The Rolex Forums   The Rolex Watch

ROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEX

Old 13 October 2018, 11:20 PM   #1
jmoto
"TRF" Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Toronto
Posts: 2
Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight Review

I have since had to sell my Tudor Black Bay 58 to free up some cash but I wanted to post this short review that I had worked on for this much hyped (and justifiably so) 2018 Tudor release.

--

For starters I should note that I have owned both a Tudor Black Bay Steel and (for a small amount of time) the NEW Black Bay GMT Pepsi. Both of these watches were excellent but ultimately not for me. There are things to love about the Black Bay divers, an in-house movement, the snowflake hands, 70-hour power reserve and excellent value vs the ever-sky rocking prices of the Rolex brand.

BUT…. as many owners and reviews have pointed out the height of the MT5602 (and the modified GMT) in-house movement creates a watch that is too tall for my liking. It is a bit of an optical illusion, the first thing you notice when you pick up the previous Black Bay divers, is the side walls which appear shockingly deep compared to a Rolex Sub. Although the watch on wrist wore a little better than expected and the height was a little harder to notice, the watch always felt very large, heavy and seemed to get in my way. Adding to the issue for me was the 22mm bracelet, which along with the retro inspired rivets, creates a TON of wrist presence. It was also really hard for me to get a comfortable fit especially since I’ve been spoiled by the Glide-Lock system of the Sub Ceramic. The watch always felt a little loose for me but was too tight when I took out a further link. Experiences may vary but the Black Bay Steel and the Black Bay GMT were simply too large and uncomfortable for my 6.75-inch wrist.

Fast forward to Saturday when I picked up the Black Bay Fifty-Eight. All I can say is WOW, this is what the Black Bay Divers should have always been. First reaction when I opened the box was that the 39mm size was a little hard to notice, not having a previous 41mm Black Bay diver to compare. It looked similar to a Rolex Sub or Black Bay Diver in size to my eyes, but this all changed when I picked it up.

The first thing I noticed was that the watch felt lighter, not lightweight in a cheap, low-quality way, just more compact. The depth is just perfect, these proportions just right. Strapping this watch to my wrist with the new 20mm bracelet and the difference was VERY noticeable. It’s an incredibly comfortable watch, that has great wrist presence while still not being a burden on my wrist, the feeling I sometimes got with my Black Bay Steel.

Before having a chance to see the watch in person I was a little worried about the gold gilt on this watch. Pictures don’t do it justice, it is way subtler in person and adds a warmth to the dial that is very attractive. Although it’s hard to say how long rose gold will be in fashion, this watch has a discreet elegance in person and the hint of gold really gives it a unique, vintage look, exactly what Tudor was going for in this design.

I have really grown to love the Tudor snowflake hands and just like on the original Black Bay diver, they work very well on the Fifty-Eight. I am not really a huge fan of a forced-retro look but the cream color of the hands and hour markers is really nice and contributes to that warm feeling of the dial.
The bezel rotation is sturdy and instills confidence but I found that it was a little stiffer than I would like and definitely doesn’t give me that hint of excitement every time I rotate the bezel of my Rolex Ceramic Sub.

There is a great duality between the matte finish of the dial/bezel vs the shinning sparkle of the gold outlined hands/hour markers, it makes you stop and stare as your eyes focus back and forth on the contrast and creates a dial with surprising depth. While having a date is handy, the lack of a date function on this watch isn’t a big deal for me. It’s a beautiful dial and without the date the symmetry adds to it.

I do love the curve of the sapphire crystal, a feature that gives the Fifty-Eight that extra feeling of a vintage piece. As well the larger crown and Tudor rose in relief are a nice touch and classier looking than the previous Black Bay divers.

Topping it all off is the red triangle that adds a little vintage pop to the whole watch. I still think that as a modern tool watch it would look great without the gold gilt, but for a bit of dressier appeal and to separate it from the conservative Rolex line, this watch really nails it.

