Today, Tudor has released a new version of their popular Black Bay Fifty-Eight, this time with a really nice blue dial and bezel that I’m certain will prove to be a very sought-after model for years to come. In some equally big news, this also marks the first release for either Rolex or Tudor this year.
Let’s first talk about the exterior of this watch. What’s going to get everyone excited here is the fact that Tudor now has a fully blue Black Bay Fifty-Eight. Tudor is using what they’re referring to as a “Navy Blue grained matt domed dial” with applied hour markers. The watch continues the company’s history of using snowflake hands which are lumed here with Super-LumiNova®; the snowflake hands’ wide lume plots ensure that this watch will be easily visible in darker conditions. Covering the dial is a domed sapphire crystal which gives the watch a little more of a vintage feel. I think Tudor has done a really good job with the navy blue chosen for the dial and bezel, it’s not too bright nor too dull. The case comes in at 39mm, a great, modern size that was luckily chosen instead of something in the 41mm+ range. Adorned on the side is a screw-down crown with Tudor’s signature rose done in relief. The matte blue anodised aluminum insert and 316L bezel make for a true diver’s watch as the bezel is unidirectional and graduated to 60 minutes; the markers and numerals of the bezel are done in gilded silver.
In the Navy Blue version of the Fifty-Eight, Tudor employs their in-house, COSC-certified MT5402 automatic movement which has a generous 70-hour power reserve and silicone hairspring. As of the time of writing, the Rolex Submariner still hasn’t gotten a movement update, so this Black Bay Fifty-Eight actually has a substantial lead over the Submariner’s ~48 hour power reserve. The movement also features a stop-seconds function, which allows for accurate setting of the watch. This new Tudor is also waterproof to 200m (660ft) in water.
This watch will be offered with multiple bracelet and strap options. The first option is the riveted 316L stainless steel bracelet which, like the case, features both polished and satin-brushed areas. The second option is what Tudor is calling blue “soft touch”, a synthetic material that is supposed to be similar to flannel, which will come with a folding clasp and safety. The third option will be a blue fabric strap produced by Julien Faure which will have a silver band and buckle.
This release is big news not only because of the watch itself, but also because it’s a sign for what Tudor’s parent company, Rolex, will likely do going forward for this year. After pulling out of Baselworld and holding off on new releases that were set to be introduced a few months ago, it seems that Rolex wants to start releasing new models this year and has started with a big splash from Tudor in order to test the market. Just as an aside, back in 2018, Tudor announced a Pepsi GMT model alongside the release of the new stainless steel Rolex GMT-Master II Pepsi model… It’s unlikely, but for all those who have wanted a stainless steel blue Rolex Submariner, could this possibly be a sign for what Rolex might release this year?
The Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight “Navy Blue” is priced at 3,375 USD on either strap and 3,700 USD on the steel bracelet, and comes with a five-year, transferrable warranty.
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