ON THE WRIST: Tudor Black Bay Fifty Four
MONDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2024
The 39mm BlackBay 58 is the perfect watch for everyone so what is this smaller watch for?
When I hear 37mm, I get a bit repulsed since I did not have a good experience with the Yachtmaster 37. The BlackBay 58 is probably my favourite watch in the collection and I have no reason to get the smaller 37mm 54 so why in the world did I get one?
PRO
Thin, light, comfortable
Improved finishing
CON
Prickly clasp
SPECIFICATION
37 mm Diameter
11.24 mm Thickness
200m Water Resistance
70 hours Power Reserve
46 mm Lug to Lug
A$ 5,450
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For not wanting a similar watch to the watches I already have in the collection so I went for one paired with rubber straps, don’t say Oysterflex. The Blackbay 54 is a throwback to the Tudor Submariner reference 7922 launched in 1954 which has the same diameter so there’s some history there.
This watch has a domed crystal to further remind the wearer that it is vintage inspired. Its identity has been further reminded by gold text on a grey sunburst dial. The case has a good mix of polished and brushed surfaces to make it look like a premium product but not too far off its tool watch dna. It is no surprise that this watch has a good amount of luminescent given its diving credentials.
Just like my 58, this has ceramic bearings on the clasp to minimise wear. It also has tool-free micro adjustments to get a comfortable fit. What are the differences to the 58 apart from the size is the bezel not having minute markers in the first quarter and red triangle at 12 o' clock.
Turning the uni-direction bezel with smaller teeth than the 58 feels and sounds good. Instead of a snowflake seconds hand, this has a lollipop seconds hand. It too has a smaller crown and that should be about it.
Cased inside is the automatic calibre MT5400 which keeps time within 2 seconds and has a power reserve of 70 hours. Waterproofed to 200 meter of water if you dare go near those depths.
The rubber has been cut to fit my 15cm wrist and together with the watch weights 88 grams. It tapers from 20mm to 18mm to provide the watch a good weight distribution and all day wrist comfort. Snowflake hand embossing is present on the strap presumably to help the wrist breathe better. If it doesn’t, it works as a cool detail.
The Black Bay 54 is compact in the best way possible where things are distilled to its essence to remind us that this is all we ever need. Try not to wear a watch while having a go at this watch at the boutique to have a more neutral take on the watch because I went in wanting to take an FXD home but went with this instead.