It is a rare occurrence that you get watch enthusiasts all around the world so excited about the launch of a new colour in an existing collection. It could have been attributed to the success of marketing, but realistically, it was probably because the collection in question was the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight. Now, this wildly successful piece gets one of Tudor’s staple colours – Navy Blue.
The new Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight Navy Blue.
When it was launched back in 2018, the Black Bay Fifty-Eight (BB58) reference/model quickly became an instant hit amongst collectors, thanks to its vintage-inspired design along with the smaller case size. But to understand why people are going crazy about just a new colour addition, you must first understand the Black Bay collection itself.
Launched back in 2012, the Black Bay collection was basically the modern reincarnation of the Tudor Submariner legacy that started back in 1954. The Black Bay took most its design cues from these early vintage Tudor Submariner references, resulting in a modern piece with a timeless design. You will find that since 2012, the aesthetics of the Black Bay has not really changed, making it instantly recognizable, as an icon for the Tudor brand and a cult classic amongst collectors. You could say it is a similar strategy to what Tudor’s sister company has done with the Submariner.
The 1969 Tudor diver’s watch (left) that started the iconic Tudor Blue.
Coming back to the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight “Navy Blue”, when you have a design that has almost stayed the same for nearly a decade, the addition of a new colour is exciting for fans of the brand. Speak to any collector and they will tell you that despite Tudor having a fair share of Black Bays in blue, this is the first BB58 in this colour. That is all the explanation needed to pick this watch up.
The close up dial details of Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight Navy Blue.
To an ‘outsider’ however, the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight “Navy Blue” is still an impressive watch. Not only do you get a styling that has great mileage within the enthusiast community, but the piece itself is also a great everyday watch. The 39mm case is made of 316L stainless steel, the same kind of alloy used in surgical equipment because of its strength and corrosion-resistant properties. While the movement within is an in-house Tudor movement – Caliber MT5402. This movement has an anti-magnetic silicon hairspring and is “weekend proof” with a 70 hours of power reserve.
In terms of timekeeping precision, the movement is Chronometer certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC), which sets a standard of -4 to +6 seconds of deviation per day. Tudor however, sets its own internal standard and ensures an accuracy of -2/+4 seconds per day.
Tudpr Black Bay Fifty-Eight Navy Blue in leather strap, steel bracelet and NATO fabric strap.
The Black Bay Fifty-Eight “Navy Blue” can be purchased with a matching NATO style fabric strap made by the 150-year old French company Julien Faure.
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