Jewellery & Watch News
There’s an awful lot of buzz around the TUDOR Black Bay Chrono Pink watch right now. As official UK stockists of genuine TUDOR watches, we’ve got all the information you’ll need to know here at C W Sellors.
TUDOR is a maverick brand. It's movements are top quality, its designs have style and they’re also unique. The company is also starting to experiment with materials. On top of all this, the company released a pink version of the Black Bay watch at this year’s annual Watches & Wonders showcase in Geneva. It wasn’t what anyone was expecting, but as soon as its release, it went homologically viral. Every keen TUDOR enthusiast wanted one. But TUDOR warned there would only be a few of these released. Whether the watchmaker will release more remains unknown. Those circulating the pre-owned market are already selling for extortionate prices, as any collectable would. The TUDOR Black Bay Chrono Pink watch is flipping at a rate of knots and selling for a premium for those who can justify it. And if you’re a devoted TUDOR fan like us, you’ll be desperate to know more about this watch. First, let’s take a brief look at the origins of the Black Bay.
A Brief History of the TUDOR Black Bay
When the founder of Rolex, Hans Wilsdorf began setting up the TUDOR watch brand in 1926, the Black Bay design was merely a twinkle in his eye, yet the brand’s first dive watch, incorporating the famous Oyster case would serve as inspiration behind the Black Bay model. The Oyster Prince Submariner was released in 1954, not long after the brand had formed a partnership with the French Navy. Whilst this original 100-meter water-resistant model that went by the reference 7922 featured the classic Mercedes hands seen on Rolex watches, it was soon followed by an improved 200-meter water-resistant version with a large crown. Over the following years, the Oyster Prince Submariner watch would undergo very subtle changes until the most substantial redesign entered in 1969, complete with the “Snowflake” hands which the TUDOR Black Bay line now adopts.
The Black Bay DNA
Whilst the latest version, named the Black Bay 54, is said to be the most true-to-form model based on the Submariner ref 7992, the “Snowflake” hands that defined the collection were not seen on TUDOR dive watches until the late 1960s. The unique shape of the hands was thought to be introduced following the needs of the French Navy, who benefitted from distinctly different hands whilst trying to reference them in a hurry. The large screw-down crown is another defining feature of the Black Bay line, which was introduced by the brand in 1958, whilst the geometric hour markers, treated with lashings of luminous material to assist with readability in dark conditions were brought into TUDOR dive watches of the 1960s and 1970s. Together, this eclectic mix of emblematic features denoting different chapters within the brand’s story in creating dive watches is what makes the Black Bay so hugely appealing amongst watch fans today. Oh, and the fact that the brand just released a hugely collectable pink variant.
The Pink Hype
The pink-coloured Black Bay wasn’t what fans were expecting but it was met with resounding success nevertheless. The colour goes back to the company’s ambassadors. Jay Chou is known for his daring spirit and David Beckham, another ambassador who co-owns the Inter Miami FC have both been seen sporting this timepiece on their wrist. These two storytelling elements are why the brand has chosen the eye-catching colour pink. Originally, the price of the Black Bay Chrono Pink was affordable, as are all TUDOR watches, yet they’re selling on the pre-owned market like hotcakes and are going for a much higher price than normal, and it’s all to do with the pink buzz and its scarcity.
The Black Bay Chrono Pink Spec
I can’t introduce this model without talking about its key features first and foremost. The colour of the new Black Bay Chrono is a pastel pink. It’s not a ghastly pink or a shocking pink colour. It’s both eye-catching and subtle at the same time. The watch’s demographic is most definitely men, although the watch could certainly be considered unisex for those women who like to wear their watches large. However, its 41mm size and Jubilee bracelet could prove somewhat too adventurous for the female wrist. The case, crafted from stainless steel sits at 14.4mm on the wrist and features a screw-down crown adorned with the rose engraved motif at 3 o’clock. The feature helps the case uphold its water-resistant capability of 200 meters. The top of the case is made from scratch-resistant and anti-reflective sapphire crystal glass, while the back is a plain solid steel.
I did mention earlier that the new pink TUDOR watch is fitted on a Jubilee bracelet. With the exception of just one other model, this is the first time the watch has been fitted on the Jubilee-style bracelet. For those who aren’t familiar with its design, this is a five-link stainless steel bracelet with polished elements that elevate the watch to slightly dressier heights compared to the classic TUDOR Oyster-style three-link bracelet of other Black Bay watches. The bracelet secures to the wrist with a butterfly clasp and the brand’s T-Fit clasp and extension feature.
Heading back over to the dial and upon close inspection, you’ll see the display is speckled with small black particles on the dial, which gives the colour its subdued pink colour. The display also features little flashes of red colour seen in the smaller details, along with black-filled 30-minute and small second sub-dials at 3 and 9 o’clock to match the black-filled ceramic tachymetric bezel around the outside of the dial. The dial of the Black Bay Chrono Pink watch from TUDOR also features hour markers and hands that have been treated with plenty of Super-LumiNova for assisting with timekeeping at night.
These hands are powered around the dial by a self-winding movement produced by Breitling. The Calibre MT5813 is COSC-certified and has a balance wheel that performs at a rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour. It also reserves power for 70 hours once fully wound and features a stop-second and quick date adjustment feature.
Could the TUDOR Black Bay Chrono Pink watch be the new Tiffany blue dial? Possibly so. The watch has people weak at the knees and desperate to get their hands on one. As we await to hear if TUDOR will release some more of this popular collectable, all we can do is hope! You can be the first to hear it by following our news channel and blog here at C W Sellors. Meanwhile, feel free to peruse the rest of the TUDOR watch collections here with us today and if you’d like any more information, give our sales team a call on 01335 216004.
