Did Tudor Just Launch the Must-Have Chronograph of the Year?

Is 2024 quietly shaping up to be the year of the Tudor Black Bay Chrono?

Tudor’s dive chronograph made a big splash (no pun intended) when its second generation debuted back in 2021. With both panda and reverse panda styles, the watch drew clear inspiration from vintage Rolex Daytonas, earning it the nickname “Baytona” and quickly climbing the ranks of the best chronographs for around $5,000.

Photo by Henry Phillips for Gear Patrol

But as Tudor continued to focus more on its divers and GMTs in recent years, the Black Bay Chrono sort of fell by the wayside, becoming more of a hidden gem in Tudor’s catalog.

But the watch has stormed back to relevance in 2024. First, there was the extremely limited pink special edition that debuted earlier this year and currently ranks as one of the hottest watches on the secondary market.

Now, Tudor has unveiled another new reference of the Black Bay Chrono, and it might just be its most crowd-pleasing yet.

Tudor

Tudor Black Bay Chrono Blue

• $5,675 at Tudor

You’re my boy, Blue

Tudor’s latest Black Bay Chrono is executed in a gorgeous shade of “Tudor Blue” reminiscent of several iconic blue-dial watches from throughout the brand’s history, including vintage Tudor Subs and the Montecarlo Chronograph, along with modern examples like the Black Bay Fifty-Eight Blue and Pelagos divers.

The blue dial on the new blue Chrono is sun-brushed for an eye-catching effect, and it’s paired with a matching blue aluminum tachymetric bezel insert and silver subdials that feature a subtle radial pattern. The hands and indices are all coated in bright-white Super-LumiNova for a modern look, while pops of bright red show up in the dial text and on the chronograph seconds hand tip for added visual interest.

Tudor

More than just a new color

The blue color is gorgeous, and I think it will appeal to a lot of people, but that’s not the only thing the latest Black Bay Chrono has going for it.

Previously, the model was only available on a three-link Oyster-style bracelet with a basic folding clasp. But the special pink version released earlier this year instead received an upgraded five-link bracelet complete with Tudor’s fantastic micro-adjustable T-fit clasp.

Tudor

As I mentioned previously, those pink chronos are incredibly rare and expensive, so I’m happy to report that the new blue chrono is using the exact same bracelet as ol’ Pinky. Five links, T-fit clasp, the lot.

Everything else on the Black Bay Chrono is unchanged from previous versions, including the box-style sapphire crystal, the screw-down pushers enabling 200m of water resistance, and the excellent COSC-certified Manufacture Calibre MT5813 automatic chronograph movement featuring a vertical clutch, a column wheel and a 70-hour power reserve.

Tudor

The Chronograph of the Year?

2024 was looking like the year of the White Omega Speedmaster, which debuted back in March and has consistently been one of the year’s most talked-about releases ever since.

But with this new Black Bay Chrono Blue joining the ranks of the viral pink version, I dunno … Tudor is making a pretty strong case that the almost-forgotten Black Bay Chrono might just be the most hyped chronograph of 2024.

Unfortunately, like any hyped watch, the Black Bay Chrono Blue is going to be pretty hard to get a hold of. It’s priced the same as the pink version at $5,675 and is a “Boutique Edition” that will only be available at select Tudor boutiques.

It’s certainly going to be more plentiful than the pink version, but I still wouldn’t count on seeing a whole lot of these in the wild.

Tudor

Tudor Black Bay Chrono Blue

Specs

Case Size	41mm
Movement	Tudor Cal. MT5813 automatic chronograph
Water Resistance	200m

• $5,675 at Tudor

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