Tudor Black Bay Burgundy Bezel (2023 model)

Quick specs Tudor Black Bay Burgundy Bezel
Price:
€ 4.330 | CHF 4’150 | $ 4,350 | £ 3,630 (3-link bracelet)
€ 4.130 | CHF 3’950 | $ 4,125 | £ 3,460 (rubber strap)
€ 4.440 | CHF 4’250 | $ 4,450 | £ 3,720 (5-link bracelet)
Size: 41 mm
Reference:
M7941A1A0RU-0001 (3-link bracelet)
M7941A1A0RU-0002 (rubber strap)
M7941A1A0RU-0003 (5-link bracelet)

Tudor is revising their Black Bay line-up and 11 years after launching the first model with burgundy bezel, it’s time for the 2023 version of the Tudor Black Bay Burgundy Bezel. It’s the second update of the BB collection as in 2016 the brand switched from ETA calibers to in-house movements. A result of the joint venture with Kenissi, a Swiss movement maker that produces for Tudor and is partly owned by Tudor. Thus, what brings this third generation?

Two things. First it has the Master Chronometer certification by METAS. This is the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology and having a certificate from them shows even more proof of quality then COSC. What stands for Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute. To make it more complicated: the Tudor Black Bay Burgundy Bezel has both. All new Black Bays with this movement will have both – as more models will be updated.

Does METAS and COSC makes the Tudor Black Bay Burgundy Bezel a better watch?

In short, the reason to have both a METAS as well as a COSC certificate is that the latter tests the movement and the first tests the movement after being cased and finished. So, after the COSC certification. What METAS + COSC should tell you is that the watch can withstand the Apocalypse and still run extremely precisely. In other words, Tudor is showing that their watches are among the best on the market. Something their big brother Rolex is renewed for.

Now quality is one thing, but the old models weren’t bad at all, so what else has changed? Well, the original from 2012 was a little fat with 14.8 millimeters. That has been brought down to 13.6. Still not the slimmest but more acceptable. The case bands are thinner, the case back is redesigned, the bezel slightly better to operate and more small changes have been made. From which the hands are the most noticeable. Only the hour hand keeps the classic snowflake design. The minute hand goes from baton to pencil style and the seconds hand is now lollipop style.

Tudor also lifted the movement to meet the demands for METAS so the Tudor Black Bay Burgundy Bezel is powered by the automatic MT5602-U caliber. Yes, an updated version of the MT5602, with a bidirectional rotor and a power reserve of 70 hours. The case is still capable of resisting 20 bar to protect the movement.

The Tudor Black Bay Burgundy Bezel is available with a rubber strap, a 3-link steel bracelet or a 5-link steel bracelet. Which is a jubilee bracelet in Rolex-speak. Given all certifications, the price for an almost indestructible tool watch like this is very reasonable.