SIZE MATTERS

The Tudor Black Bay Fi y-Eight is a nod to the diminuitive vintage watches of yore

WITH THE VIM following the release of the Tudor Black Bay GMT, more affectionately known as the Tudor Pepsi, the new Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight slipped quietly under the radar.

Well, not if we can help it, because this gorgeous watch truly deserves the spotlight. The watch is a tribute to the watchmaker’s first diver’s timepiece released in 1958 (hence the name). It was a slimmer and simpler time, when tool watches followed the ethos of form follows function and were used for their intended purpose. In this case, the Tudor reference 7924 had to be legible underwater, dead accurate to prevent diving mishaps, and be water-resistant in the deep.

Design-wise, the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight holds fast to its roots. The 39mm case, big crown, snowflake hands and gold finishing touches around the watch are elements found in its 1958 predecessor. The most important difference lies underneath the hood. Tudor had to produce a thinner calibre ‒ the MT5402 ‒ to fit the smaller case. Manufactured in house, the movement, which is sized at just 26mm, has a power reserve of 70 hours, quite the feat for its dimensions. And while size does matter, in the case of the Tudor Black Bay FiftyEight, less is certainly more impressive. AM