Collection: TUDOR Black Bay

The TUDOR Black Bay is the brand's signature dive watch collection, first introduced in 2012 as a tribute to TUDOR's original 1954 Oyster Prince Submariner, the brand's first diver's watch. Rather than a simple reissue, the Black Bay blended vintage design cues with modern watchmaking technology, quickly becoming one of the most recognized names in accessible Swiss luxury diving watches.

Today's Black Bay lineup spans a range of sizes and specialty models to fit different wrists and use cases, from the compact 37mm Black Bay Fifty-Four and 39mm Black Bay Fifty-Eight to the original 41mm Black Bay, alongside sport-focused variations like the Black Bay GMT, Black Bay Chrono, and the tool-inspired Black Bay Pro. Each model carries forward signature Black Bay design elements, including a domed sapphire crystal, a rotatable dive bezel, and the "T-fit" folding clasp for quick strap adjustments, while housing TUDOR's in-house automatic movements, many with COSC chronometer certification. Cases and dials come in stainless steel, steel-and-gold ("S&G"), or solid 18K gold, with black, blue, or green dial options and both bracelet and strap configurations, including versions with diamond hour markers or bezels for a dressier look.

King Jewelers is an authorized TUDOR watch retailer in Nashville, carrying a wide range of Black Bay models including the Black Bay Pro, Black Bay Ceramic, Black Bay Fifty-Eight, Black Bay 36, and Black Bay 31 in both stainless steel and steel-and-gold configurations. Every TUDOR watch purchase includes free shipping, and our team can help you compare Black Bay sizes and finishes in person at our Green Hills showroom or online at kingjewelers.com.

Origins: From the 1954 Oyster Prince Submariner to the 2012 Black Bay
The TUDOR Black Bay's true heritage traces back to 1954, when TUDOR released the Oyster Prince Submariner (reference 7922), the brand's very first dedicated dive watch. Designed under Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf, who created TUDOR to offer Rolex-caliber case quality at a more accessible price, the Oyster Prince Submariner was developed for the same demanding underwater conditions as its sibling brand's watches, and it was quickly adopted by the French Navy's combat divers (Marine Nationale), who used TUDOR watches for decades of real-world diving missions.

When TUDOR relaunched the Black Bay in 2012 (reference 79220R), it wasn't a literal reissue but rather a tribute drawing on over 60 years of TUDOR dive watch heritage, blending design elements from multiple vintage references, the burgundy "bordeaux" bezel and gilt dial reminiscent of the original 1954 Submariner, the boxy "snowflake" hands introduced on 1969 TUDOR divers, and an oversized, guardless crown recalling the brand's clean mid-century case design.

Key Milestones

2012 — Black Bay debuts (ref. 79220R), initially under TUDOR's "Heritage" line, powered by an ETA movement

2016 — TUDOR introduces its first in-house Manufacture movement (calibre MT5602) into the Black Bay, dropping "Heritage" from the name

2016 — Black Bay Bronze launches with a 43mm bronze case designed to patina uniquely over time, the only Black Bay to feature Arabic numerals

2017 — Black Bay Chrono debuts, TUDOR's first Black Bay chronograph, powered by the MT5813, co-developed with Breitling based on the Breitling B01 caliber

2018 — Black Bay GMT arrives with a bi-color "Pepsi-adjacent" 24-hour bezel and jumping-hour GMT function, nicknamed "Batgirl" by collectors for its blue-and-black colorway

2018 — Black Bay Fifty-Eight (BB58) launches at a more compact 39mm, based on the 1958 reference 7924 "Big Crown," becoming one of the most recommended entry points into serious watch collecting

2019 — Black Bay P01 released, a modern reinterpretation of a rare 1967-68 TUDOR prototype dive watch developed for the U.S. Navy, featuring an unconventional locking bezel mechanism

2022 — Black Bay Pro debuts, taking design cues from the Rolex Explorer II (ref. 1655) with a fixed 24-hour GMT bezel

2023 — Black Bay Fifty-Four (BB54) launches at 37mm, the most faithful modern recreation of the original 1954/1958 proportions, TUDOR's smallest modern diver

Ongoing — Expansion into METAS-certified Master Chronometer models, sterling silver dials, and precious metal editions

What Defines a Black Bay Today
Across the family, Black Bay watches share a consistent design language: a guardless winding crown, a domed sapphire crystal, the signature squared "snowflake" hour hand, and a unidirectional dive bezel, powered largely by TUDOR's in-house Manufacture Calibres (MT5400, MT5402, MT5602, MT5813) offering COSC chronometer certification and up to 70 hours of power reserve. Case sizes now range from the compact 37mm BB54 up to the original 41mm Black Bay, in stainless steel, bronze, and steel-and-gold configurations, with water resistance between 150 and 200 meters depending on the model.

At King Jewelers
King Jewelers is an authorized TUDOR watch retailer in Nashville, carrying a wide selection of Black Bay models, including the Black Bay Pro, Black Bay Ceramic, Black Bay Fifty-Eight, Black Bay 36, and Black Bay 31, in stainless steel and steel-and-gold configurations. Every TUDOR watch purchase includes free shipping, and our team can help you compare Black Bay generations and references in person at our Green Hills showroom in Nashville or online at kingjewelers.com.

The TUDOR Black Bay is available in a wide span of sizes, from the compact 37mm Black Bay Fifty-Four up to the original 41mm case, spanning three-hand divers, GMT, and chronograph configurations in stainless steel, bronze, and steel-and-gold. With this much range across sizes and complications, there's a Black Bay suited to nearly any wrist and use case, all in stock and ready to explore at King Jewelers.

Black Bay (41mm) — Steel case, burgundy or black bezel, snowflake hands, MT5602 movement, 70hr power reserve. The original modern Black Bay, closest in spirit to the 1954 Oyster Prince Submariner.

Black Bay Fifty-Eight (39mm) — Compact case based on the 1958 reference 7924, MT5402 movement. TUDOR's most recommended entry point into serious Swiss watch collecting.

Black Bay Fifty-Four (37mm) — TUDOR's smallest modern diver, the most faithful recreation of original 1950s Black Bay proportions.

Black Bay GMT ("Batgirl") — Bi-color 24-hour bezel, jumping-hour GMT function, MT5652 movement. A Rolex GMT-Master alternative at a lower price point.

Black Bay Chrono — MT5813 movement co-developed with Breitling (Breitling B01-based). Panda and reverse-panda dial options for collectors wanting a Black Bay beyond diving.

Black Bay Pro — Fixed 24-hour GMT bezel inspired by the Rolex Explorer II. A rugged, tool-watch take on GMT functionality.

Black Bay Ceramic — 41mm black ceramic case, METAS Master Chronometer certified for extreme precision and magnetic resistance.

Black Bay 36 / 31 — Smaller, unisex-friendly sizes in steel and steel-and-gold, some with diamond hour markers, for wrists wanting Black Bay heritage in a more compact case.