TUDOR BLACK BAY FIFTY-EIGHT 18K

The 18K says it all – yes, folks – this year’s Black Bay Fifty-Eight duo, striking (nay stunning) as they both are; aren’t really fit for purpose. 

 

I guess Tudor felt that the current BB family which already includes 2020’s BB 58 NAVY BLUE is pretty much all you’ll ever need from their heritage diver’s collection and it is – 

only it isn’t because Tudor seemed to have overlooked the growing green watch trend and I don’t mean; tree hugging, polar bear friendly woke green – I mean good old fashioned green. Where is it?

  

And no, 18K Gold cases with green dials don’t count! Why no green steel? 

But seeing as you’re here let’s take a look this 18K and Green variant of Tudor’s most popular diver’s model the new Black Bay Fifty Eight 18K. 

  

For 2021 Tudor has introduced a bold new version of its popular model, the Black Bay Fifty-Eight, in 18 ct yellow gold with an open case back, a first for both in a Tudor divers’ model. 

 

Taking its name from the precious metal of its case as well as the year of its ancestor’s (Ref. 7924 AKA Big Crown) birth year, 1958, the Black Bay Fifty-Eight 18K divers' watch is waterproof to 200 meters. 

  

Presented in a case 39mm in diameter case, the watch is very much in keeping with the characteristic proportions of the 1950s. 

It is also the first Tudor divers’ watch to be made in 18 ct yellow gold and offered with an open case-back.

  

KEY POINTS 

1. Case with satin finish (matt), 39 mm in diameter, in 18 ct yellow gold with an open case back 

2. Dial matt "golden green" in tone, with applied hour markers in 18 ct yellow gold 

3. Manufacture Calibre MT5400, certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) with a hairspring in silicon and a 70-hour power reserve 

4. “Snowflake” hands, one of the hallmarks of the TUDOR divers’ watches introduced in 1969, in 18 ct yellow gold, with grade A Swiss Super-LumiNova® luminescent material 

5. Two straps are included: green Jacquard fabric with gold band and dark brown alligator 

6. Five-year transferable guarantee, without registration or mandatory maintenance checks

  

Entirely satin-finished for a matt effect that may seem counter-intuitive with the traditional, bright finish typical of a gold watch, the case of the Black Bay Fifty-Eight 18K in 18 ct yellow gold is another first for a TUDOR divers' watch. 

  

An open case back, which reveals the new Manufacture MT5400 Calibre, has not been offered by the brand before for this type of product and reinforces the dual aesthetic language of this model. 

Midway between the legacy of a robust tool-watch that still defines TUDOR and a precious object, the Black Bay Fifty-Eight 18K remains as rare as it is exclusive. 

 

The matt 18 ct yellow gold of the Black Bay Fifty-Eight 18K is emphasised by the elegant combination of dial and bezel, which are a rich “golden green” in tone with matt gold details. 

 

The “Snowflake” hands are in 18 ct yellow gold, as are the appliqués of the hour markers. The same color palette is found on the fabric strap offered with this model. 

 

Thoughts? This would make so much more sense (at least to me) if it was in Al Bronze or even steel. It’s still a beauty, though. What do you think?