Tudor marks a century of watchmaking
The brand’s latest launches at Watches and Wonders 2026 take inspiration from its long history
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WHILE CRAFTING ITS NOVELTIES FOR Watches and Wonders 2026, Tudor had plenty of watchmaking memories to rely on for inspiration – a century’s worth of history, to be more precise.
The six timepieces unveiled mark the brand’s 100th anniversary and reflect the many memorable moments of its storied past.
Tudor Monarch
The Tudor Monarch first appeared in 1991, but had a tenure of just 12 years. It has since made a comeback, proudly launched as an all-new model at Watches and Wonders.
Despite its currency, Tudor says its name carries a century-old legacy.
Housed in an eye-catching 39 mm faceted case with razor-sharp lines, and worn on an integrated sharp bracelet, the watch could easily be mistaken for one from Tudor’s early days.
Its vintage-looking face may add to the confusion. The dial has a dark champagne tone and texture akin to papyrus, the ancient material made from processed pith that was used throughout Egypt. The hours are marked by Roman and Arabic numerals, common in classical timepieces.
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The self-winding mechanical movement resting below the dial has all the hallmarks of traditional watchmaking.
Yet, the new Monarch is technically very up to date. The movement has a power reserve of 65 hours, and it has certifications from the Controle Officiel Suisse des Chronometres (COSC) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (Metas) for precision and sturdiness.
Black Bay Ceramic
The Black Bay Ceramic, with the “snowflake” hand synonymous with a Black Bay model, is the poster boy for Tudor’s technical ingenuity. Not surprisingly, it is the most innovative of Tudor’s novelties this year.
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In fact, since the watch surfaced in 2021, it has been the favourite child of the Tudor family – at least when it comes to technology.
This latest model highlights Tudor’s mastery of movement manufacturing and material science. The mechanism that keeps the watch ticking is self-winding and has a power reserve of 70 hours. Metas certifies it to have met “the most demanding standards of chronometric performance, resistance to magnetic force and technical material engineering”.
Ceramic is a tough material to machine, and it takes great skill for Tudor to craft a 41 mm case from a ceramic monobloc for the Black Bay Ceramic, not to mention the matching ceramic bracelet.
Its outstanding technical capabilities are played up by a new aesthetic that befits Tudor’s tradition of “going dark”. The all-ceramic motif of the new Black Bay Ceramic is well paired with a uniform colour theme: matt black mono-bloc ceramic case and bracelet, as well as a charcoal dial and black hands, coated with dark luminescence.
Black Bay 54 “Blue”
Tudor says the new “Tudor Blue” is “the purest modern expression” of the brand’s first divers’ watch, the Oyster Prince Submariner Ref 7922.
Rolled out in 1954, Ref 7922 was later adopted by the French and US navies and widely used by diving professionals. The earliest models have a small crown, which the Black Bay 54 copied.
It also adopted other small design details of the 1954 timer. Take the hands, for instance; other than proportional adjustments, they are pinched at the base, the same way they appeared in 1954.
The 37 mm stainless steel case also retains the classic proportions of the original.
But modern touches have also been added, such as a subtle satin radial-brushed dial, a “T-fit” clasp for the perfect fit and a cutting-edge automatic movement that is COSC-certified.
What stands out in the latest Black Bay 54 is the inclusion of the “true blue” colour – a nod to Tudor’s history. This specific shade is a distinct “sapphire” hue with a sunray-brushed dial and matching blue bezel.
Black Bay 58
A favourite of watch fans, the Black Bay 58 is now a pillar in Tudor’s line-up. This new divers’ model comes with new technical features and design.
The Black Bay 58 name came from the year when Tudor first introduced a divers’ watch, which was waterproof to 200m. This was Ref 7924, nicknamed the “Big Crown”, in 1958. The Black Bay 58 model is also waterproof to 200 m.
Following the characteristic proportions of the 1950s, the stainless steel case of the new Black Bay 58 is kept at 39 mm, but with a slimmer profile. The watch also has a new seconds hand that recalls the look of Tudor’s divers’ tickers with a lollipop design.
The domed dial is matt just like the early Tudor diving watches, while the crown has been redesigned to incorporate the curves of the crown of Tudor’s historical technical watches.
The new watch, which is also Metas-certified, may be worn on a five-link or three-link “rivet-style” stainless steel bracelet. It may also be worn on a black rubber strap.
Black Bay 58 GMT
The burgundy red and black colours and the design of this watch take us back to the 1950s, when Tudor divers’ watches were being made, and jet planes were flying through time zones faster than ever before.
The timepiece isn’t just a reminder of the golden age of air travel, but also a tool for your current jet-setting needs. The new Black Bay 58 GMT is fitted with a bezel with a 24-hour scale and powered by a Metas-certified movement integrated with GMT functions. These make it possible to display at least two zones simultaneously.
The watch comes in a 39 mm stainless steel case, which has a thinner profile than the 41mm Black Bay GMT. It may be worn on a five-link stainless steel bracelet, a “rivet-style” three-link bracelet or a rubber strap.
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