Now for some things I don’t like. My particular watch has a strange indent on the paint of the lume. It’s not a huge deal and is pretty hard to see but from a quality control standpoint it’s a little disappointing when you are spending this kind of money. My struggle with the Tudor bracelet continues, wearing the Black Bay Fifty-Eight a little looser than I would like just because I can’t seem to find the perfect fit. There also seems to be a bit of a design flaw where the link located beside the clasp doesn’t fall 90 degrees creating an issue where the clasp system seems to take up a substantial portion of the bracelet, I can see this being an issue for people with smaller wrists. My last small knock would be the shield-shaped clasp which wears against the adjoining link and creates unnecessary wear. OK, I’m nitpicking here because this watch doesn’t have a ton of flaws.

Comparing the Black Bay Fifty-Eight to my Rolex Ceramic Sub Date is an interesting exercise. The Rolex does feel more substantial and actually looks bigger than I thought it would with its broad lugs and squarer appearance. They are both comfortable on the wrist, but the Rolex is still more comfortable, not to mention it has one of the best bracelets you can get with the Glide-lock system that makes the Rolex my favorite diver in terms of a comfortable fit. There is no doubt that even without the gold, the Rolex sub has much more elegance. It is a combination of the deep inky blacks of the dial and the sharp contrast of the white markers and hands. This along with the almost wet appearance of the ceramic bezel and you still understand why the Rolex is the more premium product. The Sub is a classic and I wouldn’t trade her for the Fifty-Eight (or many other watches for that matter) but for the difference in price the Tudor seems like a bargain.

All in all, I think this watch is a keeper in my collection. The dimensions are near perfect and it has all the heart and soul of the Tudors that have come before it both from a vintage perspective and the previous Black Bay Divers. As a one watch piece it checks so many boxes, a watch that can be worn to a business meeting during the week and with a t-shirt on the weekends. It’s a great watch and represents some amazing value for money, you get 80% of a Rolex for less than 50% of the price. An excellent in house-movement with a 70-hour power reserve and a diver that wears beautifully on the wrist. This is a home run for Tudor and I am sure this will be reflected in long wait times at the AD’s. But if you are lucky enough to get the Black Bay Fifty-Eight on your wrist, you will be rewarded with what some will likely think is the best Tudor watch in the current lineup.
jmoto is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25 October 2018, 07:39 AM   #2
dakine_surf
"TRF" Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Santa Barbara
Posts: 15
Wow thanks for the write-up, I love the Black Bay, But I haven't had a chance to see one in person yet
dakine_surf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 1 December 2018, 10:25 AM   #3
Niely
"TRF" Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Belgium
Posts: 11
Thanks for the long essay!
Niely is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25 December 2018, 12:44 AM   #4
mfm22
"TRF" Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Real Name: Mike
Location: NY
Watch: Explorer 1
Posts: 488
Nice honest appraisal , surprised the 58 didn't wear better than the Sub
mfm22 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28 December 2018, 11:43 AM   #5
Neutronman
"TRF" Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Real Name: Greg
Location: Camarillo, ca
Watch: Tudor Blackbay 58
Posts: 17
I can see your point of view. I owned one of the first Black bays and loved the look, but it was too big on my wrist, the 58 solved this problem for me nicely, however I prefer my Oris divers 65 with bronze bezel over the black bay and the BB 58. However I have small wrists 6.5in.
Neutronman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28 December 2018, 12:25 PM   #6
importstunna
"TRF" Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: World
Watch: BLNR
Posts: 855
Great review! I have had the 58 alongside my 16610 for a few months now, and I agree with most of your comments. The clasp/bracelet issue is the biggest negative for me. I feel like they could have done a better job with that.
importstunna is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Takuya Watches

Bobs Watches

Asset Appeal

My Watch LLC

OCWatches

DavidSW Watches

Coronet


*Banners Of The Month*
This space is provided to horological resources.





Copyright ©2004-2024, The Rolex Forums. All Rights Reserved.

ROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEX

Rolex is a registered trademark of ROLEX USA. The Rolex Forums is not affiliated with ROLEX USA in any way.