Introducing: Tudor’s New All-Burgundy Black Bay 58
What We Know
Today, Tudor launches an all-burgundy colorway of the brand’s most steadfast lineup — the Black Bay 58. Burgundy has been a color dear to the Black Bay collection since its launch back in 2012, with the original burgundy-bezeled and ETA-powered ‘Smiley’ remaining a collector favorite to this day. But aside from this year’s new rich red look, it’s also got a few firsts for the Black Bay 58 series.
Following the 2023 redesign of the 41mm Black Bay, where we saw the burgundy styling return as the model line received METAS Master Chronometer certification, a new full-burgundy (that’s bezel and dial) Black Bay 58 has been introduced, which the brand says is inspired by a prototype 7900-series Tudor Submariner from the ’90s. Aesthetically, this new Black Bay 58 leans into that more contemporary tone, separating it from previous red designs. No gilt accents are to be found anywhere, and all of the hands, applied indices, and printing are found in a clean silver tone, in a similar essence to what we saw with last year’s Black Bay Monochrome. The burgundy color here is almost more cherry red, with a vividly saturated color on the dial that’s radially brushed to better catch the light, while the bezel insert remains aluminum.
The case retains the same Black Bay 58 proportions, with a diameter of 39mm that remains the easiest recommended option for most wrists. For the first time in the line, a new steel 5-link bracelet is offered as an option, alongside more traditional offerings of the 3-link bracelet with faux rivets and a “cut-to-size” rubber strap. All three variants come with the Tudor “T-fit” clasp, which offers each strap the ability to adjust its size on the fly up to 8mm. Water resistance remains the same at 200m (660 ft).
Another piece of significance for this new Black Bay 58 Burgundy is its new METAS Master Chronometer certification, the first for a non-complicated Black Bay 58. The Master Chronometer certification was originally introduced in the family with the Black Bay 58 GMT, but now, this three-hander gets to print the certification on the dial, which includes a timing rating of 0/+5 seconds a day, amongst many other properties like waterproofness and antimagnetism. This, along with the watch’s COSC certification as a Swiss Chronometer, is attributed to the MT5400-U caliber inside — the “U” delineates antimagnetic properties of the caliber, such as the amagnetic silicon balance spring.
This new burgundy Black Bay 58, ref. M7939A1A0RU is available at Tudor-authorized retailers. The 5-link bracelet costs $4,600, the 3-link bracelet $4,500, and the rubber strap $4,275.
What We Think
At first glance, it may be easy to just push this release off as a new dial color, but I think there are quite a few updates in this model that have pretty significant implications for the future of the Black Bay 58 line. From a technical perspective, Tudor’s continued push into Master Chronometer certifications across the brand only meant that the Black Bay 58 was due for it any day, and this year, it’s finally here. It’s an important way for Tudor to keep the Black Bay 58 competitive at its price point, even as year after year, competitors have started to bring their A-game in order to compete with the best-selling line.
While I’m sure not many may have imagined a bright, almost cherry-red dial in this series, Tudor answered many an enthusiast’s prayers with the five-link bracelet finally making it into this smaller case size. This bracelet has now proven itself to be an incredible option on the larger 41mm Black Bay, especially as the faux rivets on the 3-link bracelet have held their ground. Without the rivets and with the 5-link bracelet being slightly more elegant, the Black Bay 58 now feels immensely more modern (you can, of course, also choose the classic option). I think that it’s a perfect way to start lending the series a bit of a wider appeal to potential customers that don’t particularly care about the line’s vintage roots, and it will be interesting to see where the evolution of the 58 design language goes after this.
Stay tuned for more over the coming days from Watches & Wonders – you can follow all of the show’s new releases right here.
The Basics
Brand: Tudor
Model: Black Bay 58
Reference Number: M7939A1A0RU
Diameter: 39mm
Thickness: Not provided
Case Material: Stainless steel
Dial Color: Burgundy
Indexes: Applied
Lume: Yes
Water Resistance: 200m
Strap/Bracelet: 5-link bracelet, 3-link “rivet-style” bracelet, and rubber strap options
The Movement
Caliber: MT5400-U
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds
Diameter: 30.3mm
Thickness: 4.9mm
Power Reserve: 65 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 VpH
Jewels: 27
Chronometer Certified: Yes, Master Chronometer certification by METAS and COSC-chronometer certified
Additional Details: Amagnetic silicon balance spring
Pricing & Availability
Price: $4,600 (5-link); $4,500 (3-link), $4,275 (rubber strap)
Availability: Now
Limited Edition: No
For more, click here.
Hodinkee
