Black divers' watches are not only ideal for diving into the dark depths of the ocean, but also exude a cool and powerful presence on land. We take a look at the all-black version of Tudor's popular Heritage Black Bay Dark.
Text by Alexander Krupp
Edited by Tsuyoshi Hasegawa
Published October 2020, 1
Tudor's Black Bay Dark
Over the past few years, Tudor's Heritage Black Bay has grown into a compelling and fascinating collection. In 2012, it debuted in stainless steel with a retro look and a red diving scale bezel. This was followed in 2014 by a more understated version with a blue rotating bezel, and a year later by the simplest black version.
In 2016, Tudor launched a new brand by adding a highly sporty, all-black 36mm case model to its lineup, in addition to the improved bronze version of the Heritage Black Bay. Furthermore, all new and existing Heritage Black Bay models will be equipped with the in-house MT5602 movement, replacing the previously used ETA2824. (The MT5602 was released in 2016.)
Another key point is the wide variety of straps and bracelets available. Each model is available with a choice of a three-link stainless steel bracelet, an aged leather strap, or a fabric strap. Particularly impressive is the "Urban Camouflage" fabric strap that was paired with the 36mm diameter model released by Tudor in 2016.
The model we're reviewing today is one with a stainless steel bracelet that matches the case and features a black brushed PVD finish. The matte dial and shiny aluminum track bezel create a striking contrast. Considering that this is a watch priced at over $4,000, it's hard to overlook the fact that the bezel ring is not ceramic and therefore prone to scratches.
An in-house movement with minimal decoration, offering stability and functionality.
While the Heritage Black Bay is a multifaceted watch, its overall positive feature lies in its movement. Its traditional values, including the precision and stability you expect from Tudor, are particularly noteworthy. This Rolex sibling brand already meets basic expectations by having all of its movements inspected by COSC, the Swiss chronometer testing organization. In addition to its own testing standards, COSC certification requires a watch's daily deviation to be within -4 to +6 seconds, which is already quite impressive.
This verification confirmed the accuracy of the mechanical measurement, but in contrast to the official test, when the accuracy was measured in six different positions, it was found that the watch tended to lose slightly more time than the specified value when held to the right of 3 o'clock. This position is rarely seen in everyday life except when checking the time while wearing the watch, but it is also the position that is generally taken when storing automatic watches on a winding machine, as they are kept in a vertical position for many hours on the winding machine.
The various technical assets of the in-house MT5602 movement further enhance Tudor's brand philosophy. First, the movement's robust 6.5mm thickness is crucial to preventing even the slightest functional issues caused by shocks. Second, the balance wheel is not supported on one side by a cock, but is safely secured on both ends by a straight bridge. Third, a silicon balance spring is used to prevent irregularities caused by deformation of the balance spring as well as deviations caused by shocks.
Other quality features include the in-house movement's impressive 70-hour power reserve and a four-screw, free-sprung balance wheel. This means there's no need to adjust the length of the balance screws, as was the case with the ETA movement previously fitted to this watch. Tudor also used a precision regulator with the ETA 2824, but the upgrade to a more stable, free-sprung balance wheel was only possible with the move to an in-house movement.
The bracelet is equipped with a functional folding clasp and safety lock.
Tudor puts limited effort and expense into decorating its movements, but this is in line with their philosophy of providing reliable craftsmanship at a reasonable price. Mechanical watch enthusiasts often attempt to open the case back (with the proper tools), only to find minimal decoration, limited openwork, and a brushed rotor bearing the Tudor name.
Tudor has omitted the date display for the Heritage Black Bay Dark, but this should be seen as a positive change. This sporty watch follows the tradition of Tudor's 1954 Oyster Submariner, which also lacked a date display. The clean, unadorned dial features eight round, three rectangular, and one triangular hour markers. The distinctive "snowflake"-shaped hour and minute hands are highly visible, as seen on Tudor's second-generation Submariner, introduced in 1969. Just like in 1958, the current model is water resistant to 200 meters. This was highly desirable in the early days of diving, and remains a sufficient level of performance for today's enthusiasts.
From this overview, we can see that the Heritage Black Bay Dark combines the best aspects of various classic models while being packaged in the latest trend in sports watches: casual black. It's not only a great accessory for talking about the history of diving at a beach bar, but also extremely useful for actual diving.
