The New Tudor Black Bay Ceramic “Blue” Is A Tribute to Motorsport Heritage

In early 2024, TUDOR reaffirmed its commitment to motorsport by partnering with the newly established Visa Cash App RB Formula One team. To commemorate this thrilling collaboration, TUDOR introduced a team-exclusive variant of its Master Chronometer-certified Black Bay Ceramic watch, featuring a striking blue dial that mirrors the team’s vibrant livery. Now, motorsport enthusiasts and watch aficionados alike can adorn their wrists with the same timepiece worn by F1 drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda.

TUDOR’s involvement in motorsport dates back to the golden era of racing, supporting winning teams since the late 1960s with the TUDOR Watch Racing Team. The brand’s legacy continued with sponsorships in events like the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. Now, TUDOR has returned to the racing world with a partnership that embodies technological advancement and precision, aligning perfectly with the essence of Formula One.

The Black Bay Ceramic “Blue” is a testament to TUDOR’s dedication to mechanical performance and innovation. Certified by the Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS), this watch meets one of the industry’s most stringent standards for chronometry and resistance to magnetic fields. The watch’s matte black ceramic elements and the in-house caliber underscore its outstanding performance.

The METAS certification process is rigorous, encompassing multiple functional characteristics of the watch, including precision, magnetic resistance, waterproofness, and power reserve. To qualify, a watch must function within a 5-second variation range per day (0/+5 seconds), surpassing both the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) and TUDOR’s own standards. Additionally, the watch must maintain its accuracy even when exposed to magnetic fields up to 15,000 gauss, and it must meet the declared waterproofness and power reserve criteria.

At the heart of the Black Bay Ceramic “Blue” is the Manufacture Caliber MT5602-1U. This movement exemplifies TUDOR’s innovative approach to watchmaking, featuring adaptable architecture and meticulous design. It boasts a 70-hour power reserve, ensuring the watch remains accurate over a weekend without resetting. The movement’s robustness is enhanced by a variable inertia balance wheel maintained by a traversing bridge with two-point anchoring. Certified as a chronometer by COSC, this caliber exceeds standard precision requirements and is impervious to magnetic fields below 15,000 gauss.

The Black Bay Ceramic “Blue” merges contemporary, high-tech design with TUDOR’s storied heritage. Its matte black monobloc ceramic case, sand-blasted surfaces, and polished edges create a visually striking contrast. The rotatable bezel, also in black ceramic, features engraved graduations and a sunray satin finish. Complementing the watch’s sleek design is a hybrid leather and rubber strap with blue stitching and a complimentary black fabric strap with a blue band.

Drawing inspiration from TUDOR’s 1950s dive watches, the Black Bay line features the iconic “Snowflake” hands and a shoulderless crown, evoking the brand’s early models. This line blends traditional aesthetics with contemporary watchmaking, encapsulating 70 years of TUDOR dive watch history while meeting today’s rigorous standards of reliability and quality.

Every TUDOR watch is meticulously assembled and tested at the state-of-the-art TUDOR Manufacture in Le Locle, Switzerland. Completed in 2021, this facility epitomizes the synergy between traditional watchmaking expertise and advanced production technologies. Spanning over 5,500 square meters and connected to the Kenissi Manufacture, TUDOR ensures the quality and performance of its high-precision mechanical calibers through in-house development and production.