Hodinkee
Blimey! The Harrods Tudor Black Bay Is No Longer A London-Only Exclusive
Is this a sign that the green bezel Black Bay is being discontinued?
1,988 articles · 454 videos found · page 24 of 82
Hodinkee
Is this a sign that the green bezel Black Bay is being discontinued?
Time+Tide
When is a Pandial not a Pandial? When it's fully black, of course.The post The Brellum Pandial LE.5 DD DLC Full Black Chronometer is a stealthy take on their popular chronograph appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Following the anniversary edition with a silvered “sector” dial, Tokyo retailer Shellman announces another small-run limited edition with the Habring² Shellman 50th Anniversary “Black”. Available as a chronograph or time-only, the new edition is limited to just 15 watches each. It retains the dial design of the earlier edition, but now in a black “gilt” finish and matched with a stepped bezel. Initial thoughts Vintage-inspired “sector” dials aren’t novel at all, but the new Shellman duo, like the original edition, stand out for their details. At the same time, the fact that they are Habring² means the price-performance ratio is excellent. Amongst the details that make this appealing are the applied markers, gold-powder print, as well as the matched silvered hands for the chronograph. These reveal an attention to detail in the design – unsurprising since Shellman is a respected seller of vintage watches – proving the whole here is greater than the sum of the parts. Though these are slightly more expensive than the first edition – the price is up about 10% – both models now include a steel bracelet. Add to that the weak Japanese yen, and these are a greater value buy than the original pair. Vintage-inspired Created to mark Shellman’s 50th anniversary, the original silver dial model was a nod to the retailer’s 2017 Habring² limited edition – which was launched well before “sector” dials became a fad. The new pair continue with the same ...
Deployant
Ever wondered what is the ideal Chronograph watch that you can share with your partner whose not into watches while satisfying the purist in you? Enter the latest iteration of Zenith Chronomaster Original with the sleek black tricolour dial. “Wow! May I wear it for the weekend?” That’s what she said! Eventually, the Zenith wasRead More
Time+Tide
The Zenith Defy Revival Shadow is the first of the collection to undergo a more modern makeover in microblasted titanium.The post The Zenith Defy Revival Shadow brings modern noir to a vintage design appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Video
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Tudor introduces a new black dial version of their mil-spec Tudor Pelagos FXD. Check out pricing, photos, model history, and more.
Worn & Wound
Tudor expands their FXD family today with a new regular production reference that features a black dial and bezel. The watch follows the same formula as the Marine Nationale FXD that was released in late 2021, a flat 12.7mm thick, 42mm titanium case with a fixed lug design. There are a few changes here worth noting, however, and this might just be the most approachable FXD to date. While there is no official affiliation with this watch, the latest FXD was released alongside a display of the brand’s rich history in issued watches, right next to the original Sealab I at the Man In The Sea museum in Panama City Florida. The setting is a fitting reminder of the remarkable Sealab program, and an era when watches like this were used as indispensable tools, the same as a compass or knife. This the spirit of the FXD and even the broader Pelagos collection as a whole, and as such we’ll be putting the new watch through its paces on a dive in the Gulf of Mexico, keep an eye out for the full report from the experience coming soon. The black FXD welcomes the same bit of red text at the bottom of the dial that we saw in the Pelagos 39 released last year. It provides the same benefit here, serving to reduce the visual weight of the 4 lines of text at the bottom of the dial. The matte black dial is joined by a matte black bezel insert (no sunburst pattern here), and the bezel is the biggest departure from the original FXD. Rather than counting down, and bi-directional (features done...
Hodinkee
For the first time, the classic El Primero gets a black tricolor dial.
Hodinkee
A travel-ready take on the popular Black Bay diver makes for a compelling companion wherever you may roam.
Time+Tide
When asked about pilot’s watches, the first brand I think of is IWC. The brand largely deals in sensible, legible designs, especially when it comes to their pilot’s watches, where such a quality is paramount. Now, we have seen IWC, well-versed in ceramics, create stealthy, black ceramic pilot’s pieces. The dark cases certainly camouflage themselves … ContinuedThe post The IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic 41 Black Aces is the brand’s first full lume dial appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Video
Deployant
Hajime Asaoka released yet another of his piece unique tourbillons. This time in 37mm with the same Art Deco aesthetic with a black lacquer dial.
