TIME ZONE
BY CAROL BESLER
TUDOR BLACK BAY
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.
A PERFECT FIT , WHETHER VINTAGE 37MM OR MODERN 41 MM
40 | HELLER JEWELERS MAGAZINE
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