No Coke-Bezel GMT From Rolex, Instead Tudor Watches Deliver the Goods
The more time goes on, the more it seems that the Rolex overlords — those that oversee both Rolex and sister brand Tudor — have decided that the Rollie references desired by enthusiasts are to be produced by its more approachable sibling. Last year it was Tudor’s Black Bay 54 subbing in for a throwback Submariner, the year before that the Black Bay Pro took the torch from the Explorer II, and back in 2019 it was Black Bay Chrono S&G that took on airs of a John Player Special Daytona. For 2024, the red and black “coke bezel” GMT that so many enthusiasts were hoping to see resurface in a Rolex GMT-Master II has instead arrived as the Black Bay 58 GMT.
That’s by no means a complaint, to be clear. Tudor’s new releases roll in at old-world Rolex pricing without the waitlists or inflation, and are built in a way that properly throws back to the idea of usable professional tool watches. Dive watches and GMTs meant to be worn and enjoyed rather than be treated like covetable precious objects, after all.
Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT
Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT
Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT
Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT
Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT
Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT
Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT
The entire Black Bay launch lineup for 2024 feels ready to take on the world — even the yellow gold Black Bay 58 18K feels more like a tool watch than any gold Rolex, as its brushed finish takes away that glitzy flash of polished gold wrist wear. Perhaps that reference is a bit more niche that its counterparts, but in an odd way it’s still very true-to-brand. In contrast, the original 41mm Black Bay went ultra stark and simple for 2024, with a black dial, white indices, and METAS certification for added accuracy and precision. It remains a touch larger and thicker than the Rolex Submariner, but it’s another watch that’s nipping at big brother’s heels.
Setting the sibling rivalry aside for a moment, the new Black Bay 58 GMT satisfies in so many ways. The time-only variant that came before it was a scene stealer for its perfect proportions and overall build quality, and the 58 GMT nearly perfectly mirrors those specs; Its diameter and lug-to-lug length remain unchanged, and its thickness only increases by 0.9mm. It’s also another watch in Tudor’s offering to be offered with METAS certification — a supplemental accuracy testing that tests the complete and assembled watch, in contrast to COSC that tests the movement itself prior to assembly. Much like its larger sibling, this new reference is fitted with an in-house manufacture automatic caliber with a “true GMT” function, allowing for rapid adjustment of its local hour hand without stopping the movement itself.
Visually speaking, this new reference is an absolute home run. Gilt hands and indices throughout add to its neo vintage appeal. as does the use of an aluminum bezel insert. Though some collectors are fixated on the use of ceramic rather than aluminum, the use of metal makes the bezel more resilient to impact — just ask anyone who’s had the misfortune of replacing a cracked ceramic bezel after inadvertent impact. Completing the package, a rivet-style bracelet further nods back to the earlier days of dive watch design.
This wasn’t a year of breaking new ground or challenging the status quo for Tudor, but it’s often forgotten in the watch world that you don’t need to reinvent the wheel with every rotation around the sun. Tudor’s product lineup is a solid one, and one that satisfies a thriving demand for high quality value-driven watches with a soul. As the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, why fix it?
