Guide To The Best Tudor Watch Models

Celine Simon Monday, February 19th, 2024 8 min. read

Ever since its rebranding and re-introduction to the American market in 2013, Tudor has soared in popularity, gaining a widespread appreciation for its collection of well-built watches that combine appealing designs, solid mechanics, and good-quality materials all available at accessible price points. Tudor’s connection with Rolex doesn’t hurt either; while these sibling companies operate in different price segments, there is an undeniable overlap in designs. Tudor leans into the tool watch genre particularly well with its assortment of excellent divers, chronographs, and GMTs, and offers a solid selection of everyday watches. So, with that in mind, what is the best Tudor watch? Well, as always, that depends on what you’re looking for in a watch. Let’s have a look at some of the best Tudor watches for various needs, wants, tastes, and budgets.

Best Everyday Tudor Watch: Black Bay 31/36/39/41

Best Tudor Watch Models: Black Bay 41
Black Bay 41 (Image: Tudor)

Okay, so it’s not the most elegant of watch collection names but the Black Bay 31/36/39/41 line does offer the best selection of everyday Tudor watches. Characterized by water-resistant round cases, simple time-only dials, and sturdy bracelets, these Tudor timepieces are solid GADA watches. While these everyday Tudor Black Bay watches have been around for a while now, the newest-generation models (released in 2023) offer plenty of upgraded features worth checking out.

As the name suggests, there are several sizes to choose from (31mm, 36mm, 39mm, and 41mm), all offered with stainless steel cases paired with steel Jubilee-style bracelets. The bracelets benefit from Tudor’s “T-fit” clasp, with rapid adjustment to find that perfect fit. There are a few dial options, including blue, anthracite, and champagne, with or without diamond hour markers.

The biggest update to the range was the inclusion of COSC-certified in-house movements across all sizes.

Tudor Black Bay 31/31/36/41 Specs

References79680 (41mm)
79660 (39mm)
79640 (36mm)
79600 (31mm)
CaseStainless steel
BezelFixed, smooth, stainless steel
DialBlue, Anthracite, Champagne
Diamond hour markers available
FunctionsHours, minutes, seconds
MovementCaliber MT5601 (41mm), 70 hours power reserve, COSC-certified, automatic
Caliber MT5602 (39mm), 70 hours power reserve, COSC-certified, automatic
Caliber MT5400 (36mm), 70 hours power reserve, COSC-certified, automatic
Caliber MT5201 (31mm), 50 hours power reserve, COSC-certified, automatic
Water Resistance100 meters (330 feet)
BraceletFive-link stainless steel bracelet with T-fit folding clasp
2024 Retail Price (MSRP)$3,800 to $4,975
Tudor Black Bay 31/31/36/41 Watch Specs

Other Top-Notch Daily-Wear Tudors:

Best Tudor Dive Watch: Pelagos 39

Picking the best diving watch from Tudor is a tough task considering the brand specializes in divers. However, the Pelagos 39 did pick up the prize for Best Sports Watch at the 2023 GPHG, and it’s hard to argue that given what the watch offers.

First up, there’s the 39mm case, a versatile size that would suit a wide range of wrists. Then there’s the lightweight titanium construction, including case and bracelet, making this a super comfortable dive watch to wear all the time — in or out of the water. Water resistance is solid at 200 meters deep and as is customary for diving watches, the ceramic bezel is unidirectional.

While the Pelagos 39 is currently only available with a black dial and bezel, we wouldn’t be surprised if Tudor eventually adds more colors into the mix.

