Mario Canonizado 
After leaving us on tenterhooks on Day 1 of Watches & Wonders 2025, Tudor has finally unveiled their latest novelties! Among the slew of new releases is the Black Bay 68, which figuratively – and literally – sizes up the classic design!
Ah, Watches & Wonders ’25 – Even all the way back home, you can feel the magic in the air! Okay, maybe in Queensland that’s just the humidity, but still! The world’s biggest watch festival is in full swing now, and there’s nothing that can possibly stop the hype train now.
Speaking of hype trains, though; While the annual festival always brings with it incredible horological works of art and mechanical science, there are always two brands that the world waits for with bated breath. One of these brands, of course, is Rolex – but this year it seems that the party was spoiled early due to the shocking amount of leaks that came in! The other brand, however, is Tudor, and unlike their big sister brand they were able to keep their latest releases under lock-and-key. So much so, that even most people within Tudor didn’t even know what was coming!
That all changed yesterday as Watches and Wonders kicked off. Plenty of Tudor fans, myself included, hopped onto the website to watch the countdown to the Shield’s newest releases. When the clock struck zero, I was among the throngs of online watch lovers that jumped for the ‘Discover More’ button, only to be made an April Fool among many. As it turns out, so many of us jumped onto the website at the same time that Tudor simply couldn’t handle it, collapsing briefly several times as our Wi-Fi connections crawled over each other to reach the metaphorical Pearly Gates. Once I made it through, however, one release immediately caught my eye: The Tudor Black Bay 68.
However, with the design echoing all the same design principles of Tudor Black Bay models past, it begs the question: What’s the big deal? Well, that’s a good question to ask! The Tudor Black Bay 68 is indeed a big deal – not only is it ten counts bigger than 2018’s iconic Black Bay 58, but it’s also bigger and better than before! Measuring up to 43mm in case diameter with a 13.6mm thickness, the Black Bay 68 literally expands the Black bay 58 model, coming in either a blue or silver dial variation. Both dials feature sunray-brushing, providing a sporty yet elegant aesthetic supported by a matte black aluminium bezel insert.
While I know some may have their reservations with Tudor still using aluminium inserts as opposed to the superior ceramic, I think that the aluminium adds a superior matte quality to the watch, and a shiny ceramic bezel would detract far too much from the dial. Besides, even though the Black Bay 68 – like the Black Bay Burgundy and other siblings – sports a 200m water resistance, the Black Bay models have always behaved more as a tribute to the dive watch as opposed to a purely functional, professional reference. If you want that, go for the Pelagos collection – maybe even the new Pelagos Ultra!
Related Reading: Tudor Black Bay Bronze Blue Bucherer Special Edition Review
It’s not all new dial colours and sizes, however, as the Tudor Black Bay 68 has also been aesthetically and ergonomically adjusted in several different areas. 43mm in the Tudor catalogue, up until now, had been relegated to scant few novelties such as the Black Bay Bronze. However, Tudor has done more than just adopt the same case dimensions, as they have thinned the watch massively, shaving 1mm off of the thickness of the watch. While this doesn’t sound significant on paper, I trust that if you’ll feel the difference yourself if and when you get to try these on!
Another major adjustment of note is that the T-Fit micro-adjustable clasp is available in the Tudor Black Bay 68 bracelet! A major pain point of buying Tudor’s larger models has always been the fact that the T-fit has never been made available on them. It seems, then, that Tudor is well on the way towards remedying this issue – although they have a long road ahead of them if they are to nullify the problem entirely. My favourite change by far, however, is actually a minute one to the crown. On the Black Bay 68, the crown has been set flush into the case, removing the visible tube from the silhouette. While I did say that the Black Bay line is ostensibly a tribute to dive watches of old, this small addition just gives the watch a more put-together appearance, making it appear more professional and sporty.
Of course, ‘bigger and better’ can only be complete with the addition of a new movement, and the Tudor-Kenissi manufacture in Le Locle is not about to disappoint! Though it’s not visible through the signature solid case back, prospective buyers can take comfort in the debuting Calibre MT5601-U in the Black Bay 68! Beating at the luxury standard 4Hz (28,800VpH) atop a 70-hour power reserve, the MT56__-U series of movements are quickly becoming a Tudor staple. Not only is it renowned for its reliability and robustness, but the MT5601-U is guaranteed to be deadly accurate, thanks to both its COSC and METAS certifications.
While you might be familiar with COSC, whom require an accuracy rating of -4/+6 seconds deviation per day to deem a movement Chronometer certified, the METAS Master Chronometer certification takes it a step further. Not only is METAS (Metrologie und Akkreditierung Schweiz/Metrology & Accreditation Switzerland) a part of the Swiss Federal Department of Justice & Police, but they require an even harsher accuracy rating of 0/+5 seconds deviation per day, even after the watch has been fully assembled! Once an award that Swatch brand Omega championed themselves for, Tudor’s MT5601-U presents itself as an extremely well-engineered movement that has positioned itself for war with horological heavyweights.
My Thoughts
Tudor will always hold somewhat of a soft spot for me when it comes to my horological journey. The 2023 Tudor Black Bay GMT Opaline was one of my first-ever serious watch purchases; Before then I had only dabbled in entry-level and economically justifiable timepieces. It was one of the first watches that really attracted me – the other being the Oris Cervo Volante – and really brought me into the watch game in a big way.
The release of the Tudor Black Bay 68, in a similar vein, is another watch that is bound to bring more enthusiasts like me into the watch game in a big way – no pun intended this time. It’s almost a perfect introduction to the luxury watch game for those with the wrist to handle it, sporting a timeless aesthetic compounded by reliable specs and an exceptional movement. It’s everything you could possibly ask for tin a watch, and certainly one heck of an upgrade from the previous larger-sized Black Bay watches!
It seems, then, that through this release Tudor might be planning a big move upwards sooner rather than later. And while I might not go with them (depending on what my wallet allows), I will certainly get to experience it either way – and you should too!
References: M7943A1A0NU-0001 (Blue)/M7943A1A0NU-0002 (Silver)
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 43mm case diameter x 13.6mm thickness
- Case Material: Stainless steel with matte black aluminum bezel insert
- Dial: Sunray-brushed blue/silver dial
- Movement: Automatic Cal. MT5601-U with COSC Chronometer/METAS Master Chronometer certifications
- Power Reserve: 70h
- Water Resistance: 200m (20bar)
- Strap: Stainless steel T-Fit micro-adjustable bracelet with folding clasp
