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8 December 2019, 03:04 PM | #1 |
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Tudor Black Bay ETA Blue 79220b long term ownership impressions
I purchased this watch brand new from BenBridge on May 27, 2019 and have been wearing it as part of a 4 watch rotation for a little over 6 months. Here are my personal impressions which encompass both form and function of the watch.
Timekeeping: Timekeeping is arguably a watch’s most important aspect. This iteration of the BB is fitted with a Tudor modified ETA 2824-2. I checked the timekeeping when first purchased by comparing against time.gov and again prior to this write up. Both times clocked in at +2 seconds in 24 hours. Good enough for me. The power reserve lasts about a day and a a half give or take 2 hours. Dial and hands: A simple time only layout, the dial is very legible in a variety of situations outside of normal daylight including underwater, in pitch darkness, in a blizzard, and even with beer goggles on. The hands and hour markers are lined with polished white metal, generously filled with lume, and set against a matte black textured dial. The hour and seconds hand features Tudor’s signature snowflake design. The minute track, text, and logo is tastefully applied in silver. Aesthetically, this watch is very pleasing to my eyes and it is a joy to read the time. Watch case: The case is constructed with 316L steel, an industry standard. It makes good use of alternating brushed and polished finishing for definition and contrast. This is most evident when viewing the BB at an angle where the face, lug bevels, and polished sides are visible. 41mm in diameter, it sits right at the upper limit of case sizes that I am willing to wear. The case dimensions are well proportioned when directly facing the watch. As mentioned earlier, the watch is highly legible and this is in part due to the case size allowing for a larger dial. However, the side profile of the watch is less than ideal. Not just because of the height of the watch but also because it is not contoured as well as it could have been. To illustrate, here is a side profile of the BB compared to that of the Rolex Milgauss. Note that the side profile of the Milgauss despite being a taller watch is voluptuously contoured and makes good use of a deep rather than flush caseback of the BB. Timing bezel: The 60 click unidirectional bezel has a solid tactile feel and audible click when manipulated. It is very satisfying to turn this bezel. The blue anodized aluminum variant with applied silver indices is my preferred choice between the 3 standard versions. Though unnecessary , the bezel is surprisingly easy to manipulate underwater even with gloved hands. The lume pip is adequately sized and is legible in low visibility conditions. Lume: They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Crown: Functionally the crown is easy to grip, even with gloved hands due to being oversized. Winding the crown is a pleasure as the tactile feel is smooth. Setting the hands accurately is a breeze if you are so compelled. Water resistance: It’s a diver style watch and marketed as one. It has a water resistance rating of 200m or 660ft. I doubt I’ll ever get down there. I get drunk enough as it is at 30m. It’s gone on 2 separate dives down to 18m and 24m respectively and hasn’t had water infiltration issues. Bracelet finish and fitting: The bracelet is Tudor’s variant of the 3 link oyster. It is mostly brushed with polished flanks. It has issues both on land and underwater with regard to fitting. I have a 7 inch wrist for reference and cannot get a snug fit with this thing. It’s either too tight or just loose enough to slide around. 3 position adjustment within the clasp is all you get. I also noticed that the last link connected to the clasp cannot articulate freely causing added length on the underside of the wrist when worn. This may be a non issue for people with larger wrists. Lastly, the lack of a simple dive extension on a dive watch simply does not make any sense. It’s okay if I was diving warm water all the time but its a bit of a hassle using it with a 5.5mm dive suit in colder waters. Clasp security: Clamshell design similar to the Rolex oyster lock. It feels secure and hasn’t opened unexpectedly, even when accidentally bumped into solid objects. Tudor’s use of ceramic snaps both in the swing arm and clamshell lock is purportedly intended to reduce wear and tear over time with opening and closing. Only time will tell if this is a gimmick or a truly useful feature. For now, it’s has a nice tactile feel when opening and locking the clasp. All things considered, the “Blue Rose” is just as I predicted, a keeper and one that has found its place into my modest collection. I intend to update this thread as necessary with any significant changes or biennially for long term ownership pictures. |
31 December 2019, 10:54 PM | #2 |
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Amazing post, thank you!
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31 December 2019, 11:19 PM | #3 |
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Great watch and a nice review. Thank you.
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1 January 2020, 12:57 AM | #4 |
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Excellent review. And yes, a keeper.
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2 January 2020, 01:12 PM | #5 |
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Tudor BB’s are really nice... I’d love a 58.
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3 January 2020, 10:28 PM | #6 |
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Thank you for sharing the photographs and your review, the all blue bezel looks great and a nice contrast to the Rolex Batman
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4 January 2020, 05:44 PM | #7 |
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Thanks for sharing the review
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10 February 2020, 03:42 AM | #8 |
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You set up and took the time to post a very nice review, Kudos for you. I've had the same BB for 2+ years now in my collection (Milgauss as well) and feel the same way. I'm no diver just a casual swimmer in salt water while on vacations and wear mine not too often. I have it riding on an open link ranger type bracelet now and it works for me. I had a red inhouse before this but it was too bulky and i didnt care for the faux bracelet rivets or patina. Once i saw the blue eta version for real it was all over i had to make the switch. I had a thought of selling it once but couldn't bear the thought of it being gone so i know it's a keeper for sure. Here's my (so-so, need better) pics. Thanks again for your very nice and spot on review...
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11 February 2020, 02:57 PM | #9 | |
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Tudor Black Bay ETA Blue 79220b long term ownership impressions
Ohh wow! I haven’t checked on this thread! Thank you so much everyone for the kind words. I look forward to updating this thread with any new findings as well as updated images of the watch as it ages along with me.
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15 March 2020, 02:39 AM | #10 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: May 2013
Real Name: Nick
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Tudor Black Bay ETA Blue 79220b long term ownership impressions
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15 March 2020, 04:53 AM | #11 |
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Great writeup, Nick! Love the blue bezel and it looks right at home on the beach.
dP
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