BLACK BAY 58 GMT
TUDOR is introducing an additional model to the Black Bay line, the Black Bay 58 GMT. This entirely new model 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 200 metres, 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.
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KEY POINTS 1. “Original” Black Bay 58 proportions of a 39mm case in stainless steel with a 24-hour bidirectional black and burgundy bezel with gilt accents
2. Subtly domed matt black dial with gilt accents 3. “Snowflake” hands, a hallmark of TUDOR divers’ watches introduced in 1969, with Grade A Swiss Super-LumiNova® luminescent material 4. GMT Manufacture Calibre MT5450-U, certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC), with a silicon hairspring and a 65-hour power reserve 5. Master Chronometer certified by METAS 6. A choice between a stainless steel 3-link “rivet-style” bracelet or a rubber strap, both with TUDOR “T-fit” rapid adjustment clasp 7. Five-year transferable guarantee, with no registration or periodic maintenance checks required |
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TUDOR Quality
With the introduction of this brand-new Black Bay 58 GMT, TUDOR has successfully submitted yet another model for tests to obtain 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 the TUDOR watches.
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COMPREHENSIVE INDEPENDENT CERTIFICATION AND HIGH STANDARDS
METAS Master Chronometer certification is comprehensive and covers the main functional characteristics of a watch including precision, resistance to magnetic fields, waterproofness and power reserve. Its standards are incredibly high, starting with precision. In order to qualify, a watch must be able to function within a 5-second range of variation each day (0/+5), that is to say 5 seconds less than the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) (-4/+6) carried out on a single movement and a second less than TUDOR's internal standard (-2/+4), which is applied to the brand's models with a Manufacture Calibre. The certification also guarantees the timekeeping accuracy of a watch subjected to magnetic fields of 15,000 gauss. Finally, it also guarantees the waterproofness claimed by the manufacturer as well as the power reserve. It should also be noted that two prerequisites are necessary before the certification can be obtained: Swiss manufacturing must conform with the criteria of Swiss Made, and the movement must be certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC). |
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CRITERIA AND TESTS FOR MASTER CHRONOMETER CERTIFICATION BY METAS
All the tests and prerequisites leading to the Master Chronometer certification, which the Black Bay has achieved, are summarised below: |
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THE GMT MANUFACTURE CALIBRE MT5450-U
The Manufacture Calibre MT5450-U, which powers the Black Bay 58 GMT illustrates the technical development process signature of TUDOR, drawing on adaptable movement architecture capable of integrating new functions rather than resorting to additional modules. A minor detail for some, but a must for watchmaking purists.
Displaying hour, minute, seconds and GMT functions, it offers the general look and feel of TUDOR Manufacture Calibres with dedicated sun laser design and bears the Master Chronometer mention on its bridges, emphasising its distinctive performance. Its rotor is fashioned in tungsten monobloc and is openworked. It also features the distinctive laser radial grooving with sand-blasted details. Its bridges and mainplate have alternate sand-blasted and polished surfaces and laser decorations.
The build of the Manufacture Calibre MT5450-U is designed to ensure robustness and precision. To do this, the variable inertia balance wheel is maintained by a sturdy traversing bridge with two-point anchoring. It is certified as a chronometer by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC), with its performance going beyond the standards set by this independent institute. In fact, where COSC allows an average variation in the daily rate of an uncased movement of between -4 and +6 seconds and TUDOR applies a 6-second (-2/+4) variation standard on its fully assembled watches, METAS requires a Master Chronometer certified watch to run within a tolerance range of 5 seconds (0/+5). Not only is the Manufacture Calibre MT5450-U certified to be more accurate, it is also rated as anti-magnetic, making it impervious to magnetic fields below 15,000 gauss.
Another notable feature is that the power reserve of the Manufacture Calibre MT5450-U is “weekend-proof”, about 65 hours. This enables the wearer to take the watch off on a Friday evening and put it back on again on Monday morning without having to reset it.
EMBLEMATIC LOOK
The Black Bay remains one of TUDOR’s most recognized and recognizable 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 case dimensions and bezel. The seconds hand recalls the look of the early diving watches of the brand 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.
