Swiss brand Tudor is embracing steel and gold in a big way this year and has introduced a new line-up of two-tone Black Bay watches starting from 31mm all the way up to 41mm. These watches feature fixed bezels (with the option for diamond-set bezels) and are available in a variety of dials.
Brand: Tudor
Model: Black Bay 31/36/39/41 S&G
Dimensions: 31, 36, 39, and 41mm
Water Resistance: 100 meters
Case Material: 316L stainless steel case with yellow gold
Movement: “Manufacture” Calibre MT5201, MT5400, MT5602, MT5601
Strap/Bracelet: Steel and yellow gold bracelet with “T-fit” folding clasp
Price: 4,700 CHF to 7,100 CHF
These new watches are arguably the dressiest in Tudor’s Black Bay lineup, and thanks to their fixed bezels and two-tone steel and gold treatment, these models evoke the style of vintage Rolex Datejust models. With case sizes starting at just 31mm and going all the way up to 41mm-wide, there’s something for nearly every wrist here. The 31, 36, and 39mm versions can also be ordered with a diamond-set bezel. Regardless of which size one chooses, water resistance is 100 meters, and all watches come with polished yellow gold screw-down crowns.
These Black Bays come with several dial options. For those who prefer something simpler, there’s your standard black and silver with sunray satin-finish. There are also what Tudor calls “decorated” dials. These come in anthracite and champagne and feature a repeating motif of a small stylized star. And if you like some bling, the decorated dials can also be ordered with diamond-set hour markers.
All of these new Black Bay models will come with a five-link steel and gold bracelet that features Tudor’s “T-fit” rapid adjustment system. This system requires no tools and gives owners five positions of adjustment, or up to 8mm. Inside these watches are Tudor’s automatic time-only movements. Interestingly, instead of using a single movement for all these watches, Tudor uses movements that are sized appropriately to fit their cases. With this in mind, each case size gets its own movement. These movements are broadly similar. All have beat rates of 4Hz and are COSC chronometer-certified. The only difference is power reserve. The 31mm version gets the smallest MT5201 movement and has 50 hours of power reserve. The others all offer approximately 70 hours.
With a broad appeal that will likely stretch far beyond the enthusiast community into the general luxury market, these new Tudor Black Bay Steel & Gold models are likely to enjoy a longevity that will be matched by few in Tudor’s catalog. Anyone who is looking to get a timeless two-tone watch can now get one that is backed up by Tudor’s legendary build quality and technical excellence. The Tudor Black Bay 31/36/39/41 S&G starts at 4,700 CHF and goes up to 7,100 CHF. For more information, visit Tudor’s website.