From the founder of Rolex watches, arises another iconic brand that offers a more modest price yet maintains the same high-quality standard and mechanism that makes Rolex one of the best luxury watch brands around the world. It’s no other than Rolex’s sibling company, the Tudor watches.
Tudor is known for its heritage and contemporary timepieces. As manifested in one of its collections that brings together the rich and timeless beauty of Tudor divers’ watchmaking legacy for over 60 years – the Tudor Black Bay Series.
With that in mind, if you are looking for a new watch with a subtle blend of a classic and contemporary look, that features a nicely sized dial, good quality, then Tudor Black Bay 36 might be your perfect choice. At a glance, you might even think of it as a Rolex Explorer.
Tudor Black Bay 36 was first introduced in 2016 and has undergone various innovations in designs and functionalities since then. It offers well-crafted watches inspired by Tudor dive watches produced during the 1950s.
If you’re interested to know more about its features, pros, and cons, then continue reading this Tudor Black Bay 36 Review to learn more about it.
TLDR: Tudor Black Bay 36 Overview
Product Description
Band, Dial, and Case Size
The Tudor Black Bay 36 is one of the three sizes in the Black Bay Heritage collection. It stands in the middle sweet spot between 32mm and 41mm, making it perfect for either men or women. Its size seamlessly strikes a balance without being too bold or flashy on the wearer’s wrist.
It has a smooth steel bezel with polished and brushed finishes that give its clean and uncluttered look. It also features the traditional Tudor rose on its prominent winding crown which is also known as Big Crown.
This specific model comes in a black dial but it is also available in blue dial lacquered, champagne-colored, or silver-tone. Its unique and iconic snowflake hands, oversized hour markers, and large triangle at 12 o’clock position offer great contrast and clarity against its dial color, allowing you to read the time with so much ease.
All these have been applied with Swiss Super-LumiNova® phosphorescent material that ensures high legibility even when it’s dark. Protecting everything is a tough, scratch-proof, shatter-proof material is a flat sapphire crystal case.
As for its band, the Tudor Black Bay 36 has different strap options ranging from a stainless steel bracelet, leather strap, and fabric strap. The stainless steel bracelets are available in pure silver or two-toned, satin-brushed yellow gold and steel while the leather and fabric straps have a variety of colors in brown, beige, and black.
The variety suits both formal and casual occasions, so Tudor Black Bay is surely a versatile and trustworthy timepiece that you will love. This stylish timepiece is sure to complete anyone’s outfit.
Functionality and Movement
This mechanical watch is powered by ETA 2824 automatic movement. This means that the watch is powered by wrist movements and is not operated by batteries. It is considered to be a fine and reliable mechanical calibre that will surely provide accurate timekeeping for many years.
The power reserve lasts up to 38 hours. Further, the Tudor Black Bay 36 operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour or four hertz. Though not a Tudor in-house movement, owning a watch with ETA 2824 is pretty advantageous since it is pretty common which ensures easy reparability in the future.
Quality and Durability
The Tudor Black Bay 36 is Swiss-made, which is known to be very durable and reliable. It is designed with a subtle blend of vintage and modern elements and functions using the latest cutting-edge technology.
It’s waterproof up to 150 meters or 500 feet. Further, the use of the self-winding movement guarantees the watch’s robustness and longevity.
[Related Post: Most Durable Watches – Top 7 Tough Watches]
Pros
- Water-resistant up to 150 meters (500 feet)
- Sapphire crystal Case
- Suitable for men and women
- Can be worn as a dive watch, dress watch, tool watch, and everyday watch
- Uses a reliable self-winding calibre T600 movement
- Features vintage and contemporary aesthetic
- Swiss made
- Only watch with curved self-winding text on the dial (looks pretty unique)
- With applied Swiss Super-LumiNova® phosphorescent on hour markers and hands
Cons
- Can still be pretty expensive for some
Interested? Check out Tudor Black Bay 36 on this link!
In-Depth Review: Tudor Heritage Black Bay 36
Specifications
Display Type: Analog
Dial window material type: Sapphire
Dial Color: Black/ Silver/ Blue
Case diameter: 36 millimeters
Clasp: Deployment Clasp
Crown: Screw-down
Thickness: 10.5 millimeters
Lug-to-Lug: 44 millimeters
Lug Width: 19 millimeters
Band Material: Stainless Steel/ Fabric/ Leather
Band Color: Black/ Brown/ Beige
Bezel Material: Stainless Steel
Movement: Automatic ETA 2824
Power Reserve: 38 hours
Water-resistant: Waterproof to 150 m (500 ft)
Warranty
Tudor offers a five-year warranty for every timepiece bought starting January 1, 2020. For Tudor watches bought before that, the warranty is covered for three and half years.
However, for watches not bought directly from Tudor’s stores, buyers may refer to the seller’s warranty information.
Who is it best for?
The Tudor Black Bay 36 is suitable for both men and women who are looking for a contemporary and vintage-inspired timepiece that is not only aesthetically pleasing but is also functional and dependable for sports, casual, or formal use.
What Do People Say About It?
Amazon
The Tudor Black Bay 36 seems to be not popular and readily available on Amazon; it has no customer reviews.
YouTube
The Urban Gentry Youtube channel features the Tudor Black Bay 36 as an almost perfect affordable luxury automatic and vintage timepiece. The Youtuber says,
“The Tudor Heritage Black Bay 36 (Ref. 79500) is the smallest and perhaps the most versatile in the Black Bay family. With its compact size, contemporary clean elegance, and robust build, this is one charming little automatic, suited for almost any occasion. The looks are heavily inspired by core elements from the Tudor Submariner legacy.”
The Verdict: Should You Buy it?
The choice of watches depends on where one intends to use them, the purpose for buying them, and personal preferences in terms of functionality and design.
So, given the versatility and robustness of Tudor Black Bay 36, it is fairly one that can compete with top watch brands at a relatively more affordable price point than Rolex watches. The aesthetics and features are fantastic, sophisticated, and reliable making it worth the price.
The Tudor Black Bay is a very good alternative for luxury watches as it offers a vintage vibe yet a familiar classic and modern look with unique designs mainly from the snowflakes hour hands and large hour markers. It offers options from the different dial colors and strap materials and colors. It goes well on any occasion, from casual to formal wear.
Further, the Tudor Black Bay 36 has excellent features such as luminous materials, a self-winding rotor, and waterproof functionality. It is one of the best everyday watches!
If you like this article, make sure to check out our other articles at EvesWatch.com
My name is Eve Acosta and I’m the person behind this site. Watches are what get me ticking ;).
No, but seriously, I just love watches, I have over 30 myself. It’s an obsession of mine, which is why my husband recommended me to put my hobby into some good use and build this site – so I did.
My passion for timepieces came from the fact that my parents own a small chain of shops selling timepieces. I’ve worked at the shop since I was 11 and fell in love with the merchandise.
