Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf trademarked the name in 1926, but it wasn’t until 1946 that Tudor was established as a separate brand. From the 1950s onwards, it was then mostly known for collections like the Oyster Prince Submariner. This watch was first evaluated by the then-named Groupe d’Ètude et de Recherches Sous-Marines (Underwater Studies and Research Group) in 1956, and in 1961, Tudor was named the official supplier to the Marine Nationale, or French navy, a partnership that lasted until the 1980s.
Diving deep
Today, the Black Bay is one of the most compelling timepieces at its price point, a well-executed interpretation of Tudor’s diving watch heritage, with this year’s all-red Black Bay 58 notably inspired by an all-red prototype of a 1995 Tudor Prince Date Submariner reference 79190, which was displayed at Watches and Wonders 2025.
The reference 79190 is compelling as a muse because it added at the time to Tudor’s growing conviction in its distinct identity. The 79190 was the last Submariner dive watch reference, a lineage that saw the brand begin to shed its design ties to Rolex, including dropping the “Oyster” (widely associated with Rolex’s patented Oystersteel) from the Oysterdate name.
This year’s Black Bay 58 is more Tudor than ever. Named for the year that the reference 7924 was introduced as the first Tudor dive watch waterproof to 200 metres, the watch features Tudor’s signature snowflake hands on a radial-brushed burgundy dial. The 39mm piece comes with either a three-link “rivet-style” bracelet, five-link bracelet or rubber strap, all with Tudor’s signature T-fit clasp, designed for adjustments on the fly.
A place to call home
The Black Bay 58 is powered by the 4Hz calibre MT5400-U with a silicon hairspring, the latest in a series of increasingly accurate movements, made possible when Tudor opened their own manufacture in Le Locle, Switzerland. The 5,500-square-metre facility opened in 2023 with the goal of bringing the brand closer to its affiliates, including the neighbouring Kenissi Manufacture, which is primarily responsible for Tudor’s manufacture calibres, besides those of Tag Heuer, Bell & Ross and independent brand Norqain, among others.
What makes the Tudor facility exceptional is the level of automation in the production process. Watchmakers can work at any of the uniformly laid-out workstations across any part of the process. In-building systems then deliver parts in short order wherever they are needed, all tracked with an RFID tag so that watchmakers always know where every part is, what needs to be assembled next, and how far along a watch is towards completion.
This system allows for more consistent production times and also ensures a high number of movements and watches can be Metas certified as meeting the standard of a Master Chronometer, which guarantees durability, design and quality. Specifically, the Metas certification means the Black Bay 58 is tested to be within 0/+5 seconds per day of accuracy and to resist magnetic fields of up to 15,000 gauss, while also standing up to Tudor’s specifications of 200 metres of water resistance and 65 hours of power reserve.