For adventurers, a good patina is everything. This is exactly the philosophy behind the Tudor Black Bay Bronze diver’s watch. First released in 2016 to wide acclaim, the 2019 version trades its chocolate-brown dial for a slate-gray dial and bezel. As with the original, the most stunning visual element of this popular tool watch is its 43mm bronze case, a reference to the brass used in old ships and diving equipment. Made from a high-performance aluminum-copper alloy, this living metal reacts according to its wearer’s habits, giving the satin-brushed finish a patina that’s unique to the individual.
Watch Wednesday
Watch Wednesday: Tudor Black Bay Bronze
The Tudor Black Bay Bronze, winner of the "Petite Aiguille" prize at the 2016 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, adds a slate-grey model to its fleet of diver's watches.
The Tudor Black Bay Bronze, winner of the "Petite Aiguille" prize at the 2016 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, adds a slate-grey model to its fleet of diver's watches.
For the new version, the slate-gray dial takes inspiration from the classic Tudor diver’s watches of the 1950s. Plus, it boasts a woven jacquard strap that nods to the ones originally made by the French Navy from old recovered rescue parachutes. Other heritage-inspired elements include angular hands—a reference to those in the 1969 Tudor catalogue and known to collectors as “snowflake”—and an unprotected winding crown, which is an original feature of the first generation of Tudor diver’s watches.
The past merges with the present with the Manufacture Calibre MT560. It features a satin-brushed, openwork rotor with sand-blasted details, plus bridges and plates with alternating polished and sand-blasted surfaces and laser-cut embellishments. It’s a seaworthy work of art.
$4,050; Tudorwatch.com
(Photos: Courtesy Tudor)