Tudor has succeeded in creating a very handsome and harmonious vintage watch that looks even more timeless thanks to the blue color and the abandonment of the gold hands and hour markers usually installed on the dial of other Fifty-Eight models. The easy-to-grip crown separates from the winding mechanism when screwed down, thus protecting the latter. With the stop-second function and the absence of a date display, the first pull-out position of the crown is accordingly eliminated, making time setting very easy.
The unidirectional rotatable bezel snaps into place in single-minute increments. It is also easy to grasp and turn thanks to its finely serrated edges. Earlier models had a bezel that throbbed and sounded when clicked into place, but TUDOR has made a major improvement: the bezel on this model clicks into place with almost as much authority as on a comparable replica watch from TUDOR’s big sister, fake Rolex. The triangular luminous indexes allow the wearer to read the dive time even in dark conditions or murky water.
The watch’s blue fabric strap is lightweight and durable, with a gray stripe down the centerline. It is sewn using traditional methods that rely on time-honored machines. The handsome pin buckle is shaped like the shield of the TUDOR military emblem. Like the case, the clasp juxtaposes polished and satin-finished surfaces. 
Our electronic timing confirms this accuracy. The deviations remain closely clustered in each position. The average deviation is a slight loss of -1.3 seconds per day. TUDOR has not invested too much effort or expense in refining the movement, in keeping with the brand’s philosophy of offering reliable watchmaking expertise at a reasonable price.
The Black Bay’s design is as inspiring as TUDOR’s historic dive watches. Like its ancestors, the function is given equal importance. You don’t have to make any compromises here, except for the missing date display and the scratch-resistant aluminum bezel. So TUDOR has got everything right. But this success is also reflected in the long waiting list for this model. In that sense, Tudor is also following in the footsteps of its big sister, replica Rolex.
Testing the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight Navy Blue