Tudor Pelagos 39 Specs

Reference25407N
CaseTitanium
BezelUndirectional, black ceramic insert, 60-minute scale
DialBlack sunray
FunctionsHours, minutes, seconds
MovementCaliber MT5400, 70 hours power reserve, COSC-certified, automatic
Water Resistance200 meters (660 feet)
BraceletThree-link titanium bracelet with T-fit folding clasp and diving extension
2024 Retail Price (MSRP)$4,700
Tudor Pelagos 39 Watch Specs

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Other Top-Notch Tudor Divers

Best Tudor Chronograph Watch: Black Bay Chrono

Tudor has been making chronograph watches since 1970 and the brand continues to offer some excellent models in its current catalog. Among them, the best Tudor chronograph in production today has got to be the full stainless steel Black Bay Chrono with a matching steel bracelet, available with either a black dial or vintage-inspired white “panda” dial housed inside its 41mm case.

The 200-meter water-resistant case is fitted with screw-down chronograph pushers and topped with a black tachymeter scale bezel. The dial layout includes two chronograph registers, as well as a date window at 6 o’clock, and the watch uses the in-house Caliber MT5813 (developed with Breitling) as its engine. The Caliber MT5813 is a self-winding column wheel chronograph movement with 70 hours of power reserve; it is also COSC-certified.

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In short, this is perhaps the best value-for-money Swiss-made chronograph when you consider the specs offered at its relatively affordable price point.

Tudor Black Bay Chrono Specs

References79360N-0001 (black dial)
79360N-0002 (white dial)
CaseStainless steel, 41mm
BezelMatte black anodized aluminum insert, tachymeter scale
DialBlack with silver counters or
White with black counters
FunctionsHours, minutes, chronograph, date window
MovementCaliber MT5813, 70 hours power reserve, COSC-certified, automatic
Water Resistance200 meters (660 feet)
BraceletThree-link steel bracelet with folding clasp and safety catch
2024 Retail Price (MSRP)$5,550
Tudor Black Bay Chrono Watch Specs

Other Top-Notch Tudor Chronographs

  • Tudor Heritage Chrono
  • Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono
  • Tudor Oysterdate Chronographs

Best Tudor GMT Watch: Black Bay GMT

The GMT watch has become an increasingly popular watch type; it does, after all, offer the practical benefit of indicating two time zones simultaneously and the option to read a third one. Not only is it a handy timepiece for either frequent travelers or for folks who do business across various time zones but it’s also a good-looking design for anyone to enjoy. When it comes to Tudor, the best option is the Black Bay GMT with a white dial, which joined the collection in 2023.

The 41mm stainless steel case is topped with a with a blue and red bezel similar to the famous Rolex Pepsi, graduated with 24 numerals to indicate the second time zone. While the black dial version of the Tudor Black Bay GMT has been around since 2018, the fresh white dial lends a fantastic retro touch to the watch. Along with the four hands at the center — including a red 24-hour hand—there’s also a discreet date window at 3 o’clock.

Powered by the Caliber MT5652 automatic movement, the watch is a “true” GMT in that the wearer can jump the hour hand forward or backward when traveling to adjust to local time while keeping the 24-hour hand adjusted to home time. The popular Black Bay Pro is also a solid choice for a GMT watch, although it lacks a rotating bezel.

Tudor Black Bay GMT Specs

References79830RB-0010
CaseStainless steel, 41mm
BezelBidirectional rotatable steel, 24-hour graduated anodized aluminum insert in matt burgundy and blue
DialDomed opaline dial
FunctionsLocal hours, minutes, seconds, and date, 24-hour hand
MovementCaliber MT5652, 70 hours power reserve, COSC-certified, automatic
Water Resistance200 meters (660 feet)
BraceletThree-link steel bracelet with folding clasp and safety catch
2024 Retail Price (MSRP)$4,375
Tudor Black Bay GMT Watch Specs

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Best Tudor Dress Watch: 1926

Best Tudor Watch Models: 1926 Dress Watch
1926 Dress Watch (Image: Tudor)

Tudor may not be famous for dress watches since the company makes so many popular sports watches, yet if you look closer at the lineup you’ll spot numerous more formal timepieces. Take for example the Tudor 1926, which is the best Tudor dress watch available especially for the money. In fact, the 1926 collection is where you’ll find some of the best deals on Tudor watches.

