Introducing: The Tudor Black Bay Chrono “Carbon 25”
What We Know
This weekend, the Miami Grand Prix returns to Florida for the race’s fourth outing since the event was added to the Formula 1 calendar in 2022. Given the increased importance of the North American audience in the current Drive to Survive environment, the sport has expanded in recent years, adding Miami and Las Vegas to the US race trio that also includes Austin, Texas. It’s a massive weekend, and Tudor has again leveraged the Miami GP as an opportunity to launch a new watch in partnership with the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls (VCARB) team. This year, it’s more than a new colorway or a ceramic Black Bay. It’s a carbon fiber-cased chronograph with motorsports intentions called the Black Bay Chrono “Carbon 25”.
Released as a numbered limited edition of 2025 units, the Carbon 25 is based on the design language and functional layout of the known Black Bay Chrono, but Tudor has done a lot to differentiate this new LE from the standard spec. Most notably, the Carbon 25 has a carbon fibre case with an integrated tachymeter bezel. The sizing is 42mm in width, which is 1mm larger than the standard Black Bay Chrono. Tudor does note that the case is thinner than the steel models, coming in at 14.3 vs. 14.4mm. Water resistance is 200m, and the crown, pushers, and caseback are made of titanium with a black PVD coating.
Inside, we find the same MT5813 chronograph movement that is used in other versions of the Black Bay Chrono. Based on the Breitling 01, the MT5813 is an automatic chronograph movement with a column wheel and a silicon balance spring that ticks at 4 Hz, offers 70 hours of power reserve, and has been tested by Tudor to run within -2 to +4 seconds a day.
With those details out of the way, it’s worth underlining that this is a watch made in connection to Tudor’s involvement with the Racing Bulls team (hence the white and blue color scheme, and the automotive adjacent use of carbon fiber) and that its a very rare example of a numbered limited edition from Tudor. It’s a move that the brand tends to reserve for partnerships (consider the 1908 pieces of the Black Bay 58 made for Inter Milan).
As mentioned above, the Black Bay Chrono “Carbon 25” is limited to 2025 pieces. Each watch will be delivered on a hybrid rubber-leather strap with carbon endlinks and will have a retail price of $7,575.
What We Think
When I think of Tudor, I tend to think of dive watches. But despite not being a frequent chronograph user, I still have a soft spot for some of the brand’s past chronograph designs, specifically the Big Block and the Heritage Chrono (blue for me, please). For the Carbon 25, I think I have another fave to add to that roster as the combination of the domed white dial, the black marker surrounds, and that slimmed-down carbon case really brings some modernity and interest to the Black Bay Chrono design.
Also, while the pricing initially hit me as a bit high, consider that the Black Bay Chronograph starts at $5,775 and the brand has been expanding that line with in-demand models like the Pink edition from March of 2024. Furthermore, and this is more of a thought exercise than a reason to buy a new watch, but how many other mechanical/automatic carbon chronographs can you name at/around this price point (putting aside, for the moment, any considerations of carbon fiber vs. forged carbon or carbon composite)?
Tudor, of course, has the carbon composite Pelagos FXD Cycling and the Pelagos FXD Chrono with a price tag of $5,600 (both have the same movement, are 43mm wide, and are not limited). Edox has the C-01 Carbon Chronograph for CHF 3,149, and it’s 45mm wide and has a Sellita movement. If you’ve got a break-the-bank budget (compared to this new Tudor), the 10k+ options expand quite a bit with carbon chronos from Girard Perregaux, Bell & Ross, Hublot, Zenith, Singer, and more. So, while the specific value of a carbon chronograph is entirely subjective, I think Tudor has hit a largely realistic price point for a limited edition, even if the specific model’s most direct competition comes (at least partially) from within the same brand.
Carbon aside, if we zoom out a bit, the Carbon 25 represents not only a major evolution of the Black Bay Chrono, but also an evolution of Tudor’s connection with F1 and the VCARB team. VCARB remains the junior team for Red Bull Racing, and attention on the team has been high this year, given that Yuki Tsunoda (formerly driving for VCARB) recently swapped seats with Liam Lawson (who was driving for Red Bull Racing). Over the past few years, there has been continued attention (drama, even) surrounding the way that Red Bull manages the drivers for the sister teams, especially surrounding Daniel Ricciardo’s departure from the VCARB team in 2024.
If framed as more than a watch, the Carbon 25 is Tudor laying claim to their slice of F1, which is a sport that remains strongly aligned with the world of watches. Starting this year, LVMH replaced Rolex as a global luxury partner for the sport, and this is also the year that Tag Heuer (part of LVMH) re-launched the Formula 1. Watches and racing have shared a strong bonds since the ’50s and over that 75 year span we’ve seen Tudor take to the track with Oysterdate Chronographs, the 7100 Monte Carlos, the Daytona-esque Big Block, the 79200 series, the Heritage Chronos (of the 2010s), then on to the quirky ceramic Fastrider and the now well-known Black Bay Chronograph.
With the Carbon 25, the brand is sticking to a format (that being the Black Bay Chrono) while bending the execution to match the automotive and technological elements that make Formula 1 so competitive and exciting. With a handsome carbon fiber case and a generally modern and sporty layout, I’d expect race fans and Tudorati alike to be fighting for pole position on the allocation list for this special limited edition.
Godspeed.
The Basics
Brand: Tudor
Model: Black Bay Chrono “Carbon 25”
Reference Number: 79377KN
Diameter: 42mm
Thickness: 14.3mm
Case Material: Carbon fiber (caseback, pushers, and crowns in PVD titanium)
Dial Color: White with blue accents and carbon subdials
Lume: Hands and markers
Water Resistance: 200m
Strap/Bracelet: Leather-rubber strap with carbon endlinks
The Movement
Caliber: Tudor Manufacture Chronograph Caliber MT5813
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, 45-minute chronograph, date
Diameter: 30.4mm
Thickness: 7.23mm
Power Reserve: 70 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 VPH
Jewels: 41
Chronometer Certified: Yes, COSC (then Tudor ensures -2 to +4 s/d)
Additional Details: Non-magnetic silicon balance spring
Pricing & Availability
Price: $7,575
Limited Edition: Yes, 2025 pieces (individually numbered)
For more, click here.
Hodinkee
