one – it was that good.

What it is, is essentially as the name suggests – a Tudor Black Bay Fifty Eight in bronze. Yet the story goes a little deeper than that, since Tudor has added two particular highlights that make this release even more special – the first- that it comes on a full bronze bracelet, and the second – that this bracelet has a brand new micro-adjust feature on the clasp called “T-Fit”.

Now we all know that Tudor launched the first and original Black Bay Bronze at Baselworld 2016, and that was to wide acclaim that year. The new Fifty Eight Bronze watch takes on the similar aesthetics, with a brown bezel insert, and brown dial with 3, 6 and 9 Arabic numeral hour markers on the dial. Aside from the obvious differences between the two – with the previous watch coming in at 43mm in diameter, and that was not available on a bracelet, the new watch has a subtle difference in the dial colour. The brown tone overall is darker, and it is done in a gradient effect – being lighter in the centre and darkening to the edges – all to mimic a vintage tropical effect.

It was perhaps a given that Tudor would offer a bronze watch in the “Fifty Eight” collection, which at 39mm wide, accords well with the prevailing “smaller is better” trend in watch case sizes. Every Tudor “Fifty Eight” has done well for the brand, much more so than the 41mm Black Bay watches and I think that we all intuitively know the reason why. A 39mm watch just works better for more situations, being lower in profile and getting in the way less. Consequently, as a daily wearer, as all Tudor watches tend to be, they fit more people and more situations.

To the smaller bronze case then, Tudor added a full bronze bracelet, a first appearance for such a feature from the brand. While it may not be the first bronze bracelet we have seen in watchmaking, having appeared before from a handful of other brands, it does comes along with two particular features that make it stand apart.

Before we get into that, let me just say that a full bronze bracelet and case has an aesthetic that is as close as can be to 18K gold. That is one of the reasons why I feel that this watch will appeal to those who love the warmth and vintage vibe of a golden bronze bracelet around the wrist, and be able to get the look without the huge price of the precious metal.

Now the bronze used by Tudor, is the same as the one that was used in the previous 43mm version, and is called “aluminium bronze” by the brand. The precise formulation of the alloy is a trade secret, but the combination has the advantage of being more resistant to corrosion and being 1.5 times harder than the typical bronze formulation made of copper and tin. The most important feature of this bronze is that the patina that inevitably develops, is more “controlled”, and will be more homogeneous in its development. The tone of the bronze therefore will darken over time, but in a stable fashion, and avoid the sometimes extreme green patination that has been achieved by overenthusiastic watch collectors with all manner of acidic concoctions.

Your mileage will vary on that point, and for me personally, I’m not a fan of green patina, so I prefer the Tudor way – so to speak.

The next major feature is the new T-fit clasp in the bracelet, which I have to say, after spending a day with the Black Bay Fifty Eight Bronze, has to be the best thing about it.

Let’s go back a bit.

Now, I’ve always lamented the fact that despite the diving heritage that the Black Bay line draws its inspiration from, there was never a possibility of micro adjusting the bracelet while being worn, or even at the very least that the watches had a diving extension. This was one of the factors that prevented me from taking any of the Black Bay watches seriously as a diving watch. Of course the Black Bay GMT, which I have and love, (watch the video below) is not a diving watch so it is forgiven on this score.

It’s not as if Tudor were not aware of the utility of an adjustable clasp on a bracelet. For evidence of that, just look at the Pelagos, a watch that has easily the best clasp on a bracelet on a diving watch ever made, that can, not only be micro-adjusted on the fly, but can breathe in and out and adjust to the wearer’s wrist, WHILE IT IS BEING WORN.

Well, a slightly less sophisticated, but no less marvellous clasp has finally arrived, and any misgivings that I have ever had about the clasps from the Black Bay line being inadequate, will possibly start going away soon, and that is if Tudor decides to introduce T-Fit to the rest of the line up as they have done with this Fifty Eight Bronze.

