Anniversaries are worth celebrating, and for 2021 Tudor is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its first chronograph watches. In honour of that occasion, Tudor is relaunching the Black Bay Chronograph with a panda or reverse panda dial and other discreet tweaks, mostly on the bezel. A total of six new references are launched, all with striking light/dark contrasting dials. Here’s the new Tudor Black Bay Chrono.
Ever since the Tudor Oysterdate chronograph was introduced in 1970, the sports chronograph has been important to the brand. It has been a predominant collection for Tudor, evidenced by the Oysterdate Chronograph 7031 and 7032 as well as the “Montecarlo” 7149, 7159 and 7169. Even after the company’s rebirth, the Chronograph complication has played a major part in its success.
The Black Bay collection is a very important collection for Tudor, and rightfully so since it ticks many boxes for many people. It’s no wonder that every year new variations of the well-known vintage-inspired Black Bay are released. Following the original concept with a black dial, red bezel and ETA movements, there have been plenty of iterations and evolutions. In-house movements, for instance, or the slightly reduced BB58 collection and, of course, the Black Bay Chronograph.
First introduced as a full steel version (bezel included), with a black dial and black sub-dials, the Black Bay Chrono has seen its fair share of updates. A PVD black one, a steel-and-gold model and now the Panda treatment. The new domed dials for the Black Bay Chrono come in matte black or opaline white, with two contrasting, recessed sub-dials at 3 and 9 o’clock and a date indication at 6 o’clock. The “Panda” (or reverse panda) style is always popular and subtly reminds us of a similarly styled watch from big-brother Rolex. The Snowflake hands, a hallmark Tudor feature first introduced in 1969, are respected.
The 41mm wide steel case has satin-brushed and polished surfaces. The fixed steel bezel has a black anodised aluminium insert with a tachymeter scale. The chronograph is actuated with the screw-down pushers at 2 and 4 o’clock, with the screw-down crown in between. Underneath the sleek exterior and dial ticks the calibre MT5813, Tudor’s in-house chronograph movement derived from the Breitling B01 chronograph manufacture calibre. This is regulated within COSC specifications. Its construction includes a silicon balance spring and a column wheel with a vertical clutch. The power reserve is a healthy 70 hours.
The Tudor Black Bay Chrono “Panda,” as it is likely to be known, comes on one of three possible straps: a black Jacquard fabric strap, a bund-style black leather strap or the riveted steel bracelet introduced several years ago. Prices range from CHF 4,650 for the fabric strap to CHF 4,950 on a steel bracelet.
More information on tudorwatch.com.