In 2012. Tudor introduced the Heritage Black Bay, a vintage inspired dive watch. Inevitable thing happened. It immediately became a watch that collectors accept, sort of modern icon. Since the presentation of the Prince Oysterdate Chronograph in 1970, its first chronograph, Tudor has always produced watches that are closely tied to the world of professional motorsports. In the same way, since the fifties Swiss company has been constantly improving its professional dive watches.
Presently, the Heritage Black Bay Chrono chronograph dares to combine the aquatic heritage represented by the Black Bay family with the renowed function - the chronograph. Tudor proudly introduces chronograph movement to its Heritage Black Bay collection, a winning combination of sports timepiece and robust diver capable of withstanding depths of 200 meters.
Vintage look and a modern new in-house chronograph calibre makes the new Heritage Black Bay Chrono a compelling modern classic. The Black Bay Chrono brings a powerful dose of sporty style to the recognizable aesthetics. It’s both masculine and versatile. The visual integration of the chronograph elements is subtle, so the DNA of the collection is still present. Remaining faithful to the Black Bay aesthetic with the influential snowflake hands – a brand signature since 1969 – the Heritage Black Bay Chrono model offers optimum readability against the matt black dial.
Its symmetrical sub-counters are discretely hollowed for optimum contrast and a date aperture is positioned at 6 o’clock. A fixed bezel in circular satin-brushed steel with engraved tachymetric scale completes the aesthetic of this sporty chronograph with its own style that is perfectly suited for the modern individual. Pushers at 2 and 4 o’clock are used to start, stop and reset the chronograph, which is arguably the most useful complication in the world of traditional watchmaking.
The shape and proportions are classic Black Bay, but the additional pushers and tachymetre bezel are new to the eminent collection. The applied dot markers are still on the scene though the 3,6,9 markers have replaced by characteristic round subdials.
The subdials are nicely executed and well proportioned. The left is running seconds and the right is a 45 minute counter. Traditionally, oversized screw-down crown is engraved with the Tudor rose.
The Tudor Black Bay Chrono comes on the rivet style bracelet, which is becoming standard across the Heritage collection. The second is a leather strap in a rich brown, with folding clasp. Whichever style takes your choose, you can be assured that there’s a nice denim blue fabric strap in the box too, for a more casual wear . The fabric strap is one of the signatures of the Heritage line, and Tudor was one of the first watch brands to offer it. Woven on 19th century Jacquard looms by a 150-year-old family firm from the region of St-Etienne, its manufacturing quality and comfort on the wrist are unique.
Derived from the calibre Breitling 01 chronograph, but developed by Tudor and with exclusive manufacture finish, this movement is the result of a recent collaboration between the two reputable brands. Boasting a seventy hour power reserve and certification by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute, the Manufacture chronograph Calibre MT5813 that drives the Heritage Black Bay Chrono model is by all criteria an impressive movement. In keeping with the Tudor philosophy of quality, it presents extraordinary robustness and reliability, guaranteed by an array of extreme tests applied to all watches from Tudor atelier.