Time+Tide
James Bond has his Omega Seamaster, Dirk Pitt has his Doxa, Six has his TAG Heuer Carrera, and now Rachel Stone has a Hublot Big Bang E Black Magic. Recently released on Netflix on August 11, Wonder Woman and Fast & Furious actor Gal Gadot and husband Jason Varsano have teamed up to produce the … ContinuedThe post Gal Gadot arms herself with a Hublot Big Bang E Black Magic in Netflix’s Heart of Stone appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
The first Black Tot Day was in 1970, the last day on which sailors in the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy were issued their daily rum rations (“tots”). Pusser's has taken the exact recipe used by the Royal Navy when it discontinued the daily ration on July 31, 1970 and used it to make its rums, the only producer in the world to do so. Here, Ken Gargett fills us in on everything tot - he luckily doesn't go "sipping the admiral," though.
SJX Watches
Jaeger-LeCoultre (JLC) has just unveiled a fresh colour option for the Master Control Chronograph Calendar. Sporting a black dial adorned with red and gold accents, the latest iteration is the chromatic opposite of the original model that featured a conservative silver dial. Initial thoughts The Master Control Chronograph Calendar was released two years ago with an unsurprising silver dial that fit well with the vintage-inspired design but lacked oomph. Fortunately, JLC has addressed this with a high contrast palette that is still suitably vintage inspired but much more striking. Vintage watches with black-and-red dials are uncommon, but they do exist. The combination is appealing, but not the most practical since red text on a black dial is hard to read due to the low contrast between the two colours. This is especially so for the calendar indications, while the pulsations scale on the periphery is probably unreadable in low light. But still, the appeal of the dial certainly makes it compelling despite the poor legality. Colours aside, the watch is identical to the original version, so it shares the same strengths, like the solid, old-school design, and weaknesses, like the mix of French and English on the dial. This costs the same as the earlier version in rose gold, which is US$32,500. The price parity is certainly fair and logical. However, the price is a bit higher than it should be. While not exorbitant, the price does not represent the sort of strong value propo...
Hodinkee
For the final edition of its Series 8, Unimatic goes back to black.
Video
Worn & Wound
It’s amazing to look back to 2018 and see the utter excitement and disbelief I felt when Tudor launched the Black Bay Fifty-Eight, a sentiment that was shared by many. It seemed as though our hopes and prayers had been answered. Finally, a vintage-inspired dive watch with a great movement at a smaller size, by a brand with provenance. While that seems like daily news in 2023, a sub-40mm dive watch, at the time, from a major Swiss brand was still hard to come by. It was clear Tudor had a hit. And, as per usual, we expected they would capitalize on that hit. In the conclusion of my review from 2019, I say “…it’s likely they will expand greatly on the collection.” I was wrong, and this is where the story of the Black Bay Fifty-Eight, and Tudor, takes a slightly different direction. Rather than doing what most brands do, including themselves with other models, they pumped the brakes. The rainbow of options never came, instead, there were a total of five variations broken down as two in steel, a silver model (still crazy), a solid gold, and a bronze boutique edition. Not what we expected. 37mm is just right Tudor then left the Black Bay Fifty-Eight behind for a while, coming out instead with a series of unexpected sports watches in new-ish platforms. The Pelagos FXD, while part of their larger tech diver line, featured a different case, modified dial and bezel designs, and a genuine military tie-in. The Black Bay Pro put their GMT and a date complication into a 39mm c...
Time+Tide
This Master Control collection was launched in 1992 as a look back at Jaeger-LeCoultre’s mid-century creations, but executed in a thoroughly modern way. It contains iconic features like the alarmed Memovox, but also this decidedly classic combination of complications – a chronograph and complete calendar with a moonphase. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Chronograph Calendar now … ContinuedThe post Jaeger-LeCoultre presents a black sunburst rendition of the Master Control Chronograph Calendar appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
The evolution of Speake-Marin continues. Back when the brand was owned by its founder, most of their business was conducted as bespoke orders for extremely wealthy clients. After the management shake-up, we’ve seen Speake-Marin release a few new and more affordable references as part of the Ripples collection as well as brightly coloured editions of … ContinuedThe post The Speake-Marin Academic Black Tie is minimalist and avant-garde appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Finnish watchmaker Stepan Sarpaneva has revealed the newest iteration of his trademark complication, the Lunations Black Ruthenium. Equipped with his proprietary moon phase movement, the Lunations moon phase is so accurate it will accumulate a mere one-day discrepancy after 14,000 years. Limited to just ten pieces, this is a variant of a model first introduced a dozen years ago, but remains the brand’s most complex wristwatch. Initial thoughts The Lunations has all of the Sarpaneva design elements, including the moon “face”, open-worked dial (which in this case is actually the movement), laser engraved decoration as well as hand finishing, so it resembles many of the brand’s other watches. But the Lunations is actually one of the most complex watches devised by Sarpaneva. The Lunations is unusual in combining both the brand’s recognisable design with an original movement, one developed with the help of Andreas Strehler, whereas most of Sarpaneva’s other watches are powered by simpler, outsourced movements. Constructed in a novel manner with a two-disc moon phase display that’s so large it’s almost the diameter of the movement, the calibre inside is both interesting and complex. However, a moon phase complication is usually simple – and inexpensive – in most other watches. Consequently, the Lunations feels pricey with its €39,500 price tag, particularly so considering that Sarpaneva’s other moon phase models powered by outsourced movements cost hal...