What is it? Well, it’s a Rolex Submariner Glidelock style clasp that allows an 8mm adjustment along the length of the clasp. It works similarly as well – just have a look at the video below to see how it can be easily adjusted. While it might not have the same 20mm adjustment possibility of a Glidelock equipped Submariner, I’ll take 8mm any day, as it is more than enough for most people, equating in my estimation, about a one and a half link in length. Interestingly, the clasp and all the components are mostly made of the same aluminium bronze, and not with some combination of stainless less or titanium with bronze. My guess for the reason why is that because the Tudor bronze formulation is harder, it is therefore more robust, and so should be able to serve the function of a high use and wear component (the clasp) well.

Now Tudor were not able to confirm if the T-Fit will appear on the other bracelet clasps on the rest of the Black Bay line-up, but they did acknowledge that it would be a logical assumption to make. That to me, is as good an admission as any that it will come, and if it does comes to pass that T-Fit becomes a Tudor standard – well then, its a game changer.

Ever owned a bracelet equipped watch that was between sizes and just couldn’t fit perfectly no matter the combination of micro-adjustment holes and links that you tried? Well, avoid the discomfort of a too tight or jangly bracelet (possibly) with a Tudor Black Bay, in the future.

The movement of the new Black Bay Fifty Eight Bronze (Ref: 79012M) is, as what you’d expect, the MT5400, a workhouse movement that is the same as the ones that have graced the other Black Bay Fifty Eight models. It also comes with a 5 year international guarantee that follows the watch (and not the owner) for easy warranty claims and the watch itself comes in at a fairly accessible price of SGD$ 6240.

This Black Bay Fifty Eight Bronze is also being billed as a “Boutique Edition”, which is admittedly, kind of strange, as Tudor doesn’t specifically own their own boutiques, but rather relies on authorised dealers in their sales channel. Well, it’s a “Boutique Edition” in as much as the fact that the environment that you can buy this watch in will be fully Tudor branded, even though it will be owned and operated by an authorised dealer. Tudor tells me that it is their way of rewarding their retail partners (of the roughly 50 plus Tudor boutiques worldwide) who have invested in the brand, and I can stand behind that.

Some have made a big deal about this strange way of describing the situation, but it’s mostly the more pedantic members of our ilk – watch people who find joy in keeping to arbitrary definitions that no one else is interested in. I’m not concerned either way. It’s a minor point for a brand that has been firing on all cylinders for the past few years, and still seems to keep going upwards to hidden levels that we didn’t know existed.

In Singapore, the watch will be available at the two boutiques in the country, one at ION Orchard and the other, at Wisma Atria. If you’re in Singapore, get yours there. If you’re from a country that doesn’t have a Tudor boutique, perhaps you can call to the nearest one from you to order one. Either way, many of the initial watches available have already been spoken for, as is typically expected for any Black Bay Fifty Eight when it is first released. Although the good news is that this watch is not a limited edition, so it will probably only be a matter of time before you can get one on your wrist, after putting your name down for one.

Reference:
Ref: 79012M

Movement:
Tudor Manufacture Calibre MT5400, automatic (bi-directional winding), 4Hz (28,800 vph), traversing balance bridge, free-sprung Microstella balance wheel, silicon balance spring. COSC-certified Swiss chronometer.

Functions:
Hours, minutes, seconds

Case:
Aluminium Bronze, water resistance: 200 metres

Case Dimensions:
Diameter: 39 mm Height: 11.9 mm

Strap:
Full Aluminium Bronze bracelet with T-Fit micro-adjust clasp.

Power Reserve:
70 hours

Price:
SGD$ 6240 in Singapore

Having first been unveiled in 2012, the Tudor Black Bay can be considered as a sort of “greatest hits” album of Tudor diver’s watches throughout the years. Taking design cues from the original Tudor Submariner cases from the 50s, to the snowflake hands of the 70s, the Black Bay comes in all colours that hark back to vintage models, whilst remaining modern in its specifications (specifically its sizing, as well as the movement in later models). Manufacture movements would often make their debut in Black Bay models, such as the GMT and the reduced-size movement in the Black Bay 58, and new materials would make their debut in this collection, most notably Bronze, as well as 925 Silver unveiled at Watches and Wonders 2021. 

