Not even a long list of “moda” nomenclature would suffice to describe my experience with the Black Bay Fifty-Eight ‘Navy Blue’, TUDOR’s latest from among its long tradition of blue sports watches.
Through Fifty One East, Gulf Times was among the select few in Doha to experience the new exceptional watch from TUDOR, the award-winning Swiss watch brand which has been offering watches with refined aesthetics, proven reliability, and unique value for money since 1926 when “The TUDOR” was first registered as a brand on behalf of the founder of Rolex, Hans Wilsdorf.
And indeed, the ‘Navy Blue’ version of its flagship model, the Black Bay Fifty-Eight, sets it apart from other watches. Case in point: its 39 millimetre case in 316L stainless steel, navy blue matte domed dial grained with applied hour-markers.
I’ve been used to wearing big face, oversized watches over the years but despite its size, the Black Bay Fifty-Eight ‘Navy Blue’ still commands attention because of its sleek and stylish design; it’s a guaranteed head-turner at the malls, especially to those who have a keen fashion sense and understand their watches.
Wearing a watch with a leather strap on a humid day has its challenges, particularly if you’re cruising along public parks across Doha. But this wasn’t the case with Black Bay Fifty-Eight ‘Navy Blue’ while I was longboarding at the Sheraton Hotel Park with the Doha Longboard Crew (DLC) over the weekend.
This was because the watch comes with three straps/bracelet options: blue Jacquard fabric with silver band, blue ‘soft touch’, and ‘riveted’ steel. I used the blue Jacquard fabric with silver band while longboarding and it was a cool experience.
I wouldn’t mind wearing the Black Bay Fifty-Eight ‘Navy Blue’ during nighttime MTB rides, as well. Overall, this model keeps you elegantly and stylishly fashionable during outdoor activities.
Not only does the Black Bay Fifty-Eight ‘Navy Blue’ gets its name from its colour, but also from the year 1958, in which the first TUDOR divers’ watch waterproof to 200 metres (660ft), reference 7924 or ‘Big Crown’, was presented.
Among other aesthetic nods to this historic watch, this model offers a 39mm diameter case in keeping with the characteristic proportions of the 1950s, making it ideal for slim wrists and people who like more compact watches, as well as vintage enthusiasts.
In 1969, TUDOR introduced a divers’ watch with a blue dial and bezel. The other sports watches in the collection were soon attired in blue, immediately creating a lasting aesthetic hallmark known as “TUDOR Blue.”
Adopted by the French navy for its TUDOR divers’ watches during the 1970s, this livery became part of the collective imagination. The Black Bay Fifty-Eight ‘Navy Blue’ follows in this tradition with its navy blue dial and bezel insert. This is a colour that also appears on the ‘soft touch’ strap offered with this model and made from a synthetic, tactile material resembling flannel.
Navy blue is also the dominant colour of the fabric strap offered with this model. The fabric strap is one of the hallmarks of TUDOR, which, in 2010, became one of the very first watchmaking brands to offer it with its products. Woven in France on 19th century Jacquard looms by the company Julien Faure in the St-Etienne region, its manufacturing quality and comfort on the wrist are unique.
In 2020, TUDOR and Julien Faure, a 150-year-old family company, celebrate 10 years of a partnership that started just before the launch of the Heritage Chrono in 2010, the first model of the brand to be fitted with a fabric strap created by the artisan. A fine anniversary for an enduring collaboration built on outstanding expertise.
The Manufacture Calibre MT5402 displays hour, minute, and second functions. It has the finish typical of TUDOR Manufacture calibres. Its rotor in tungsten monobloc is openwork and satin-brushed with sand-blasted details, and its bridges and mainplate have alternate sand-blasted, polished surfaces and laser decorations.
Another notable feature is that the power reserve of the Manufacture MT5402 Calibre is ‘weekend-proof’ – that is to say about 70 hours, which enables the wearer to take the watch off on a Thursday evening and put it back on again on Sunday morning without having to wind and reset it.
TUDOR, available at Fifty One East, Lagoona Mall and Modern Home, Al Maha Centre on Salwa Road, is now offering a five-year guarantee on all its products sold after January 1, 2020. This guarantee does not require the watch to be registered, or any maintenance checks, and is transferable.
In addition, all TUDOR products bought between July 1, 2018 and December 31, 2019 will benefit from an 18-month extension to their guarantee – a total of three-and-a-half years.