What I learned about the Tudor "Black Bay 54 'Lagoon Blue'" – its balance of "conservatism" and "challenge"

In 2025, Tudor released the "Black Bay 54 'Lagoon Blue'." Despite being part of the brand's flagship collection, it features numerous details never before seen, including the dial color. However, L'Hiro, the author who purchased and cherishes this watch, says that this design is "a concrete manifestation of the brand's philosophy." So, what is the philosophy behind Tudor's designs? We will explain, along with a review of wearing the watch.

The design philosophy of modern Tudor

　TUDOR (hereinafter referred to as Tudor), officially known as "Montres TUDOR SA," will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2026. Throughout this long history, it has offered a diverse range of models.

　When understanding Tudor's current design philosophy, there is one person who cannot be ignored: Ander Ugarte, who has overseen all of Tudor's watch design since 2007. He hails from San Sebastián in the Basque Country of northern Spain and studied jewelry design at IED (Istituto Europeo di Design) in Milan, Italy, one of Europe's top design schools. Immediately after graduation, he moved to Geneva, Switzerland, in search of work in watch design, and worked as a designer for Rolex from around 1990 to 1997. After several years as an independent designer, he was brought in as the director of Tudor's design department in 2007 and has been entrusted with the restructuring of the brand ever since.

　In an interview with europa star's "TIME.BUSINESS," he spoke about his watch design process as follows:

"I have carefully examined and analyzed all the dive watches that Tudor has produced throughout its history, trying to understand what makes them so special. When I look at old watches, I can draw inspiration from their beauty. It's interesting to see how aging has transformed the luminous paint and parts of the dial, and how the colors have changed to warmer tones. These elements bring a lot of charm and tradition to the watch, or what they call 'solera' in Spanish. Or perhaps it's the way the dome shape changes the appearance of the dial depending on the angle of the light. I try to unravel 'what is its essence' and 'why does that watch have such charisma?' And instead of imitating the original, I try to incorporate its elements. Then I combine small new elements and see how the design develops in sketches. Of course, feedback from others is also very helpful." (Source:https://www.europastar.com/time-business/1004113606-tudor-a-meeting-with-designer-ander-ugarte.html）

　In short, Ugarte argues that watch design is not simply about drawing inspiration from past masterpieces; it requires extracting their core essence, and rather than copying them, it's crucial to reconstruct them as something new and appealing that is relevant to the modern age.

　The current watch industry has reached a mature stage in both movement and design, making it difficult to see major, visible innovations like those of the past. As a result, many brands tend to rely on releasing "reissue" models of past masterpieces, focusing on faithfully "recreating" the appearance of historically significant timepieces from specific points in the past.

　In contrast, Ugarte's philosophy is different. He visualizes the intangible essence of past masterpieces, such as the changes that occur over time and their inherent charm, and reconstructs them through a modern interpretation. It is neither a mere reproduction nor an imitation, but an approach that elevates tradition into the future using it as material, and in this respect, it can be said to stand apart from other brands.

　This philosophy took concrete form in the "Black Bay," released in 2012. While borrowing design elements from Tudor's vintage models, the size, thickness, color scheme, and usability of this watch were completely modernized. This iconic series defined the direction Tudor would take from then on.

　This approach is also reflected in their proactive use of a wide variety of materials, including stainless steel, titanium, bronze, silver, ceramics, and carbon.

　Ugarte's proactive approach to incorporating various materials into "practical watches" embodies Tudor's slogan, "Born To Dare." "To simultaneously achieve the seemingly contradictory motivations of conservatism and challenge"—that seems to be Ugarte's approach to watch design. As you can see from the video below, although his tone is very gentle, Ugarte possesses a considerable hidden fighting spirit when it comes to watchmaking.

　There is a place where you can actually experience this modern Tudor philosophy: "Tudor Boutique Ginza by BOLTE," which opened in 2019 as the brand's first street-level flagship store in Japan. This boutique serves as a base for brand communication in Japan, and the interior, based on burgundy and black, expresses the Tudor worldview throughout the entire space. The staff, who are intimately familiar with Tudor and have a customer-centric approach, thoroughly introduce models made of various materials while allowing customers to compare them in person. Here, you can experience how the differences in materials and finishes are elevated into individuality, and you can understand Ugarte's philosophy of "reconstructing history" more concretely. This space, where philosophy and actual watches intersect, can be said to be a symbolic presence that shows the position of modern Tudor.

Reflections on "Black Bay 54 'Lagoon Blue'"

　The "Black Bay 54 'Lagoon Blue'" that I will be discussing today is, in my opinion, the culmination of the brand's philosophy in a concrete form. This model clearly embodies Ugarte's philosophy within Tudor: "Don't forget history, but don't simply copy it; extract the most important essence and reconstruct it for the modern age."

~Selecting and reconstructing the essence of the past~

　First and foremost, the framework of this watch is rooted in the historical essence of Tudor's first diver's watch, born in 1954. The modest 37mm case size is symbolic of this. While it would be classified as small by modern standards, this size was the standard for diver's watches at the time.

　Furthermore, the crystal features a domed shape, commonly seen in vintage diver's watches, creating a visual softness and depth that exceeds the case size. At the time, acrylic (plexiglass) was the standard material for crystals, and its thin, flat shape made it prone to breakage. Therefore, creating a domed shape from the outset was the most rational choice to ensure durability.