The Tudor Black Bay Ceramic will actually mark the second time that Tudor has made a Black Bay in black ceramic, the first time being for Only Watch 2019 (a biennial auction that takes place to benefit Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy research) – however, this new version is one that is in regular production to the benefit of watch enthusiasts everywhere with the added bonus of METAS Master Chronometer certification, bringing an added guarantee of reliability to this watch. 

The watch features a 41mm diameter matte black ceramic case, with polished bevels – keeping a signature vintage-inspired design trait of the Black Bay collection. The dial has a subtle sunray finishing with off-white luminescent material for the hour markers and the Snowflake hands. Its domed sapphire crystal echoes old Tudor Submariners from the past, and a brushed ceramic bezel insert is also fitted to the watch, with tone-on-tone markings given contrast with different finishes. Mounted on this watch is a black strap that is made of a combination of leather and rubber featuring a snowflake motif, and a complementary black fabric strap with a cream band down its centre, made on a traditional French jacquard loom is included in the box.

What really sets this Black Bay apart from the rest, and sets a precedent for future Tudor watches, lies in its certification. The entire watch is Master Chronometer certified, meaning that its water resistance, power reserve, timekeeping rate, and indeed, magnetic field resistance are all guaranteed by an independent Swiss body – the Federal Institute of Metrology, more commonly known as METAS. Whilst this is more commonly associated with a certain other brand, the certification was always open to those who can meet the stringent requirements of the Master Chronometer certification – in particular, being certified as a Chronometer by the COSC, plus the hurdle of clearing a magnetic field resistance greater than 15,000 gauss proved to be a challenge in achieving this certification.

Housed behind a PVD black coated steel display caseback, the movement housed within this watch is the MT5602-1U, an all black version of the Manufacture Tudor movement with black bridges, and plates featuring sandblasted, polished and laser decorations. An anti-magnetic silicon hairspring combined with a balance wheel bridge aids the movement in achieving the required timekeeping for Master Chronometer certification – within a tolerance of 0/+5 seconds per day. It also boasts a 70 hour power reserve, for when you want to change your watches up, whilst keeping enough juice in the tank to last an entire weekend.

On the surface, the release of the Tudor Black Bay Ceramic might not be Earth-shattering news to some enthusiasts, given its iterative design – however, what cannot be ignored is the shift in movement certification by the Crown’s younger brother. What has been recognised is the importance of higher tolerances, and stringent testing that incorporates real-world scenarios – qualities that reinforce the manufacturing savoir-faire of Tudor. The Tudor Black Bay Ceramic, with its hard-wearing exterior, and its dependable movement, beckons the industry to match them in their quest for precision and reliability.

In order to remain fresh and relevant though, one area in which the watch industry enjoys experimentation is through different dial colours – we have often seen blue, grey and tones of brown make their debuts throughout the years. In the last two years however, we have seen a verdant explosion of green dials, not only in models focused for more casual wear, but also permeating through classically designed watches as well. In 2021, we have seen this trend persist through the releases at the recent Watches and Wonders show in Geneva – here we will explore some of the best green watches that have been released this year.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Small Seconds Green

The Art Deco legend from La Grande Maison receives the green treatment this year, with a sunburst finishing radiating from the centre of its dial that brings subtle changes to its appearance, depending on the way the light hits it. Everything else is classic Reverso, including a small seconds indicator, Dauphine hands and the emblematic Art Deco gadroons at the top and bottom of its swivelling case. The reverse side is a blank canvas – for the owner to leave clean as a reminder of its Polo origins, or for personalisation (models of the past are renowned for having their owner’s initials engraved on the reverse side). The watch is mounted on a green calf-skin strap in the signature Casa Fagliano style with the stitched fold close to the lugs, and powering the watch is the in-house Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 822/2 – a manually wound shaped movement that features in much of the Reverso line.

Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A-014 with Green Dial

With the “it” watch of the last few years being discontinued, the Patek Philippe Nautilus Reference 5711 has its last hurrah with the 5711/1A-014, featuring a subtle olive green dial to be produced for the year of 2021 only. The rest remains familiar – its Gerald Genta design featuring a case and bracelet that has a strong interplay between its satin brushed and polished elements, requiring 55 steps in the process of its finissage. It is a watch that has remained bold in its execution since 1976, with its porthole-inspired design embodying a casual elegance that is virtually unmatched by other watches of a similar ilk. Housed within the stainless steel case is an improved version of Patek Philippe’s reliable Calibre 324 S C – the 26-330 S C upgrades this movement with an improved winding system and hacking seconds. All in all, a fitting send off for the legendary Nautilus Ref. 5711/1A, something that is sure to have collectors champing at the bit to get their hands on one.

Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight 18K

For what was originally meant to be a tribute to tool watches of yore, the Black Bay Fifty-Eight welcomes a precious metal version in 18K Yellow Gold with a green dial in 2021. Sporting an entirely brushed finish, the Black Bay Fifty-Eight 18K manages to make this usually loud material into something rather understated, and even suggests a form of utilitarian toughness. The green of this dial is also slightly muted, whilst simultaneously complementing the yellow gold case with its gilt markers and Snowflake hands. It may not make sense at first, but once you take a deeper dive with the watch, there is an intangible understanding of the method behind the madness. Housed within the 200m water resistant case is the Tudor in-house Calibre MT5400, that is visible behind a sapphire crystal caseback – a rarity amongst watches from Tudor.

Rolex Datejust 36 with Palm Motif Dial

Evoking a lush green tropical forest, the Rolex Datejust 36 with Palm Motif Dial brings the essence of the wild to the wrist. This watch exhibits Rolex’s commitment to dial-making, showing off the Palm Motif in two shades of green, on an olive green background. Whilst this may sound like the colours would blend into each other, the reality is that the shades are distinctive enough for the Palm Motif to be made out, even at just a glance. This variant was presented to us in an Oystersteel case with domed bezel, mounted on an Oyster bracelet. Housed within the 36mm case is the Rolex Calibre 3235, with additions such as the Chronergy escapement that aids with movement efficiency and enabling a 70 hour power reserve, as well as holding the Rolex Superlative Chronometer certification –  guaranteeing timekeeping thresholds of -2/+2 seconds per day.

Panerai Luminor Marina eSteel PAM01356, Verde Smeraldo

A green dial for an environmentally friendly watch – fitting for a watch featuring the debut of Panerai’s eSteel. The case of the Luminor Marina eSteel contains 89 grams of recycled steel, which, out of the 152.4 grams of the total weight of the watch, comprises 58.4% of the total weight. This includes the trademark crown-protection system that is the signature element of the Panerai Luminor line. This development is remarkable, because it signifies the arrival of Panerai into sustainable watch manufacturing, whereas many other watch manufactures will use virgin  material for the construction of their watches. This notion of sustainability goes right down to the strap and buckle – the strap being crafted out of recycled textiles, and the buckle being hewn from the same eSteel as the watch case. Powering the watch is the in-house Calibre P.9010, automatically wound with 3 days of power reserve. The Verde Smeraldo version, PAM01356, is a boutique and eCommerce exclusive – if you want one of the greenest watches out there (literally and figuratively), best to talk to Panerai as soon as you can.

Cartier Tank Must

Bringing back an aesthetic of the 80s back into the present-day, the new Cartier Tank Must features a set of three monochromatic colours that echo the spirit of the original Tank Must models of the late 70s and early 80s. In particular, a Green dial version is the latest addition to this series, having never before been offered in the Must collection of yore. A vibrant addition to the series, the green is certainly vibrant and eye-catching. The watches feature a dial with no markings – freeing itself from traditional watchmaking design cues, and creating a clean slate of colour. Housed in a stainless steel case, the Tank Must is powered by a Quartz movement, and mounted on a matching strap respective to its dial colour.

Montblanc Split Second Chronograph Limited Edition 18 – Lime Gold

Minerva is undoubtedly the unsung hero of Montblanc, creating some of the finest watches that the industry has to offer. For 2021, the brand introduces a slight variation of green to their Split Second Chronograph Limited Edition 18 – a case crafted of their exclusive material, Lime Gold. An 18K alloy of Gold (750 parts/1000), Silver (238 parts/1000) and Iron (12 parts/1000), this combination gives a distinctive greenish hue to what is normally a yellow metal. The intended effect is to evoke a sense of vintage aesthetics through its colour – combined with the Cathedral hands, green numerals and the gold coloured dial, the watch certainly evokes the sense that it is from another era. This combined with the colimacon (snail) tachymetre scale, further reinforces the old-world feel of this watch. When the watch is turned over and viewed through the sapphire crystal caseback, we see the gorgeous Minerva Calibre MB M16.31 – traditionally hand finished with bridges crafted of German Silver that has been coated with 18k gold. A manually-wound, monopusher split-second chronograph movement, the watch contains two column wheels to control the chronograph and its ingenious split second mechanism.

