Tudor returns to the Black Bay 58 in a major way at this year’s Watches & Wonders, with an update inspired by a 1990s prototype that had been nearly lost to time. The latest 58 comes in a bold burgundy colorway, with a bright red dial and matching bezel. It’s a decidedly different approach to the Black Bay 58, which has been, in our minds, a thoughtful reinterpretation of an old fashioned tool watch. This new version is significantly more extroverted in its personality and appearance – it has considerably more flash than your standard issue 58. 

The broad strokes of this Black Bay 58 are effectively in line with earlier versions of the watch. It maintains the 39mm case with the same mix of brushed and polished finishing. Circular and rectangular hour markers are generously filled with luminous material, and of course we have the “Snowflake” handset that is common to all Black Bays. But there are a number of small refinements and improvements to this 58 make it feel a bit more contemporaneous with other recent Tudor releases. 

First, bracelet selection. For the first time, the Black Bay is available on a five-link, Jubilee-style bracelet. It’s a natural fit for a watch like the 58 and immediately gives it a look that is a bit dressier and less tool oriented. It’s still available on a three-link bracelet as well, but this bracelet is now fitted with Tudor’s T-fit clasp (as is the five-link, and the optional rubber strap). Like the Black Bay 68 we covered earlier, this feels like Tudor simply giving people the widest array of options, and it’s remarkable how the brand has methodically filled in gaps in bracelet and clasp options throughout their product line. 

The other notable improvement here is the movement. For the first time, a Black Bay 58 will run on a METAS certified caliber, the MT5400-U. Again, this is Tudor delivering on a promise they made several years ago when they began the process of integrating METAS movements into the collection. As years go by, more and more of the collection can be had with movements with this designation. 

And then we have the red of it all. Credit where it’s due, Zach Weiss immediately dubbed this one the Back Bay 58 Code Red, a nickname inspired by an iconic Mountain Dew flavor, which, like this watch’s real inspiration, has roots in 1990s nostalgia. In person, it looks great. It’s a lot of red, and won’t be for everyone, but it makes the watch feel special and distinct from other 58s, particularly on the five-link bracelet. 

Retail pricing for the latest Black Bay 58 (on the five-link bracelet) is $4,600. It’s $100 less on the three-link. Tudor