Named after the company’s founding year, the Tudor 1926 watch is classically styled with a round case, unembellished bezel, clean time and date dial, and a smattering of Arabic numerals. In customary Tudor fashion, the watch is available in an assortment of sizes (41mm, 36mm, and 28mm), materials, dial colors, and bracelets or bands, which makes finding the perfect affordable dress watch even easier.

Tudor 1926 Specs

References and Cases41mm: 91650 (steel), 91651 (steel/rose gold)
36mm: 91450 (steel), 91451 (steel/rose gold)
31mm: 91350 (steel), 91351 (steel/rose gold)
BezelFixed, smooth, polished
DialBlack, white, silver
Diamond hour markers available
FunctionsHours, minutes, seconds, date
MovementCaliber T601 (41mm and 36mm), 38 hours power reserve, automatic
Caliber T201 (28mm), 38 hours power reserve, automatic
Water Resistance100 meters (330 feet)
BraceletSeven-link bracelets or
Leather bands
2024 Retail Price (MSRP)$1,875 – $4,025
Tudor 1926 Watch Specs

Other Top-Notch Tudor Dress Watches

Best Two-Tone Tudor Watch: Black Bay S&G

Best Tudor Watch Two Tone: Black Bay S&G
Black Bay Tudor S&G Watch (Image: Tudor)

Like its sibling company Rolex, Tudor offers a large assortment of two-tone watches, ranging from dressier pieces to sporty numbers. And the best-looking out of all of them is the Black Bay S&G, a snazzy steel and yellow gold dive watch that’s not too dissimilar to the two-tone Rolex Submariner.

The retro-inspired diver features a 41mm case, a unidirectional aluminum bezel, and a time and date dial. The yellow gold center links, crown, and bezel contrast nicely with the remaining steel components while the golden details on the black dial variant lend a vintage touch to the watch. Tudor also offers the watch with a champagne dial. If two-tone bracelets are a bit much for you, Tudor also provides the option of a leather strap or a fabric strap.

Like all Black Bay diving watches, the S&G edition is water-resistant to 200 meters and runs on an in-house automatic movement. Tudor keeps the price of this two-tone diver’s watch relatively affordable thanks to the use of gold-capped details rather than solid gold components. Essentially, this is one of the best deals on Tudor watches if you’re a fan of the two-tone luxury sports watch style,

Tudor Black Bay S&G Specs

References79733N
CaseStainless steel
41mm
BezelUndirectional steel bezel gold-capped
Black bezel anodized aluminum insert with 60-minute scale
DialBlack or champagne
FunctionsUnidirectional steel bezel gold-capped
Black bezel anodized aluminum insert with 60-minute scale
MovementCaliber MT5612, 70 hours power reserve, COSC-certified, automatic
Water Resistance200 meters (660 feet)
BraceletThree-link steel bracelet, gold-capped center links, folding clasp with safety catch
2024 Retail Price (MSRP)$5,975
Tudor Black Bay GMT Watch Specs

Other Top-Notch Two-Tone Tudors

  • Tudor Black Bay Chrono S&G
  • Tudor Black Bay GMT S&G
  • Tudor Black Bay 31/36/39/41 S&G

Best Tudor Watch To Invest In

The best Tudor to invest in is the one that you’ll wear the most and get the most enjoyment out of! As we’ve said many times before, watches shouldn’t be looked at as financial investments and kept away in a safe; they’re meant to be worn and enjoyed.

While some vintage Tudor watches (particularly Tudor Submariners) are highly collectible and command high prices in the vintage market, modern Tudor watches rarely trade above retail prices. Immediately following the announcement of a not new Tudor sports model, grey market prices may bump up to over MSRP, but they eventually stabilize.

Further Reading:
How to Sell a Tudor Watch
Everything You Need to Know About Tudor Military Watches
On The Wrist: Vintage Tudor Submariner 75090 Review

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