IWC Schaffhausen Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 – Green Dial

The IWC Schaffhausen Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 is traditionally a design that is conservative, with a black dial echoing the original “Mark” series wrist watches first issued to the RAF in the late 40s and 50s. In recent times, however, we have seen blue and brown dials, paying tribute to Le Petit Prince and Antoine de Saint Exupery respectively. For Watches and Wonders 2021, we see an unusual addition to this line, a green dial version of the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 in regular production. Appearing as a rich, dark green, it almost resembles British Racing Green in its tones – the sunburst finishing on the dial definitely helps with this. This new model also features the brand’s EasX-CHANGE system, that enables quick strap changes between bracelet and leather options. Housed within the watch is the in-house Calibre 69385 movement, an Automatic Chronograph movement visible from its sapphire crystal caseback.

TAG Heuer Aquaracer – Green Dial Titanium

The Aquaracer, is a favourite first watch for many people who like watches (certainly in Australia), and this year, it has been given a facelift and an upgrade, particularly in the materials department. Most notably, the green version of this watch now features a titanium case and bracelet, bringing lightness and comfort to this model, in addition to its toughness and high water resistance. The horizontal ridges of the previous models are retained, whilst the ceramic bezel now features a sunburst brushing with a yellow triangle at 12. The bracelet clasp also receives an upgrade, now equipped with a fine adjustment system that is operational even whilst the watch is on the wrist. Housed within the titanium case is the TAG Heuer Calibre 5 Automatic, featuring the date at 6 o’clock.

Speake-Marin One&Two Openworked Dual Time Mint

Bold and contemporary with its choice of colour, the Speake-Marin One&Two Openworked is a mint green number with a DLC coated case. Coming in either 38mm or 42mm case sizes, the brand’s signature Piccadilly case is modernised to enable a better fit on the wrist by integrating the strap closer to the case itself. This duality of the anachronistic, yet modern case lends itself to the movement that hosts the audacious choices of colour. The Calibre SMA02 incorporates darkened bridges on the dial side, as well as a mint green backdrop that accentuates these structures. In addition, the subdials at 1:30 and 9:00 (for the sub-seconds and the dual time respectively), feature mint green accents for an extra colour pop. The movement is also wound through a micro-rotor, and also features a retrograde date underneath the seconds subdial.

Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept La Cotes aux Fees Edition

Coming in at only 2mm thick, the Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept remains the thinnest mechanical watch in the world – to honour the place where Piaget continues to further the art of ultra-thin, the brand unveils the Altiplano Ultimate Concept La Cotes Aux Fees Edition, with green integrated components that echo the forests and green fields that surround the manufacture. This watch began its journey in 2018 as a true concept watch, and it was unknown to the public whether this would become a production piece. In 2020, a production version was realised, officially making it the thinnest mechanical watch in regular production. The case, mainplate and bezel is all one piece, and is machined out of a cobalt alloy for rigidity. All of the movement components are placed into the case to reduce its case height to the extremes, and even the crown is rectangular and telescopic to reduce the overall thickness of the watch.

Green on watches is a colour that, when done right, can be incredibly wearable and complementary to many wardrobes. In addition, some of these watches with exceptional colour hold exceptional movements, as seen in some of the examples above. We at ISOCHRONO believe that there is no doubt that green is here to stay, being a welcome addition to many watch collections.

I’ll start by saying that I love Tudor’s three main releases for Watches and Wonders this year. The first comes as a nice response to customer feedback, and the next two, not just for defying expectations when it comes to materials generally, but for defying expectations in materials from what we expect from a brand like Tudor. What do I mean?  

Well, let’s take it one at a time shall we? 

