The Tudor Black Bay 58 Navy Blue.
Tudor has surged in popularity since it returned to the U.S. market in 2013, with vintage pieces in demand and new models geared to vintage enthusiasts. The latest is a long-awaited all-blue version of Tudor’s highly sought-after Black Bay Fifty-Eight. The BB58, as enthusiasts call it, is so-named because Tudor’s first dive watches debuted in 1958. Although models in the modern collection, launched in 2018, have black dials, the new one is inspired specifically by a series with blue dials, introduced in 1969. Back then, Tudor was making professional dive watches for the Marine Nationale, the French Navy, built to true military-issue standards. Hence the “Navy” blue.
The Tudor Black Bay 58 Navy Blue.
Like the original, black-dialed BB58, the new blue version has a 39mm steel case, an authentic size if you want to stay true to the vintage style. Watches made in the 1950s were smaller than the typical 42mm+ sizes of more recent times, and constitute a growing preference of the moment. The domed crystal is another pure vintage touch.
The Tudor Black Bay 58 Navy Blue.
The snowflake hands have likewise been a feature of Tudor diver’s watches since 1969. They were designed that way for high readability, and today, that feature is enhanced even more by the application of Super-LumiNova to the hands and the applied markers, making them glow underwater or in other dark conditions. It is water-resistant to 200 meters (660 feet).
The Tudor Black Bay 58 Navy Blue.
The BB58 Navy Blue contains the in-house automatic MT5402 movement, with a silicon balance spring and an adjustable balance. It is COSC certified, which means it is an official chronometer, accurate to within -2 and +4 seconds per day. With a 70-hour power reserve, it is weekend proof: you can take it off on Friday and put it back on your wrist on Monday without having to wind and reset it. The strap selection is appropriately sporty. It’s available on a blue jacquard fabric strap, a blue synthetic “soft touch” strap that hugs the wrist like a soft flannel sheet, or on the brand’s iconic riveted steel bracelet. The bezel cover, made of anodized aluminum, is also blue. Tudor is now offering a five-year guarantee on all its watches sold after January 1, 2020, a guarantee that does not require the watch to be registered, and is transferable. The Tudor Black Bay 58 Navy Blue is priced at $3,375 on a soft-touch or fabric strap, and $3,700 on a steel bracelet.
