Hands-on: Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT
Finally time to take a proper look at one of 2024's most hyped releases so far – the Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT. We got a quick look during Watches & Wonders, but now we have got to know the model even more closely – and it is really, really good.
Text/photo: Aleksandar Mladenovic
Finally time to take a proper look at one of 2024's most hyped releases so far – the Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT. We got a quick look during Watches & Wonders, but now we have been able to acquaint ourselves even more closely with the model – and it is really, really good.
If you followed our reporting from Watches & Wonders 2024 then you already know that we like this novelty from Tudor. It is a more wearable alternative compared to the earlier Black Bay GMT and Black Bay Pro and something that enthusiasts and collectors have long been asking for. Now the longing is over.
What we have in front of us is thus both versions of the Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT – one on a bracelet in steel and the other on a rubber strap. The cases measure 39 mm in diameter, are 12,8 mm thick and have a length of about 47,8 mm. It sits really well even on a slimmer wrist (the undersigned's in the pictures is 16,5 cm).
We get a stripped-down matte black dial with gold details as far as indexes, text and hands go. In true Black Bay 58 spirit both the hour and GMT hands are of the so-called ”Snowflake” style. Vintage inspired quite simply. The bezel insert is black and red with numerals in gold, which reinforces the whole vintage look of the watch. The watch is clearly a flirt with Rolex's first GMT, reference 6542. Some would certainly have preferred the ”Pepsi” colour scheme, but we in the editorial team think ”Coke” looks really good.
The bracelet still has the ”rivets” on the sides and is equipped with Tudor's T-fit clasp, which also applies to the model on a rubber strap.
Inside the watches ticks their in-house movement MT5450-U, which is COSC and METAS certified with a 65 hour power reserve, and the model is water resistant down to 200m.
A small detail we like is that the crown is now flush with the case, on the Black Bay 58 it sticks out more. This reinforces the slimmed expression. Tudor has also cut down on the amount of text on the dial, another thing we in the editorial team appreciate.
To sum the whole thing up, the novelties are welcome and we think many will appreciate them. Of course there are still a few things you can moan about if you want to (fake rivets, I am looking at you). But most of it is subjective. Purely objectively, these are really, really good watches.
The Swedish list price for the watches is 48 400 kr on a rubber strap and on the bracelet 50 750 kr.
Read more about the watches at Tudor
