After years of being involved with watches, could I have found everything I expected from a watch in a single model? Let's find out.
First of all, let me tell you the ugly truth; no watch meets your every expectation. Thinking that there is just an illusion because even if you think you have found it, this thought will disappear after a while and you will start looking for your next watch. After all, our dynamic minds, and thus our expectations, both evolve and change. However, the more you delve into the ticking world of watches, the more you begin to see that it is a more rational option to achieve the optimum rather than the maximum in this hobby. While I was struggling with these thoughts, I was re-acquainted with a watch that I had encountered before; Tudor Black Bay 54.
In the first week of October, we went to Antalya, one of the most beautiful holiday cities in the world, for a very special organization. The opening of Turkey's first Tudor Boutique... The Tudor novelties that we saw at the Watches & Wonders 2023 fair and much more were presented to us. We have finally reached the models that are only available for sale in Tudor boutiques. When I saw the Black Bay 54 model at the W&W2023 fair, I must have failed to show it the attention it deserved, as this encounter had a much greater and lasting impact on me. I remember clearly, that I complained that the clasp of the watch was too wide compared to the bracelet. The same situation existed with the watch I wore at launch, but this was no longer a problem. I now understand better the unfortunateness of the comment I made during the fair.
What do I expect from a watch? Durability, functionality, legibility, accuracy, comfort, quality, prestige, relatively easy accessibility... The list goes on. In a long time, I don't remember encountering a watch that ticks all the boxes. Now, let me explain why I literally loved the Black Bay 54.
Tudor outperforms its price category due to its brand value and the reputation it provides to its users. I'm sure all watch lovers agree on this. For a brand to prove its maturity, it is not enough for it to be very good. At the same time, it needs to preserve this goodness for a long time. Tudor does not let us down in this regard either.
Black Bay 54 has a solid construction, as expected from a diving watch. In particular, the bezel, which can rotate in one direction, is a great help for simple time calculations in daily life. In situations where seconds are not important, it is extremely practical to turn the bezel of your watch with a single finger movement and start measuring, rather than starting the chronograph of your mobile phone. It is unnecessary to point this out as a plus, as sapphire crystals have now become an industry standard. The 200-meter water resistance value offers durability beyond daily needs. Moreover, this performance is achieved with a case that is only 11.2mm thick.
If you ask why Black Bay 54 when there are so many diving watches in the industry, my answer is very simple: Case diameter! The case diameter of this model is 37mm and the case length is only 46mm. In this form, it fits perfectly on every wrist, big or small. Watch lovers with small wrists can wear the watch with great comfort. Those with large wrists like mine can experience the "vintage diver" spirit to the core thanks to the short case. Once you get used to the stylish appearance and comfort of a small-diameter watch on the wrist, it becomes very difficult to go back to larger diameters.
Thanks to Super-Luminova on the dial and hands of Black Bay 54, legibility under low light conditions is perfect. The model comes to life with a COSC-certified, manufacture, automatic with a 70-hour power reserve movement that allows us to forget all the problems related to accuracy.
Another detail that is at least as impressive as the case dimensions is found on the bracelet. We are used to Tudor links with rivets and straight edges like the rungs of a staircase. Some like it, some do not. The point that really interests me is the T-fit clasp. It's 2023, and it's hard not to go crazy when you see that watches with clasps that do not offer micro adjustments are still being produced. If I said that Tudor's system is the most successful precision adjustment mechanism on the market, I would not be unfair to the clips of other manufacturers. The easily adjustable system guarantees maximum comfort within a “sufficiently micro” adjustment scale. You understand the importance of what I say much better when you wear a watch with a metal bracelet that is not fully adjusted to your wrist.
Are there better watches? I can argue about this. None of the legendary diver watches in the higher segment includes a model with such a compact case in their product range. On the other hand, the list price of 3850 Euros is one of the factors that make this watch "unrivaled". If you need a watch that looks like a diver's watch but can easily fall into the "dress" category with its dimensions, can meet your daily needs with its durability and practicality, can easily accompany a suit, is accurate and at the peak of quality with a feeling of toughness, you are at the right place.
Now I return to the question I asked at the beginning of my article; Yes, I am faced with the realization of everything I expected from a watch.
