[VIDEO] Hands-On with the New Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT

Among the Tudor novelties this year is a watch that many enthusiasts and fans of the brand have been clamoring for for years: the Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT. Since the moment the Black Bay 58 was released in 2019, the “put a GMT on it” crowd has loudly and frequently suggested that the travel friendly complication be added to the vintage inspired diver. Endless renderings shared across forums and social media over the years have suggested what the watch might look like, and now it’s here. 

The new Black Bay 58 GMT is pretty much exactly what you would expect: the classic 58 form factor with a 39mm case, slightly domed black dial, gilt accents, and a classic burgundy and black “Coke” style 24 hour bezel. There’s an unframed date window at 3:00, and the watch is mounted to a three-link “rivet-style” bracelet or a rubber strap, both of which are mated to a T-fit clasp for easy on-the-fly adjustment. 

The question comes up almost as soon as you realize what you’re looking at: how thick is it? After the Black Bay Pro was unveiled two years ago, the conversation focused on the watch’s proportions, with many insisting the 14mm thick case was just too chunky. For the 58 GMT, I don’t think anyone will realistically be able to make the same claims. The case measures a very reasonable 12.8mm tall, and has the same gentle curves as the 58 we’ve known for years. 

On the wrist, the Black Bay 58 GMT wears incredibly well, which is what you’d expect given the classic proportions, proven over decades to be ideal for just about anyone. Much of this watch’s wrist presence comes from the way Tudor has executed the dial, though. Like every Black Bay 58, this one feels like a vintage throwback, but to me this GMT is playing with a more luxe aesthetic and pulling from a different series of influences than the more tool-ish divers of the last few years. The gilt accents have a warmth to them and the bezel a glossiness that I think makes it somewhat distinct from the rest of the collection. 

The watch is powered by the MT5450-U caliber, a new movement that has been both COSC and METAS certified. Like prior GMT issued by Tudor, this one has the same “flyer” functionality, allowing for quick time changes while traveling without hacking the movement. This watch (and others released this week by Tudor) continue their movement (pardon the pun) to ensure everything they make is METAS certified. 

The Black Bay 58 GMT arrives at a time when Tudor has been on something of a hot streak, and interest in the brand seems to be at an all time high. That hot streak, you could argue, really started to build with the introduction of the original Black Bay 58, so the introduction of this watch feels like a circle closing moment in a way. It’s also a fascinating example of a brand giving customers (seemingly) exactly what they’ve been asking for. Somewhere out there, in the archives of a watch enthusiast forum, there’s surely a mockup of a watch that looks almost exactly like this. Now that it’s here, it will be fascinating to see how those same enthusiasts react. 

The Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT starts at CHF 4,100 and will be available soon from Tudor retail channel. Tudor