The enigma that is the beloved Tudor Black Bay. Adored by many and admired by most, the Tudor Black Bay is one of the most affordable entry points into the world of Swiss mechanical watchmaking. Tudor's affinity with the ocean stems back some sixty-odd years, and this is reflected throughout the Black Bay with its enlarged crown and snowflake-shaped hands.
And while the Black Bay may have fallen out of the limelight, shadowed by its Rolex brother, in my opinion the Tudor Black Bay offers bucket-loads of bang-for-your-buck value and is chock-full of quality, heritage, reliability and functionality. We've put together a list of our 10 favourite Tudor Black Bay models that you definitely want to consider if you're in the market for a solid, Swiss-made timepiece that fits the bill of being an all-purpose, well-rounded watch. You can check them all out on our Amazon e-store, The Haulogerium.
Tudor Black Bay Steel
This is my personal favourite of all the Tudor Black Bay models. I love the contrast between the steel case and bezel with the black dial offset subtly by the pops of red. At 41mm in diameter, the Tudor Black Bay Steel sits right in that sweet spot of being just the right size to wear virtually anywhere and with anything.
It can be dressed up or down with a simple strap change (it's also available on a steel bracelet or an aged leather strap), but I think it looks best on the army-green fabric strap. Hands down my favourite variation of the Tudor Black Bay, the Black Bay Steel is an ode to doing things simply and doing them right. Oh, and it has an in-house COSC certified movement, so there is that, too.
Tudor Black Bay GMT
The only "complicated" Black Bay on this list is the venerable Tudor Black Bay GMT. Recognisable by its Pepsi-coloured bezel and snowflake hands, the Black Bay GMT has all the tell-tale signs of being a traditional, heritage-steeped piece from Tudor.
I particularly like the crisp look of the bezel which contrasts with the red GMT-hand against the black dial. The Tudor Black Bay GMT is a triumph of quality, of affordability and of accessibility. Tudor really out-did themselves with the Black Bay GMT.
Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight
The Black Bay Fifty-Eight is Tudor's take on the traditional vintage diver. Faux-patina adorns the bezel and dial as do touches of gold. I love the red triangle at the 12 o'clock position on the bezel which really hammers home the notion that the Black Bay Fifty-Eight is inspired by diver's watches of generations ago.
The Black Bay Fifty-Eight sits smaller than the other pieces on this list, and at 39mm in diameter it really is befitting of the size that traditional diver's watches of yesteryear were made in. A fantastic piece that is relatively budget-friendly.
Tudor Heritage Black Bay Two-Tone
A two-tone Black Bay from Tudor, eugh! Wait, just hear me out. Two-tone is all the rage right now, especially so with the various Rolex GMT-Master II models and the Submariner models. Two-tone watches are back and they're cool, again!
The Tudor Heritage Black Bay Two-Tone features a cross between yellow gold and stainless steel throughout and, I have to say, it looks fantastic. I really like how subtle it is through the case and dial, but then on the bracelet the gold really takes over the show and is of course the stand-out focal point. A two-tone Swiss-made watch that won't break the bank? Here is the Tudor Heritage Black Bay Two-Tone.
Tudor Black Bay Dark
After the Tudor Black Bay Steel, the Black Bay Dark is my favourite of the Black Bay family. Clad entirely in black from the PVD-steel case to the bracelet and dial, the Black Bay Dark is, well, dark. Subtle pops of colour break up the monochromatic colour palette of the Black Bay Dark, with white luminescent material on the hour markers and snowflake hands, while the addition of the red triangle at the 12 o'clock position and on the dial also do well to add some colour to the Black Bay Dark.
I really like this piece in the way that I like other all-black watches. They're versatile, they can be dressed up or down and they almost always fly under the radar. And it's still priced at a pretty accessible price point, too.
Tudor Black Bay Bronze
Tudor's Black Bay Bronze heralds in the era of bronze watches. Or does it welcome the bronze age back? Either way, this is a damn good looking watch. Clad in 43mm of bronze, the Black Bay Bronze is adorned with details and finishings that wouldn't look out of place on a watch that costs many times that of the Black Bay Bronze's asking price.
I really like the contrast of colours at place here, accentuated by the outlined hour numerals, hour indices and hands. This is a really appealing watch to look at, with the best part of the bronze case being that it will age characteristically differently to another Black Bay Bronze depending on what it's exposed to throughout its life.
Tudor Black Bay S&G
With S&G standing for steel and gold, the Tudor Black Bay S&G is a pretty little number that has all of the attributes of a watch from a company with a much more luxurious, exclusive background. The Tudor Black Bay S&G has a lovely champagne-coloured dial offset by a steel case, yellow gold bezel and matte black bezel cover.
The gold markings throughout the dial and bezel accentuate the luxurious look of the Tudor Black Bay S&G, and while it is available on a two-tone steel and yellow gold bracelet, I think that the fabric strap pictured above looks the best.
Tudor Black Bay Red
I've unceremoniously called it the "Red" as a point of differentiation, but the Tudor Black Bay Red is one of the original contemporary Black Bay models which heralded in the modern era of the acclaimed diver's watch.
This is a watch that is all encompassing. It's intriguing, it's versatile and it goes with almost any outfit you can imagine wearing. It comes on a variety of straps in a variety of materials, but the rivet steel bracelet looks and feels the best. A modern classic if there ever was one.
Tudor Black Bay Blue
Last, but certainly not least, we have the Tudor Black Bay Blue. Like the Black Bay Red, the Black Bay Blue is one of the originals and, like the Black Bay Red, it showed to the world the new direction Tudor was taking with its storied diver's watches.
This is one of my all time favourite Tudors. I love the subtle yet bold look of the blue which blends in with the black of the dial but stands out against the cold grey of the steel case. This is a fantastic watch not just for those looking to start their watch journey, but also for those looking to diversify their collection. All in all, a really difficult package to beat.
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