Tudor Heritage Black Bay
This brand needs no introduction. Tudor came back to horology like Pokemon Go to modern society - fast, hard and leaving people in a rush to get em all. No longer is the brand referred to as the poor man's Rolex, not with classics like the Black Bay, Pelagos and Ranger.
With the market seeming a little better from a few months back, it's time again to open up options for a new wrist piece. Collectors who are a little more conservative with their money would be wise to take a crack at what Tudor has to offer.
Especially the Heritage Black Bay. The iconic diver with its snowflake hands has taken the world by storm, offering option after sell-out option of bezel color and case material.
In this post, I go basic - Red, Blue and Black. Easy enough to find, but oh so hard to resist bringing home.
The Good
The term vintage-inspired for watches was probably conceived after looking at the Black Bay. For purveyors of vintage wrist pieces won't be far disappointed by the Black Bay. Heck the bold move of not including a date window (listen closely here Longines and IWC) in a modern interpretation makes it so much more desirable!
Another reason I feel for the viability of the watch is its versatility. Regardless of the occasion, the Black Bay will find its place. Stainless steel bracelet, beautiful matte black dial with its silver or gold accents, a contrasting bezel and that big fat crown. Instant classic. For more fun, play around with strap options; this is one watch that will make every strap worth wearing.
For collectors looking for that tipping point that forces your credit card out, The Tudor Heritage Black Bay comes at a very attractive price point for what it offers. Iconic looks, prestigious brand name, in-house movement come together in a bang-for-buck beater that puts many other would-be contenders to shame. How dare they charge so much for so less!
The Bad
You know, for a watch that costs upwards of S$4500, there sure isn't a lot to look at. As a friend of mine put it, "there's just something missing." We finally settled that the finishing on the Black Bay needed a little more jazz to move it up from value-driven to "must have".
One particular thing I didn't like the Black Bay was its side profile. As nice as the dial is, a look from the side of the watch leaves a lot more to be desired. A large, flat polished surface states you in the face. Void of any form of embellishment, nary a curve nor bump. Boring and sort of makes the watch appear thicker than it is.
One more thing - that Tudor logo. Watch fans who want a proper vintage inspired watch will be torn between the rose motiff of the old ETA edition and the modern shied derivative. Is it me or does it look like the Tag Heuer one?
The Verdict
This is a hard one, ladies and gentleman. On one hand the Tudor Heritage Black Bay offers up an unstoppable brand appeal on an unforgettable diver icon. But on the other hand there are a lot of other pieces that offer so much more functionality (their very own Pelagos being one of them).
And when you've made up your mind on the Black Bay, you then have to settle between the rose or shield logo. Go figure. That I personally can't make the call gives a pretty good indication of how hard the decision is.
BUT, I am pretty sure that those who make the leap will have no regrets. The watch is iconic to a fault. Eyes will stray onto your timepiece and the comments and admiration that come will leave the rest of your collection screaming for wrist time.
Tudor Heritage Black Bay
ref. 79230B / N / R
MT5602, manufacture Tudor (COSC)
28,800vph, 70hrs reserve
200m waterproof
Central hour, minute and seconds hands
Unidirectional anodized aluminum bezel
41mm stainless steel case
Engraved solid caseback
The watch was listed at S$4,880