An Overview of the TUDOR BLACK BAY 58 GMT
BLACK BAY 58 GMT
Meet the Master Chronometer certified Black Bay 58 GMT. With a 39mm diameter case, a bidirectional bezel festooned with warm hues reminiscent of the golden age of air travel, and a five-link bracelet, it’s the answer to your jet-setting prayers.
The Black Bay 58 GMT is evocative of an era when the novelty of jet-setting across time zones was matched by glamorous and elegant style. It is fitted with TUDOR’s new mid-size GMT Manufacture Calibre paired with warm hues of burgundy, black and gilt on the bezel. The universally appealing case of the Black Bay 58 has become the model’s calling card, and now it comes in GMT form.
The Black Bay 58 is named after the year in which the first TUDOR divers’ watch waterproof to 200m, the reference 7924, dubbed the "Big Crown", was introduced. Among other aesthetic allusions to this famous historic watch, this model has a 39mm diameter case, in keeping with the characteristic proportions of the 1950s. The watch is the perfect match for a GMT function, and with the Black Bay 58 GMT, the jet-setter’s ultimate function comes with a touch of mid-century elegance.
The bezel is burgundy and black with a gilt 24-hour scale, keeping with the general design language of the Black Bay line. The design is reminiscent of a time when TUDOR divers' watches were first being made and jet planes were moving through times zones and delivering interlopers to destinations they could only dream of, faster than ever before. Finishing gilt touches have been applied to the hour markers, hands, and hour markers of the bicolour bezel. Another fan favourite touch that remains on the Black Bay 58 GMT is the winding crown, which bears the TUDOR rose logo in relief.
TUDOR QUALITY
With this Black Bay 58 GMT, TUDOR has successfully submitted yet another model for tests to obtain the Master Chronometer certification. This is part of a constant bid to improve the quality of its products and another step towards a future where the entire TUDOR collection will be Master Chronometer certified. This certification, offered by a Swiss government body, METAS, requires a substantial number of changes to a regular TUDOR Manufacture Calibre and comes as an independent confirmation of the exceptional quality of TUDOR watches.
EMBLEMATIC LOOK
The Black Bay remains one of TUDOR’s most recognised and recognisable lines. In the Black Bay 58 GMT, the case offers the proportions of a 39mm case with a thinner profile than a 41mm Black Bay GMT. The bidirectional rotatable bezel offers very prehensible sides and its insert shows subtly curved numerals aligning with the outline of the outer ring. However, the aesthetic details don’t stop at the case dimensions and bezel. The seconds hand recalls the look of the brand’s early divers’ watches with a lollipop design, while the satin black dial is softly radial-brushed for a very subtle shine under direct light. Ergonomics have evolved as well, with a redesigned crown, reminiscent of the curves found on the crowns of the brand's historical technical watches, that is set flush to the middle case band so that its tube is not visible.
THE ESSENCE OF BLACK BAY
The Black Bay line features dials inspired by the TUDOR divers’ watches produced during the 1950s. It borrows the characteristic angular hands known to collectors as "Snowflake" from models that appeared in the brand’s 1969 catalogue. Its shoulder-less crown and the characteristics of its case are reminiscent of the first generations of TUDOR divers' watches. The Black Bay line is the result of the subtle blend of traditional aesthetics and contemporary watchmaking. Far from simply being an identical rerelease of a classic, it brings together 70 years of TUDOR divers’ watches, whilst at the same time being resolutely anchored in the present. It is neo-vintage in conception, yet its manufacturing techniques, reliability, robustness and the quality of its finishes are consistent with today's more rigorous requirements.