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“RIVET-STYLE” BRACELET OR RUBBER STRAP,
BOTH WITH “T-FIT” The “rivet-style” 3-link bracelet of the Black Bay 58 GMT model visually refers to the riveted bracelets used by TUDOR in the 1950s and 1960s. These were famous for having rivet heads visible on the side of the links. These bracelets also had a distinct stepped design, where every link, going from the clasp, was slightly larger than the previous one. These two aesthetic elements appear on today’s version, which combines modern manufacturing methods with solid links and “rivets” with laser-finished heads. This bracelet also comes with the TUDOR “T-fit” clasp, an ingenuous system for rapid length adjustment. Easy to use, requiring no tools and offering five positions, this practical touch allows wearers to carry out a fine, instant adjustment of the total length of the bracelet along an adjustment window of 8mm. The clasp features ceramic ball bearings that ensure a smooth and secure closure in addition to adding a pleasing tactile element to the action of the clasp. A cut-to-size black rubber strap option is also available for the Black Bay 58 GMT. It comes in three sizes, fitted with the TUDOR “T-fit” clasp for the perfect fit. On the inside, it features the signature snowflake motif for added grip, and it is form-fitted specifically for this model. |
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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 shoulderless 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 re-release of a classic, it brings together 70 years of TUDOR dive 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. |
THE TUDOR MANUFACTURE
Every TUDOR watch is assembled and fully tested to TUDOR’s superior standards at the new TUDOR Manufacture located in the Le Locle, Switzerland. This new state-of-the-art facility, bringing together the know-how of watchmakers with the best in production management and automated testing systems, was completed in 2021 after three years of construction. All decked out in TUDOR red, the Manufacture spans over four levels totalling 5,500 square meters and is physically and visually connected to the neighbouring Kenissi Manufacture, the TUDOR movement production facility founded in 2016. With Kenissi and a network of TUDOR-owned affiliates, the brand has been able to integrate the development and production of high-performance mechanical calibres. As a consequence, TUDOR now fully masters the manufacturing of strategic components and can guarantee their quality.
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THE TUDOR GUARANTEE Since the brand’s creation by Hans Wilsdorf in 1926 and in line with his vision of the ideal timepiece, TUDOR has been ceaselessly creating watches that are as robust, durable, reliable and precise as possible. On the strength of this experience, and confident in the superior quality of its watches, TUDOR offers a five-year guarantee for all its products. This guarantee does not require the watch to be registered or submitted to periodic checks and is transferable. TUDOR also recommends that its watches should be serviced approximately every ten years depending on the model and the extent of its use on a day-to-day basis.
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TUDOR IS “BORN TO DARE”
In 2017, TUDOR launched a new campaign with the “Born To Dare” signature. It reflects both the history of the brand and what it stands for today. It tells the adventures of individuals who have achieved the extraordinary on land, on ice, in the air and underwater, with a TUDOR watch on their wrists. It also refers to the vision of Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of TUDOR, who manufactured TUDOR watches to withstand the most extreme conditions, watches made for the most daring lifestyles. It is testimony to TUDOR’s singular approach to watchmaking, which has made it what it is today. At the cutting edge of the watchmaking industry, its innovations are now essential benchmarks. The TUDOR “Born To Dare” spirit is supported throughout the world by first class ambassadors, whose achievements result directly from a daring approach to life. |
ABOUT TUDOR
TUDOR is an award-winning Swiss-made watch brand, offering mechanical watches with sophisticated style, proven reliability and unmatched value for money. The origins of TUDOR date back to 1926, when “The Tudor” was first registered as a brand on behalf of the founder of Rolex, Hans Wilsdorf. He officially set up the Montres TUDOR SA company in 1946 to produce watches that respect the traditional Rolex philosophy of quality at a more affordable price point. Throughout their history, thanks to their robustness and affordability, TUDOR watches have been chosen by some of the boldest adventurers, on land, in the air, underwater and on ice. Today, the TUDOR collection includes iconic lines such as Black Bay, Pelagos, 1926 and TUDOR Royal. Since 2015, TUDOR has also offered models with mechanical Manufacture Calibres with multiple functions and superior performance. |
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Michael Jones Jeweller is an independent luxury jewellery and fine watch specialist in the UK, originally founded in 1919. This family business turned co-operative has worked within the jewellery industry since its first inception and strives to offer the very best in quality and service.
Explore TUDOR on our website or at our Gold Street showroom where our dedicated TUDOR specialists are on hand to guide you through our vast collection of TUDOR timepieces. |