　The smooth contours of the case sides, which lack a crown guard, also faithfully inherit the characteristics of Tudor watches from the 1950s. This clearly sets it apart from the protruding crown guards seen in later professional divers' watches, which were designed with damage and harsh use in mind.

　The treatment of the blank space on the dial and the placement of the numbers on the bezel are understated and extremely conservative. Vintage divers' watches often have ample blank space on the dial, intentionally limiting the amount of information and prioritizing their function as a tool. The same is true for the placement of the scales on the bezel; when the Submariner was introduced in 1954, the standard design philosophy was to leave only the bare minimum of numbers and reduce the density of visual information, a very conservative and tool-oriented design. The Black Bay 54 “Lagoon Blue” accurately follows this appearance, minimizing the amount of information. The “snowflake hands,” which were first adopted in the “Ref. 7016” introduced in 1969 and can also be seen on models issued to the French Navy, are also an important element that shows Tudor’s history, but they are not emphasized and are naturally incorporated into the overall balance.

　All of these elements eloquently demonstrate that the Black Bay 54 “Lagoon Blue” is not merely a “small diver’s watch,” but rather a model that carefully reconstructs the very philosophy of vintage diver’s watches with a modern design sensibility.

~A Challenge for the Future~

　On the other hand, what makes this watch more than just an homage to the past is the element that visualizes Ugarte's challenging sensibility. The most prominent example of this is the "lagoon blue" color of the dial. Even looking back at the history of vintage Tudor watches, such a bright and open blue has never existed. This color, which is neither military nor professional in nature, views the sea not as a "workplace" but as an "object of memory and emotion," developing an extremely modern sensibility and challenging the future.

　Pale blue hues, exemplified by "Lagoon Blue," give the dial depth and create a color effect that makes the negative space appear larger than it actually is. While black, frequently used in diver's watches, shrinks and eliminates negative space, this blue, reminiscent of the sky and sea, is considered a receding color, visually expanding the surface into the distance. As a result, the tranquility and lingering atmosphere characteristic of vintage diver's watches are felt more strongly and deeply.

　However, the "lagoon blue" color, if misused, can easily look too light or toy-like, instantly undermining its credibility as a tool watch, making it difficult to use effectively. But in this case, the color is built upon the various understated historical elements of vintage divers, avoiding any gaudiness or superficiality. In addition, the dial features a fine sand texture that doesn't strongly reflect light but rather diffuses it softly. It has a lively and delicate texture, as if capturing a fleeting moment of sand gently rippling in the shallow waters of a tropical paradise. Upon closer inspection, even the tiny numbers engraved on the bezel are given the same sand texture, and this thorough expression of emotion is truly astonishing.

　Another distinctive feature is the polished stainless steel bezel, a feature rarely seen in conventional diver's watches. This reflects the jewelry design philosophy that Ugarte learned at a young age: that jewelry is not a standalone object, but is only completed when worn on the body.

　Applying this philosophy to the Black Bay 54 “Lagoon Blue,” the bezel is no longer a boundary separating the body and the dial. By smoothly connecting the two through reflected light created by the mirror finish, it produces a visual effect where the boundary seems to melt away. It can be said that this design ensures the functionality of an instrument while entrusting the "continuity with the body," which has been emphasized in jewelry design, to the bezel element. Furthermore, the five-link bracelet, which uses a combination of polished and satin finishes, also plays a role in naturally connecting the form from the case to the wrist by dispersing the reflection of light, further strengthening the continuity between the watch and the body.

Diver's watches that embrace diversity

　Thus, the "Black Bay 54 'Lagoon Blue'" is a masterpiece that fully showcases the talent and experience that Ander Ugarte has cultivated. The two pillars of his philosophy, "challenging the future" and "reconstructing the essence of the past," resonate with each other without repelling, eventually converging into a single perfect form. This relationship, if likened to the mechanism of a wristwatch, is reminiscent of the physical phenomenon discovered by Christian Huygens, where "two nearby vibrating bodies influence each other and eventually synchronize." With a background in jewelry design, it is as if the synchronization of seemingly different vectors, the future and the past, is being embodied as a "visual resonance."

　At the same time, this piece stands out for its visually clear distinction between "where the past ends and the challenge (=renewal) begins." From a distance, it presents a modern and sensory overall image of "a quiet transparency reminiscent of the sound of waves in a tropical paradise," but as you shift your gaze to the details, the essence of the past embedded in each part becomes clearly apparent. It appeals to the senses, yet does not reject rational interpretation. This watch allows you to visually and sensorially experience Ugarte's fusion of "past and present" by wearing it.

　What's even more noteworthy is that despite being a genuine professional diver's watch with 200m water resistance and a COSC chronometer-certified Cal.MT5400 movement, it doesn't ostentatiously flaunt these features. Excessive speculation and a tool-like feel are toned down; instead, the watch is redefined as a transparent diver's watch that blends naturally into everyday life through its color and balance. Tudor doesn't explicitly target a gender, but the Black Bay 54 “Lagoon Blue” also possesses a level of perfection as a piece of jewelry design that looks effortlessly good on a woman's wrist. This understated elegance that doesn't flaunt its diver's watch nature and its unisex design that transcends gender is a concept not seen in Tudor's first diver's watch from 1954. With sensibilities of the past and present resonating with each other, it is truly an iconic timepiece that perfectly embodies the name "Diversity Diver's."