Time+Tide
Chopard’s Alpine Eagle honours Japan with a blacked-out Shikkoku dial. The sapphire display caseback has also been tinted a dark grey. To further chase simplicity and zen, the date display has been removed. After the Chopard Alpine Eagle was introduced in 2019, putting a contemporary twist on a 1970s design, it quickly became one of … ContinuedThe post Black magic: The Chopard Alpine Eagle Japan Limited Edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Video
Time+Tide
When it was announced in January that billionaire hedge-fund manager Bill Ackman had taken a minority stake in Bremont, people wondered what it would mean for the British brand. Since founding in 2002 – a short lifespan in “watch years” – Bremont had made big strides of late. In 2021, they opened The Wing, a … ContinuedThe post Bremont unveil Davide Cerrato as their new CEO. Can he deliver another Black Bay? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Blue or black is an age-old formalwear quandary that can divide any demographic, but the choice between colour or monochrome also extends to some of the most popular sports watch dials. With the release of the new TAG Heuer Glass Box Carrera Chronograph, the debate continues between the reverse panda configuration and the blue dial, … ContinuedThe post Celebrity watch challenge – do you pick the black or blue TAG Heuer Glass Box Carrera Chronograph? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
METAS certification, a new five-link bracelet, and a thinner case make for the best burgundy Black Bay yet.
SJX Watches
In 2012, Tudor broke the ground by introducing the Black Bay, a steel dive watch whose attractive design and price point have always offered a value proposition for enthusiasts. Through the years, the format has been updated from its larger 41 mm case down to 39 mm, as seen in the Black Bay 58. Today, the brand has dropped the Black Bay 54 with a new, smaller 37 mm case. While its design is nearly identical to its larger sibling, the reduced size of the new Black Bay makes it more wearable. Initial thoughts The 37 mm size of the new Black Bay 54 really sets it apart – perfect for those who prefer a classic look and slimmer watches. Its sophisticated simplicity makes it appropriate for both genders without sacrificing the utilitarian styling that has made the lineup popular through the years. As is typical for Tudor, the value proposition is outstanding. At CHF3,450 in steel on a rubber strap (and slightly more with its matching bracelet), it is priced competitively against comparable sports watches. The combination of vintage-inspired design, excellent build quality, and affordable price point makes the new Black Bay 54 a winner. Vintage-inspired but in a more compact case While the original Black Bay was 41 mm, the 54 is considerably smaller but wears well on the wrist. It takes inspiration from an earlier diver from Tudor’s history, the Oyster Prince Submariner ref. 7922 that was issued primarily to the French and American navies but was later used by civilian tech...
SJX Watches
One of the strongest value propositions at Watches & Wonders is from an unsurprising contender, Tudor. Not entirely new but still compelling, the Black Bay GMT is a new version of the brand’s travel staple, now facelifted with a silver dial that brings to mind the mythical Rolex GMT-Master “Pan Am”. Initial thoughts Since its release in 2018, the Black Bay GMT has been a crowd pleaser, and the newest variant will be as well. Its tangible features like the in-house calibre are obvious, and less apparent is the subtle historical connection. While a silver dial on a sport watch isn’t novel, this is particularly notable for the unspoken reference to the historical Rolex GMT-Master with a white dial reputedly made for Pan American Airways. The fact that the GMT-Master “Pan Am” is so famous yet controversial in terms of provenance gives this Black Bay GMT an amusing and interesting historical angle. Apart from the dial, there is no difference between this and the version with a black dial that came before. The price remains unchanged, and it still offers great value for money. The only criticism that I have is the same as for the earlier version: the case is chunky at 41 mm in diameter; the case is thick as well. I’m certain a more compact Tudor GMT model will arrive one day, especially with the just-launched Black Bay 54 that is 37 mm. Opaline dial The dial on the new Black Bay GMT retains the same dial layout with “snowflake” hands, including its lozen...
Video
Question, suggestion, or just want to say hi? Drop a note.