A Thinner Black Bay Chrono

The headline feature of the new Black Bay Chrono comes in the form of its thinner case which at 14.4mm shaves a little from its profile versus the first version that came in at 14.9mm. This is a good development for the Black Bay Chrono, for as much as the rest of the watch was essentially perfect, the 14.9mm thickness did prompt a lot of feedback from users who wanted it to be thinner.  

This was also my experience in my review of the watch (linked above). Tudor explains that they worked with all the elements of the case and crystal, even moving around components in the movement to achieve this saving, and even though it might not be much, every little bit does make a difference. 

The new watches also offer an interesting aesthetic difference from the typical Black bay chrono, with the two versions offered coming in black and white dials with corresponding negative sub-dials – basically panda and reverse panda configurations. On top of that, both watches also ditch the stainless steel bezel from the first Black Bay Chrono and now comes with a black aluminum bezel. 

The result is a pair of watches that have a much stronger vintage vibe going. This added with the rest of the familiar ingredients – the known quantity of the chronometer certified Calibre MT5813 offering 70 hours of power reserve, a 41mm case with with screw down crown and chronograph pushers, might push people over the edge to get one, if they were enamoured of the watch previously but had a hangup on its thickness .

I for one will be looking forward to getting it on the wrist, to see if the work that Tudor has done to make the case thinner can be felt. Look forward to that!

Pricing in Singapore Dollars (SGD)

Black Bay Chrono: Bracelet – S$7,128/ Leather – S$6,696 / Fabric – S$6,696

A Sterling Silver Black Bay 925 

The 925 in the name stands for the percentage (92.5%) of sterling silver that composes the case in this new watch, the first use of this material by Tudor. Now this is a big surprise. Silver is a material that I have never really seen in modern watchmaking. In fact the only brand I can think, off the top of my head that offers a watch in silver is Ochs und Junior. (Update: @collectibe_watches on IG just reminded me that Zenith also makes a Silver Pilot’s watch)

The silver in this watch is unique as well, since it is mixed with some other materials in a secret formula, (perhaps platinum and gold) in order to form a stable alloy. This means that the appearance of the watch as you receive it is stable, and will not like normal silver, oxidise and tarnish and require constant polishing. 

Helping to emphasise the unique tone of silver is the brushed finishing of the case, which also applies to the bezel, crown and pin buckle. All these silver parts when combined with the taupe (warm grey) dial and bezel, make this into a monochromatic masterpiece. 

Tudor still very much emphasises that this is still a serious diving watch, and encourages owners to take it out there and beat the hell out of it. 

With the open case backed Calibre MT5400 and 300m water resistance, this 39mm wide gem is suitable for wrists of all sizes. 

Now, being not overly familiar with silver and how it looks, I will be very keen to see this watch in person. I’m also very much glad to see Tudor striking out with this “new” material, which might be the start of a new trend in the watch industry. 

Pricing in Singapore Dollars (SGD)

Black Bay Fifty-Eight 925: Leather – S$ 5,904/ Fabric- S$ 5,904 

Going upmarket in Gold – the Black Bay 58 18K 

With Tudor being positioned as the affordable side of the Rolex Group of watch brands, the appearance of the Black Bay 58 18K, whose name suggests the favourite metal of King Midas, might seem a little disingenuous. 

Coming in at a princely sum of SGD$23,040 with a Brown Alligator Leather and Fabric strap, it is also the most expensive Tudor to be offered. 

Does the Black Bay Fifty-Eight 18K make sense then? 

Well, strictly speaking it does not, but the watch itself has lots of charm. We all know that buying a Tudor is essentially the same thing as buying a Rolex. So seen in that manner, it doesn’t feel as weird as it should. The Tudor name does offer a discount against a Yellow Gold sports Rolex on a strap so in that sense there is certainly value (by comparison) on offer with this watch. 

Taking the luxury overtones of gold out of the picture, the watch itself is very charming, with the colour combination of the green dial and aluminium bezel against a yellow gold case reminding me very much of the Anniversary Rolex GMT Master 2 in Yellow Gold (reference 116718LN) with green dial. 

It’s not an exact match though considering that the Tudor does not come on a gold bracelet, and that the case is completely brushed with nary a polished surface in sight.  

