Tudor is not a brand afraid to be step out of its comfort zone, and with the newly released Black Bay GMT in a white dial variant, Tudor shows us just that!
Tudor have been producing some great watches over the past decade, and have stepped up and taken the place Rolex used to own in the tool watch space. Tudor watches are fit for purpose, and not only this, Tudor as a brand like to push the boundaries a little and do the unexpected. Keeping with this theme, they have released a new look Black Bay GMT this year, changing nothing really on the watch other than the dial. Small change, big impact!
The Tudor GMT was a massive hit when it was released back in 2018. Watch enthusiasts wanted a more reasonably priced alternative to the Rolex GMT’s and Tudor in fine fashion answered. It became a much sought after watch from collectors, and to be honest, I even gave in to it, picking one up (finally) last year. And its a great watch.
Last year saw the release of the Tudor GMT “Root Beer”, and this was met with mixed reviews. Some pundits not loving the overall look of the steel version, and some wanting it to be slimmer, however, I felt these were minor grievances. Not surprising then that Tudor have added yet another GMT to it’s Black Bay collection, giving people multiple colour options and bracelet/strap combinations to choose from.
Unlike the Black Bay 41 Burgundy 3.0, which you can read about here, Tudor have decided to not change anything up with this release, other than the dial, which is presented in opaline white. Opaline seems to be a common dial variant at this year’s Watches and Wonders, and in the case of the Tudor GMT, it does pop! White is a classic colour, and paired with the ‘Pepsi’ bezel, just works.
The one small irritation I do have (purely based on the press photos) is the hour markers do blend into the dial, which was an issue I had with the Black Bay Chronograph, something on the white dial version of this just seemed not right. Tudor states that “through a galvanic process, a matte white-grey finish is applied to the dial, and the marker surrounds are darkened to create a noticeable contrast“.
Looking at the live pics however, there does seem to be a nice contrast here with the lume darker and more pronounced against the opaline white dial. And on the wrist it does look good paired with the black Jacquard-woven Nato strap. The burgundy stripe ties in to the red in the bezel, nicely offsetting the dial and making it stand out.
You still get the same Manufacture Calibre MT5652, COSC-certified with a silicon balance spring and 70-hour power reserve, which is becoming standard for Tudor. The case is satin-brushed 316L stainless steel, 41mm in diameter and the bidirectional rotating bezel features an anodised aluminium insert in burgundy and deep blue to give it the classic GMT function, and as per the other GMT models, is 200m water resistant, making it a true sports watch.
I’m sure there will be a back-log of orders for this model, and if you’re in the market for a reasonably priced GMT in a white dial, then the new Tudor GMT may just have your name on it.
Reference: M79830RB-0010
Specification
- CASE: 41mm stainless steel case with polished and satin finish
- BEZEL: 48-notch bidirectional rotating bezel in stainless steel with 24-hours graduated matt burgundy/blue anodised aluminium disc
- WINDING CROWN: Screw-down crown, with the TUDOR rose in relief, with circular satin-brushed steel winding crown tube
- DIAL: Domed opaline dial with a galvanic finish
- CRYSTAL: Domed sapphire crystal
- MOVEMENT: Manufacture Calibre MT5652 (COSC), Self-winding mechanical movement with bidirectional rotor system. Anti-magnetic silicon balance spring, vibrating at 4Hz / 28,800 vph.
- WATERPROOFNESS: Waterproof to 200m (660 ft)
- BRACELET: Three-link stainless steel bracelet with polished and satin finish, black fabric strap with burgundy accents
