Tudor Black Bay Chrono automatic watch opaline dial steel bracelet 41 mm

The story

In 1970, TUDOR thrilled chronograph enthusiasts with the Oysterdate. A sturdy, functional watch with a unique design characterized by bright colors, pentagonal hour markers reminiscent of baseball marbles, a minute counter graduated at 45 and a date function at 6 o'clock. A turning point for TUDOR, which has continued to innovate and perfect its chronographs ever since, paving the way for 50 years of horological prowess. Similarly, since 1954, TUDOR has never ceased to improve its professional diving watches

In 2021, the brand presents its Black Bay Chrono, which marries these heritages in a purist's sports chronograph, with contrasting sub-counters and high-performance automatic Manufacture Calibre, with column wheel and vertical clutch.

A design between land and sea

Faithful in spirit to the Black Bay aesthetic, the Black Bay Chrono model, Taking up the famous “Snowflake” hands, signature of the brand since 1969, the Black Bay Chrono sublimates them in a refined version for a more precise reading of information on its domed dial.

This opaline dial version, hosts two hollowed and circled counters, dressed in deep matte black for a clear, crisp reading of information. In a tribute to the first generations of TUDOR chronographs, the minute counter is traditionally graduated at 45 and the date is positioned at 6 o'clock. The general lines characteristic of Black Bay are preserved in a refined 41-millimeter-diameter steel case. Attention to detail is reflected in the design of the steel pushers, inspired by early models and designed for optimal handling. A fixed steel bezel with black anodized aluminum insert and tachymeter scale completes the racy appearance of this sporty chronograph.

A vintage-style bracelet

For this Black Bay Chrono model, a steel bracelet inspired by the folded rivet bracelets of TUDOR watches made in the 50s and 60s has been chosen by TUDOR. The special features of these bracelets were that the heads of the rivets used to attach the links were visible on the edge of the bracelet, as well as a “staircase leak”. These two aesthetic details are found in today's model, which nevertheless benefits from a modern construction with solid links.

An integrated chronograph caliber

Powered by Manufacture Calibre MT5813, the Black Bay Chrono displays hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph and date. This meticulously-finished movement boasts an openworked, satin-finished monobloc tungsten rotor with sandblasted details, while the bridges and mainplate expose alternating sandblasted, polished surfaces and laser-cut decorations.

Benefiting from a 70-hour power reserve and a silicon balance-spring the Manufacture Calibre chronograph MT5813 is certified by the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC) with performances exceeding the standards of this independent institution.

Benefiting from a 70-hour power reserve and a silicon balance spring. The movement, although COSC-certified, undergoes more rigorous in-house testing at TUDOR, guaranteeing a precision of -2/+4 seconds per day for the assembled watch, a result achieved through fine adjustments to the movement.

Designed in the purest watchmaking tradition, this integrated chronograph movement features a column-wheel mechanism and a vertical clutch. This combination ensures smooth, precise chronograph starting, stopping and resetting. The design of the column wheel guarantees precise control of the functions, while the vertical clutch ensures a smooth, jerk-free coupling between the chronograph and watch movements.

Finally, this movement is the result of a partnership between Breitling and TUDOR. It is a derivative of the famous Breitling B01 caliber. It is nevertheless distinguished by a high-precision regulating organ developed by TUDOR and customized finishes, reflecting the unique expertise of each brand.

In brief:

The Black Bay Chrono follows in the footsteps of TUDOR diver's watches by taking up emblematic aesthetic codes, such as the “Snowflake” hands. Far from being a simple reissue, this model combines neo-vintage design with modern watchmaking technologies. As a result, it boasts unrivalled precision, robustness and quality of finish, while retaining the spirit of TUDOR diving watches from the 1960s.