In 2019, Tudor goes for a classy-yet-sporty aesthetic by pairing steel with gold
With two-toned watches shaping up to be one of the hottest horological trends of 2019, Tudor is definitely bringing its A game with its Steel and Gold models.
Two-toned watches are making a comeback this year. And for Tudor, this means applying the Steel and Gold (S&G) treatment to more members of its family.
There’s plenty to love about a watch with this particular combination. For one, a two-toned watch oozes charm and elegance without being too in-your-face, as opposed to, say, having a hefty chunk of pure gold on your wrist. And while the gold lends a touch of luxury, the stainless steel brings robustness; a watch of pure gold would be much more prone to scuffs and scratches.
For Tudor, the 2019 novelty that has got everyone buzzing – besides, of course, the Black Bay P01 – is the new Black Bay Chrono S&G. The Black Bay Chrono itself was launched in 2017 with a stainless steel case and a matching stainless steel tachymeter bezel.
The update for this year is the new two-toned construction, but by far the most eye-catching part of the design is the gilt dial and the gold chronograph registers.
Full disclosure: Even though the bezel may be solid gold, some elements like the crown and the bracelet are ‘gold capped’. This, as opposed to gold plating, means that there is a thicker layer of gold on the steel surface. So even with minor scratches and dings, the steel beneath will not show.
Thanks to this method of construction, Tudor is able to keep the prices of these S&G models (there are three altogether; the other two come with brown leather and black fabric straps) accessible.
The movement powering the Black Bay Chrono S&G is the in-house Manufacture Calibre MT5813. This is the self-winding chronograph movement developed in collaboration with Breitling, and is based on the Breitling Calibre B01. (In return, Breitling got the B20 which was derived from the Tudor Calibre MT5612).
Three other models are also pushing the S&G agenda this year: The Black Bay 41; Black Bay 36; and Black Bay 32 – essentially the same watch in different case sizes (the numbers refer to the watches’ diameters in mm). The variety of case sizes means more choice for consumers and the simple three-hand function makes them perfect as daily beaters.
The standout models are the ones with the champagne dials (each size comes with a champagne dial option as well as a black dial option). Combined with the two-toned, five-link bracelet, these watches recall the heyday of Tudor’s glamorous Oyster Prince watches in the 1970s and 1980s.
The satin brushed finish on the case, bezel and bracelet give the watches a more casual look, a characteristic of sport watches. On the other hand, accents of yellow gold and the five-link bracelet lend sophistication.
Alas, the only ‘downside’ is that they run on ETA’s 2824 movements and remain one of the few watches in Tudor’s arsenal to not sport in-house movements. But if you’re not a stickler for such details, the watches make a very compelling case for wrist envy.
