The cool elements of Tudor Black Bay Chrono Steel & Gold

Add a no-nonsense Midas hand to Tudor's retro-cool sports chronograph. Grand Seiko Heritage 44GS 55th Anniversary Limited Edition SBGP017

The Black Bay series is Tudor's cash cow, which is far from an industry secret. By saying this, I am in no way implying that this is a bad thing. Far from it, Black Bay and its retro-cool vibe have become a powerful and versatile platform for different material and color combinations. Heck, multiple iterations of it have made their way into a collection of several MONOCHROME editors. There are no fewer than seven sub-series, and if you include all size and color variations, you can stretch to a larger number, with countless options. While most people will probably focus on the new Black Bay Pro or BB58, we certainly don't want to hide a new version from you. The watch in question is the gleaming (pun intended) Tudor Black Bay Chrono with a champagne gold dial.

black bay background
The Black Bay Saga started in 2012, which honestly feels like a long time ago. Since then, we've seen it go from a cool looking dive show with an outsourced movement to a very extensive collection with different materials and colours, added complexity and a variety of sizes. You can have a 31mm chronograph with a smooth bezel, or a root beer GMT with a two-tone case and bracelet, and everything in between.

In 2017, the collection was expanded with the launch of the Black Bay Chronograph, which was not without controversy. It combines the diving elements of the Black Bay series with racing elements such as a tachymeter on the bezel. Some argue that this is moot, as the large snowflake hand, an iconic element of Tudor diving watches since the mid-1960s, would have blocked the chronograph 45-minute counter for quite some time. The Tudor Black Bay Chrono has been overhauled in 2021 with a series of subtle yet substantial touches to improve on the original concept. Not much has changed, but with a panda or reverse panda dial and contrasting color bezel, it looks pretty impressive! review replica watches

champagne gold
With last year's all-steel Black Bay Chrono seeing a resurgence in popularity, it's time for Tudor to expand the collection again. Like clockwork, every year we see new styles, materials and colors, and 2022 is certainly no exception. During Watches & Wonders, Tudor presented perhaps its most provocative Black Bay Chronograph to date, launching Steel & Gold with a champagne-coloured gold dial. While Chrono already offers a black dial and gold sub-registers, this new version flips that style over.

But first, the basics. The Tudor Black Bay Chrono is unchanged in terms of specs. So we still have an all-steel case that's 41mm wide and 14.2mm high. For the Steel & Gold model, it is topped by a gold bezel with a gold screw-down crown and pushers. Like all Black Bay Chronos currently available, the speedometer insert is finished in black. A domed sapphire crystal covers everything, while a solid screw-down caseback hides the movement from view.

Adding the expressive Midas Touch to the dial of the Black Bay Chrono changes the look dramatically. The champagne hue of the dial really catches your eye, but the black sub-registers and printed minutes track tone down slightly. The iconic snowflake hands are also present, paired with the applied hour indices, all filled with Super-LumiNova. The only other color is the red tip of the chronograph second hand and a red print on the lower half, illustrating the watch's 200-meter water resistance.Porsche Design 1919 replica watches

Manufacturing Movement… Breitling
Tudor has never kept the origins of the manufacturer's MT5813 beating in the Black Bay Chrono a secret. Based on the architecture of the Breitling B01, it is an integrated automatic chronograph. Its column wheel and vertical clutch construction ensure smooth action when either pusher is depressed. After unscrewing them, this is probably one of the few downsides of this model. The variable inertia balance wheel is equipped with an antimagnetic silicon hairspring, and the movement offers a very solid 70 hours of running time.

The movement operates at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour and indicates the central hours, minutes, small seconds and date. The chronograph function is indicated by a central chronograph second hand (with red tip) and a 45-minute counter at 3 o'clock. Although it's hidden from view, the movement is well-finished and powered by a Tudor-branded rotor. The accuracy of the Tudor Black Bay Chrono movement is COSC certified.replica luxury watches

spoiled choice
When it comes to wearing the Tudor Black Bay Chronograph Steel and Gold, you can do it in three different directions. The first is the simplest and is the black jacquard fabric strap with a steel pin buckle. We know it from previous Black Bay's and it's very comfortable. However, given the added weight of the gold on the top of the wrist, it might feel a little lopsided when worn.

The next option is probably the trendiest. The well-worn dark brown leather bund strap has a unique taste that certainly isn't to everyone's liking. It does add more retro character to the overall retro look of Black Bay. What are the safest bets? Well, this is the steel and gold riveted bracelet. It matches perfectly with the two-tone style of the case and is very well made and comfortable to wear.

All in all, I certainly feel that this evocative gold watch is worth your time (and money), as you can still get a very nice, solid watch with a charming twist. It looks a bit to the left in a good way that will definitely set you apart from most. Forget the standard white or black, go gold once in your life! Jacob & Co. Twin Turbo Furious

Technical Specifications – TUDOR BLACK BAY CHRONO S&G
Case: Diameter 41mm x H14.2mm - Stainless steel case with polished bevels and brushed strap - Fixed yellow gold bezel with black anodized aluminium inserts, silver tachymeter scale - Screw-down crown and pushers - Screw-down Case Back - Super-Dome Sapphire Crystal – 200m Water Resistance
Dial: Domed champagne dial with sunburst satin finish - Contrasting black sub-registers - Champagne applied hour markers with Super-LumiNova - Iconic snowflake hands with Super-LumiNova - Red tipped central chronograph seconds hand - Black print Minutes track - faceted date window at 6 o'clock
Movement: Calibre MT5813, based on Breitling B01 – COSC certified – Automatic integrated chronograph with column wheel and vertical clutch – 41 jewels – 30.4mm x 7.23mm – 28,800vph – variable inertia balance and silicon hairspring – 70-hour power reserve – hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph with 45-minute counter and date
Strap: Black jacquard fabric strap with steel pin buckle - dark brown Bund style distressed leather strap with stainless steel folding clasp - stainless steel and yellow gold studded strap with folding clasp
Reference: M79363N-0006 – Fabric Strap
M79363N-0008 – Brown Bund Leather Strap
M79363N-0007 – Stainless Steel and Gold Bracelet