Today we look at the Blue Tudor Black Bay 58, one of the best everyday watches men can get. But is the Tudor Black Bay 58 worth it? Keep reading to find out. 

Short Tudor history lesson

Montres Tudor SA, or simply Tudor, came to life in 1926 in Geneve, Switzerland. The brand initially focused on producing professional military and diver watches. 

Its most famous line is for the French Marine Nationale, which was first created in 1956, based on a 1954 Oyster Prince Submariner watch. The Prince Submariner was also Tudor’s first diver watch that started it all.

The world of horology wouldn’t look like it does today if it weren’t for Hans Wilsdorf, the man behind two of the most influential and lasting watch brands, Tudor and Rolex. That guy knew how to tell a story. Although both brands create tool watches, Rolex was always perceived as a high-end luxury brand, while the Tudor brand was always the more practical little brother. 

It’s also an excellent visual play on the brands’ logos – Rolex has the famous crown, and Tudor has a shield, meaning it is always there to protect the crown. Tudor has also sometimes used the rose as its logo, and the Black Bay 58 features that rose on its crown.

In recent years, Tudor watches, both vintage and modern with a heritage, have skyrocketed in popularity on the high-end watch scene. For example, the Black Bay 58 became one of the best-selling watches overnight, creating waiting lists like its big brother. Artificial scarcity or not, not everyone could get their hands on one of these babies.

Tudor watches today

For many, Tudor nowadays is what Rolex used to be fifty or seventy years ago. It’s the vintage Rolex, but in a modern format and much more technologically advanced than its much older predecessors. In these crazy times, where getting a Rolex has become mission impossible for us peasants, Tudor can be a great alternative to Rolex. 

There are four lines to choose from:

• Black Bay series of heritage diver watches in bronze, silver, two-tone, gold, and stainless steel, including GMT and Chrono complications
• Sports series, such as Tudor Ranger, Royal, and Pelagos FXD
• Classic series, such as Tudor Style, 1926, and Glamour models
• Women’s watches

I’m not saying you should buy a Tudor and expect a Rolex. But, of course, that you won’t get. However, you can get a hell of a timepiece for much less money. They are much less flashy than a Rolex, but many people like that. It’s easier to pull off a watch like that as an everyday watch, hence its popularity.

Which Tudor to get?

If you’re looking for a Rolex Explorer alternative, here’s the Tudor Ranger in 39mm. Rolex Submariner? Tudor Black Bay 58, also with a case of 39mm, and its brother Black Bay in 41mm, come in several colors and primarily stainless steel. You can even get it on gold, as Harrods Edition, if that’s your style.

Remember that Tudor Black Bay 58’s sleeker case and smaller size make it much more wearable than the new Rolex Submariner, which comes in 41mm. It’s also less likely to be stolen in one of the big cities, considering that 9 out of 10 cases of watch robberies are for a Rolex, Patek, AP, or Richard Mille. 

Or get a Pelagos, offered in 39mm and 43mm, with a titanium bracelet and case. There is even a darker blue military issue, the FXD variant, a successor to the first dive watch Tudor supplied to the French Navy.

So, there are many choices to make. I know people who have bought the Black Bay 58 in black and blue and wear both. Considering their iconic, always popular design and difference in color variations, they are versatile enough to wear with anything and anywhere.

The Black Bay, 58 in black, has gilt details and offers a subdued, warmer vintage look, while the navy blue variant has a more modern, sterile look. I’ve often heard people say that black is for the winter and blue is for the summer, although I think both will look amazing in any setting. 

What is the difference between Tudor Black Bay 58 vs Black Bay?

If you look at the pictures and don’t know what you’re looking at, you won’t find many differences, but there are a few.

The Black Bay 58 comes in black and navy blue and a smaller 39mm case with 11.7mm thickness, which means they will look amazing on both smaller and larger wrists. However, it could be too small for huge wrists, which is where the Black Bay comes in. 

Its 41mm case and thickness of 14.75mm make it a reasonably large timepiece, making it too much for me. The 41 version is also offered in a red bezel edition. On the other side, the Black Bay 58 comes only in black and blue, and the black version has gilt details instead of white. 

Is Tudor Black Bay 58 better than Black Bay? 

That’s an entirely personal preference. I love the watch, just not on my wrist. It didn’t do anything for me when trying it on, and it felt too large and thick. The same happened when I tried Tudor GMT, Pelagos, and Tudor Black Bay Pro. All beautiful watches, but the wrong size for me. 

It’s one of the reasons why, although it wears smaller than 42mm, I will never get the iconic Omega Speedmaster. It’s a beautiful watch and an all-time classic, but not subtle enough for me. I could get the Reduced version, but it’s not the same watch. In the end, Rolex Daytona’s proportions eat it for breakfast for smaller wrists.

Tudor Black Bay 58 availability and value for money

Is the Tudor Black Bay 58 worth it? I say f*ck yes. 

Besides its wearability, cool factor, and iconic design, this watch has one of the best value for money on the market. It even achieved a higher price on the secondary market than its MSRP. That is super rare and, again, reserved for brands like Rolex, Patek, and AP. 

After all, it is available, or at least more than a Rolex. I got mine in less than two weeks at a popular AD without purchase history, so it’s nothing impossible. However, I didn’t buy it as a replacement for a Rolex. 

Yes, I did want a Rolex and ended up diving deeper into the Tudor brand because Rolexes were unavailable, but I bought the Black Bay 58 because I liked it when I gave it a chance. Then, I started obsessing about it, and when I finally bought it, I couldn’t be happier. Today, it’s hard for any other watch in my collection to make me take it off my wrist. 

How much should I pay for a Tudor Black Bay 58?

You shouldn’t pay a penny over its MSRP price, and that’s $3800 for the version on the stainless steel bracelet. 

I always recommend buying the watch with the stainless steel bracelet. Sourcing stainless steel bracelets are much more expensive than other types, such as nato or leather. For example, I know people who bought Black Bay 58 on a nato strap and then wanted to get a stainless bracelet after. They were quoted prices of $800 and upwards. 

On the contrary, the original nato strap for the same watch will set you back around $180. You can also search for other high-quality aftermarket nato straps. For example, Erika’s or Crown & Buckle offer great options, usually from $30 to more.

These watches are available, if not right away, with a bit of wait time. They are also a great way to build a relationship with your AD. If you ever plan to buy another, more scarce watch from that seller, that might come in handy. Buying a watch is an emotional process, so make sure to exclude emotion from the equation when making the decision.

That’s my opinion. You do what you want with your own money.

The bottom line

I love this piece more and more each day, and I could not be happier with my purchase. The Black Bay 58 is definitely worth the money and one of the best everyday watches for men. Well, if watch collecting is your hobby, at least. Otherwise, you don’t see any value in a watch over $200, and that’s okay. Take a look at G-Shock watches, then.

It’s my favorite daily wearer, and it goes well with everything. However, if I could have gotten the Rolex right away, I probably wouldn’t have even looked deeper into the Tudor brand. Boy, what I would miss.

Many Rolex owners I know have given a chance to one of the Tudors and loved it. But I know even more Rolex owners drowning in their snobbism, effectively dismissing any opportunity to try a watch because they think it’s not good enough for them. 

The lesson here is to give any well-made timepiece a chance because you never know what will make you fall in love. As a proud smaller and skinny wrist owner, I don’t even want a Rolex Submariner anymore.