Beginning a Dynasty
Okay, picture this: It’s 1914. Men are duking it out in trenches in the biggest war in history, dodging bombs and bullets like there’s no tomorrow, and they still have to dig around in the pockets of their uniforms just to be able to tell the time. Why? Because at this point, pocket-watches were basically considered to be the only acceptable timepiece for men. Wrist-watches in the early 20th century were small and delicate, and seen as basically too girly for men to wear. To avoid disaster, the soldiers improvised straps out of fabric and leather, attached pocket-watches to their arms and the men’s wrist-watch was here to stay!
One of the earliest proponents of the wrist-watch for men was Hans Wilsdorf, founder of Rolex. He was an extremely Hans-on inventor when it came to watch-making, and at the core of his personal ethos was his unwavering desire to achieve perfection. He believed he could create wrist-watches for men that were functional and rugged, like the ones made on the battlefield, but still incredibly elegant. And he did! And he constantly improved on them, making them waterproof and self-winding! But even that wasn’t enough! Hans realised he wanted the excellence of Rolex craftsmanship to reach a wider audience. He created a diffusion line, Tudor, in the hopes that he would be able to deliver perfection in watch form at a market-friendly price.
But Tudor is so much more than a little sibling. Since the brand’s 1926 founding, Tudor watches have become the go-to men’s watch for the Jamaican Defense Force, the Candian Navy, and the United States Navy due to their incredible quality and durability. A Tudor watch is not just a useful tool watch either! In a sea of plain metallic timepieces with white dials and black hands, Tudor’s innovative use of bold colors and 1970s-inspired designs distinguishes the watchmaker as an experimental design powerhouse compared to its more conservative peers. Tudor’s signature modern-meets-vintage look for men’s watches has become iconic and utterly unique to the brand, impressing sport watch and dress watch fans alike. Attend your coronation, and join the Tudor dynasty by sporting one of our recommended Tudor men’s watches!
Dive into the Black Bay!
The Tudor Black Bay watch is the pinnacle of Tudor watch design. Chic, colorful, and extraordinarily well-made, the Tudor Black Bay diving watch was an instant hit! Inspired by the classic look of the 1950s Tudor Submariner dive watches, the Tudor Black Bay watch combines the strength and resilience of an exceptional sports watch with an understated, but sophisticated look of a vintage dress watch. The watch is available in multiple colors and finishes, attached to both steel rivet and classic leather straps, but there are a few stand-outs we’d like to highlight.
The Black Bay Bronze, available with a plain black leather strap or a striped canvas strap, features a slate grey dial set into a rotatable bronze bezel, and is waterproof to 200 metres. The contrast between the warm bronze and the deep, nearly-black grey is truly stunning, and is likely to become even more stunning over time! Because the bezel is made of fine quality bronze, it will develop a patina over the years. Patina is an oxidized layer of brown, green, or black marks that develops on top of bronze over time to prevent corrosion. Each patina is unique, and adds a one-of-a-kind look of ruggedness and antiquity to a bronze watch. Since the Black Bay is already so heavily inspired by vintage men’s watches, it will not only become more attractive with age, but will look increasingly...well, vintage! It’s the perfect watch to pass down to future generations, and as such, will make a special and meaningful gift!
Warm metals aren’t for everyone, so for fans of cooler tones, we recommend the Black Bay 58 in Navy Blue! Available with a nautical striped fabric strap, a navy blue soft-touch leather strap, or a classic steel rivet bracelet, the Black Bay 58 in Navy Blue features, as the name suggests, a striking matte navy blue dial with silver gilded markings and numerals. The bold blue color is a reference to the Tudor Submariners famously worn by France’s Marine Nationale from the 60s to the 80s. The nautical look and colors of the diver’s watch make it the perfect summery accent piece, and fittingly, it was declared the must-have watch of the summer by GQ in 2020!