TIME ZONE
BY CAROL BESLER
TUDOR BLACK BAY A PERFECT FIT , WHETHER VINTAGE 37 MM OR MODERN 41 MM
W hen auction house Phillips, in association with Bacs & Russo, sold Paul Newman’s 1964-made Rolex Daytona ref. 6239 for a record $17.7-million in 2017, it set off a vintage obsession that has yet to subside. That watch was 37 mm, and it set a new modern standard for sizing in a watch. Smaller watches have since become mainstream, and this year, the trend continues. At the Watches and Wonders fair in Geneva earlier this year, brands introduced a slew of vintage and neo-vintage revivals in diameter sizes ranging from 35 mm to 40 mm recalling vintage models. One of those brands was Tudor, the sister brand to Rolex. It launched a Black Bay 54 diver’s watch with elements from the 1954 original, including its 37 mm size. In case you’re thinking that’s a small size for a man, remember that the original Black Bay dive watch, in that size, was used by the French and U.S. navies. Modern touches to the re-edition include an automatic in-house movement, caliber MT5400 with a 70-hour power reserve, and Super-LumiNova highlights on the hands and markers to make them glow in the dark. It is water resistant to 200 meters. When the modern version of the Tudor Black Bay was launched in 2016, it had a burgundy bezel and a 41 mm case. After several iterations since then, the newest model revisits the iconic burgundy bezel and case proportions, but there is one big difference: it contains an evolved, elite movement that is tested according to METAS Master Chronometer certification standards. In order to qualify, a watch must be able to function within a 5-second range of variation each day (0 /+5), that is to say 5 seconds less than the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) (-4 /+6) carried out on a single movement. Also, it must guarantee that accuracy in the presence of magnetic fields of up to 15,000 gauss. The caliber MT5602-U meets all these criteria and has a power reserve of 70 hours. Another modern touch on this vintage-style watch is the Tudor T-fit clasp on its rubber strap or steel bracelet, which is equipped with a system for rapid length adjustment in five positions. Tudor also introduced its Black Bay 31/36/39/41 (those represent all the size options, in millimeters) in a few new colors this year. The options now include blue, anthracite, and light champagne colored. On each one, the five-link bracelet comes with the T-fit clasp for a perfect fit. It’s almost like getting a watch custom made for you!
46 ORR’S JEWELERS MAGAZINE
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