This year, TUDOR has added the Black Bay 1958 GMT model with a red and black two-tone bezel (COKE ring), which uses a compact 39mm diameter, which is very reminiscent of the previous Black Bay Professional (PRO) watch with GMT function. In fact, the commonalities between the two works go far beyond that. Let's take a look at their similarities and differences and emphasis.
Black Bay Professional VS Black Bay 1958 GMT
First of all, in terms of appearance, both use a 39mm diameter. In addition to reflecting the retro style, it is also in line with the current trend of "reverse large diameter". As we all know, TUDOR has a "hierarchical" material dogma - new material processes such as ceramic inserts, titanium cases, carbon composites, etc., which are often only used for higher-level Lingqian models; For the Black Bay series, the brand mostly uses anodized aluminum bezels, even the Black Bay 1958 18K yellow gold model, which costs as much as 250,000 yuan. As ceramics gradually became the mainstream choice, and even watches within 10,000 yuan began to be used, the anodized aluminum bezel bezel of the Black Bay 1958 GMT was a bit conservative.
In contrast, the same series of Biwan professional, due to the use of steel word insert, cleverly avoids the material shortcomings.
Black Bay Professional
Although TUDOR has never claimed that the Black Bay Professional was inspired by historical works, it is hard not to recall the original Rolex Explorer II Ref. 1655. In recent years, the retro trend has led to the launch of reproductions inspired by historical pieces. Rolex is one of the few brands that has not been involved in this field, and it is not that Rolex lacks legendary designs, but that it has entrusted the task of recreating the classics to its sister brand Tudor.
Black Bay Professional with Rolex Ref.1655
The Black Bay Professional retains the 39mm diameter of the Rolex Ref.1655. The steel 24-hour bezel is brushed, and even the font is identical. The main difference between the two is that the Black Bay Professional eliminates the cyclops, the date window and the crown guard, which is a common practice in modern TUDOR watches. At the same time, the addition of snowflake needles has greatly enhanced the product features of TUDOR and made it very recognizable.
Black Bay Model 1958 GMT
Launched in 2018, the Black Bay 58 is modeled after the Ref.7924, the brand's first diver's watch in 1958 that was water-resistant to 200 metres, maintaining the same 39mm diameter as the original. So far, the functions of the Black Bay 58 have been continuously improved, and now they cover 18K gold, 925 silver, bronze and other materials, and the functions have also been expanded from the basic model to the GMT.
The latest GMT model of the Black Bay 1958 pays homage to Rolex's Greenwich-style "Coke Circle" with a red and black bezel insert. This colour combination dates back to 1983, when Rolex introduced the second generation of the GMT-Master series, and in order to widen the appearance of its predecessor, the GMT-Master IIRef.16760 added a red and black bezel circle, known as the "Coke Circle". For a long time after that, the Coke circle was the classic color of the Rolex Greenwich Style, and it was quite a rival to the Pepsi circle (red and blue circle). However, in the 21st century, Rolex no longer launches the red and black circle watches, much to the regret of many gamers who love it. Now the Coke Circle, in the name of Tudor, is back in the player's eye.
Black Bay Model 1958 GMT & Rolex Ref.16760 (COKE Circle)
As you can see, the font on the outer ring is rendered in gold. In addition to showing a sense of luxury, it is also different from Rolex, which is both "similar" and not "identical".
Black Bay Professional (top) and Black Bay 1958 GMT (bottom)
Although both models have a diameter of 39mm, the case thickness is different: the Black Bay Professional is 14.6mm thick, while the Black Bay 1958 GMT is only 12.8mm.
帝舵表MT5652型原厂机芯
Much of this difference is due to the movement: The Black Bay Professional uses the MT5652 calibre, an original movement introduced by the brand in the early days. With a diameter of 31.8 mm and a thickness of 7.52 mm, the MT5652 calibre has a native GMT function, a date window at 3 o'clock on the dial, and a 70-hour power reserve.
TUDOR MT5450-U Manufacture Calibre
In contrast, the MT5450-U calibre on the Black Bay 1958 GMT has a diameter of 30.3mm and a thickness of only 6.14mm, which is directly reflected in the case. However, the movement reserve of the MT5450-U calibre has also been slightly reduced to 65 hours.
Black Bay Professional (left) and Black Bay 1958 GMT (right)
In addition to its slimness, the MT5450-U calibre has the added advantage of being certified as a Maestro Chronometer by the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS). This certification is based on the COSC and requires a watch with a daily error of no more than 5 seconds (0 +5) and accurate time at 15,000 gauss. The Black Bay 1958 GMT is the second TUDOR watch to receive this certification, following the TUDOR Ceramic, the "Little Red Shield" and the monochrome (black) Black Bay.
In terms of functionality, although both watches have a 24-hour GMT hand, they achieve different functions: the Black Bay Professional is a GMT watch with a fixed steel bezel that cannot be rotated and can only read local and home time. The 1958 GMT model has a two-way rotation on the bezel. The bezel, which rotates according to the time difference, is matched with the GMT hand and can read information from up to three different time zones.
Finally, there is the price and purchase recommendation. As a product released in 2022, the Black Bay Professional has undergone price adjustments since its launch, and the steel belt version (model: M79470-0001) is priced at RMB 33,600 for 2024. The fabric strap (model: M79470-0002) is priced at 31,000 yuan. Biwan 1958 GMT model is the latest model this year, the steel belt version (model: M7939G1A0NRU-0001) is priced at 36,500 yuan, and the tape model (model: M7939G1A0NRU-0002) is 34,800 yuan.
In the case of a small price difference between the two, I prefer to choose the Black Bay 1958 GMT. After all, this is one of the few TUDOR watches that has passed the METAS "Master Chronometer Chronometer Certification", which has a large jump in accuracy and anti-magnetic properties, and can also be worn more comfortably with a thickness of 12.8mm. Only the anodized aluminum bezel insert used in the work has been controversial. Obviously, for some reason, it is difficult for brands to be perfect in a product. At this time, the advantages of the Black Bay professional type with a steel bezel are highlighted, and the material and color scheme make it more low-key, which can fully adapt to a variety of wearing scenes. (Photo/text Watch Home Xiao Feng)