If you haven’t been shocked senseless by the now real existence of a gold Tudor, then prepare to when you find out that the watch is being offered with a sapphire caseback, just like the Silver model. The cynical among us may consider this as a stealthy cost cutting exercise, but you could also look at it as signalling Tudor’s intention to move away from boring closed casebacks. 

The rest of the watch is familiar  with the Calibre MT5400 residing in the 39m wide case that Tudor encourages us to use as you would any of their diving watches. 

My conclusion? Yes, it may be expensive but it’s a tempting idea if it’s a gold sports (Rolex) that will be easier to get. Although we won’t really know how these things will go given how significant this gold watch is for Tudor. 

Pricing in Singapore Dollars (SGD)

Black Bay Fifty-Eight 18K with Leather & Fabric – S$23,040

All watches now come with a 5 year transferable warranty, without registration or mandatory maintenance checks.  

With this being said, the one element that has been the talk of our industry, especially in the first half of 2020, was that of the tradeshow. Adi Soon, our editor has written extensively about his opinions on the demise of Baselworld (see his article: The Golden Goose (Baselworld) is Finally Dead), as well as the writer of this article (see Martin Goh’s article: Opinion – Baselworld’s Demise and the Meaning of Privilege).

The future of the watch industry tradeshow seemed very much in doubt last year, with cancellations and “postponements” being a result of the global health crisis – however, one tradeshow went ahead, and showed the possibility that brands bring the impetus needed to a digital version of a tradeshow, and this was Watches and Wonders, formerly the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH).

Four brands that arguably have the largest pull factor to the show – Chanel, Chopard, Patek Philippe and Rolex effectively heralded the death of Baselworld, with many of their executives expressing their dismay at the fair. In particular, Thierry Stern of Patek Philippe summed up their feeling as such: “Today Patek Philippe is not in line with Baselworld’s vision anymore, there have been too many discussions and unsolved problems, trust is no longer present”. As Wined Dined and Timed has written, much of the industry is based on gentlemen’s agreements, agreements that were very much violated during the “postponement” phase of Baselworld during the pandemic.

However, the 2020 edition of Watches and Wonders proved that a digital watch tradeshow can exist, and be successful. Furthermore, a press release dated in November 2020 from the organising committee of Watches and Wonders also shows the future of the watch tradeshow – with the continued pandemic raging in Europe, a digital version of the show was a no-brainer. Curiously, the 4 brands that were supposed to have a show concurrent to Watches and Wonders have now signed on to exhibit at Watches and Wonders – Chanel, Chopard, Patek Philippe and Rolex. This not only demonstrates the viability of the digital tradeshow, but also the level of trust between the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie and the 4 brands that left Baselworld. There is also no doubt that these brands will bring many more visitors to the digital tradeshow, given that their presence at Baselworld drew most of the crowds for watches.

There is no doubt that brands have changed their ways of communication during the pandemic, and rightfully so. However, I do not believe that a digital-only tradeshow or unveiling will be the way of the future. There will always be a place in the luxury industry for physical gatherings, and where possible, these will occur so that journalists and enthusiasts can touch, feel and experience the product. Watches are a part of the luxury industry that still needs physical presence for the watch to have an effect on the viewer, and so I believe that tradeshows will go back to being physical tradeshows when possible, but include much more digital interactivity than ever before. Unveilings may be made live, like with the recent Hublot x Murakami piece that was released at LVMH Watch Week in 2021, and keynote speakers may feature again, like at SIHH 2019 (recommended viewing: https://youtu.be/M9Pqi-QMoQw – Max Busser’s Keynote at SIHH 2019). 

The operation of a simultaneous digital and physical tradeshow will bring much more attendance through the following means – journalists and enthusiasts are brought together in one place to broadcast the new releases, and watch connoisseurs on far-flung sides of the Earth can enjoy the media and created content at their convenience. In this way, it is really a win-win situation for all parties involved – even the brands get more impressions on their pieces. Now, it just comes down to how much the brands are willing to invest into such an omni-channel experience. We can only hope that the brands see the value in this omni-channel method, from first viewing (online through watch media or through advertising) all the way to final purchase that can occur months or years down the line.