BRAND STORYDAMAN^AUGUST/SEPTEMBER2019156
BRAND STORYA CLASSIC IN THE
MAKING
HERITAGE AND KNOW-
HOW COME TOGETHER IN
THE NEW INCARNATION
OF TUDOR’S AWARD-
WINNING BLACK BAY
BRONZE WATCHB
ack in 2016, Tudor’s famed Black Bay
Bronze model won the Petite Aiguille
prize at the prestigious Grand Prix
d’Horlogerie de Genève. This year, the brand
continues to explore the aesthetic potentials of
bronze and the metal’s characteristic patina with
a new model sporting a slate-gray color palette
and a cool gradient dial.A Living Metal
As the name of the watch implies, the main
feature of the Black Bay Bronze is its bronze
case. For one, this choice of metal is clearly in
line with Tudor’s maritime heritage, as it serves
as an aesthetic reference to the brass fittings
found in old ships and vintage diving gear. The
Black Bay Bronze’s case, however, is a product of
cutting-edge technology, being made of a high-
performance aluminum-copper alloy designed
for maritime engineering where resistance to
corrosion is paramount.
More importantly, however, the bronze case
will, in time, develop a subtle but amazing
patina. Each individual case will then "grow"
into a unique expression of its wearer as the
patina develops at its own pace to give the watch
an aged and well-travelled look.Diving into the Past
All in all, this year’s Black Bay Bronze is a
perfect example of how Tudor combines its rich
heritage—in this case, 60 years’ worth of divers’
watches—with modern watchmaking know-
how to create timeless watches that pay tribute
to the past while remaining firmly anchored in
the present. And while the case, as elaborated
on above, is central to this idea, the “taking
historical aesthetics and updating them” then
runs across the entire watch.
Let’s start with the dial. As befitting of a
Black Bay model, the Black Bay Bronze sports
a dial inspired by those found on divers’ watches
created by Tudor in the 1950s. This particular
dial comes in slate-gray and is gradient from the
exterior to the center. Gold accents on the bezel,
hands and hour markers provide a remarkable
play of contrasts.
The strap of the watch, meanwhile, forms
another tribute to Tudor’s naval heritage. Back
in the day, the French navy would order Tudor
watches without bracelets so that they could
fit them with their own straps, sometimes
handmade. One such strap found in the brand’s
archives is made from elastic recovered from
rescue parachutes and features a distinctive
golden thread. Inspired by this historic creation,
Tudor has created a slate-gray woven jacquard
strap for the Black Bay Bronze. Alternatively,
wearers can opt for a similarly rustic aged black
leather strap.