Our favourite Tudor watches of 2024
Jamie WeissThere’s a strong argument that 2024 was the year Tudor finally shrugged off the label of “Rolex’s little sibling”. Yes, Tudor will always benefit from its association with the world’s biggest watch brand, but 2024 saw the fan-favourite firm further differentiate itself from its more famous parent company with some innovative key releases. However, much like Rolex this year, some of the best Tudors of 2024 were just subtle, incremental tweaks on iconic and popular models.
Let’s be real: there are few brands more beloved by watch enthusiasts than Tudor, and the vast majority of their releases this year were pretty great, which makes narrowing it down a bit of a challenge. But I’ve done my best – feel free to disagree with me!
Tudor Black Bay 41 “Monochrome”
At first glance, the Tudor Black Bay 41 “Monochrome” is the most boring (or, to be a little kinder, perhaps the least innovative) new watch Tudor released this year… However, it’s still one of the best, and I firmly believe will prove to be one of the most popular watches Tudor sells. Firstly, its black-and-white colour scheme might not set the world on fire, but by ditching the gilt highlights, aged lume and any hint of colour, it’s become the most modern-looking and sartorially versatile Black Bay yet.
Secondly, the BB 41 Monochrome also debuted several small design tweaks that make this Black Bay a better tool watch, too: an updated bezel with more pronounced knurling and a larger overhang; a grippier crown that much more resembles a Rolex crown; a thinner case profile; a new Jubilee-style bracelet and a T-fit clasp (finally), a METAS-certified movement… Aesthetically, it also boasts a lollipop seconds hand rather than a snowflake hand, and its inky black dial has an extremely subtle sunburst that only reveals itself when the light hits it just right. With all that in mind, it’s actually not boring at all. Price: US$4,225 (rubber strap), US$4,425 (steel bracelet)
Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT
The Black Bay 58 GMT, which now represents the most wearable Black Bay travel watch, is the new Tudor that enthusiasts were most excited about in 2024. The biggest criticism levied at the standard Black Bay GMT, which was released in 2019, is that at 41mm in diameter and 14.6mm thick, it wears rather large. Then, in 2022, the Black Bay Pro (which I own) shrunk the diameter to a more manageable 39mm, but it’s still as thick as the BB GMT, and ‘only’ has a fixed bezel. The Black Bay 58 GMT, however, combines a 39mm diameter with a much slimmer 12.8mm thickness: this is what fans have been waiting for.
This is all thanks to the new manufacture Calibre MT5450-U, which is both COSC and METAS-certified (Tudor chasing Master Chronometer status for its newer models is a bold point of differentiation against Rolex, and a trend I’d like to see continue). Like the BB Pro, it also has a T-fit clasp – another plus – and it also looks the business, with a Coke-like black and burgundy bezel plus plenty of gilt highlights, giving it a warm, vintage look. Tudor already has a well-deserved reputation for value, and this BB 58 GMT arguably represents the best value proposition in Tudor’s arsenal. Price: US$4,400 (rubber strap), US$4,600 (steel bracelet)
Tudor Pelagos FXD GMT Zulu Time
In recent years, Tudor has somewhat become the ‘Black Bay brand’, in the same way that Audemars Piguet has become the ‘Royal Oak brand’ – and as this list demonstrates, Black Bay models still represent the bulk of Tudor’s modern output. However, that’s starting to change as the Pelagos range continues to grow, especially the Pelagos FXD range, which with its military roots and rugged design offers a tougher, more contemporary and increasingly popular alternative to the Black Bay.
The latest Pelagos FXD model, the FXD GMT Zulu Time, might be the best yet (and I swear I’m not just saying that because I love GMT watches). Connected with the French Aéronautique Navale and boasting a 42mm titanium case paired with creamy lume and earthy tones across its strap and dial, it gives off beautifully rugged vibes. It’s also both the first Master Chronometer-certified FXD and the thinnest FXD yet, remarkably being 0.1mm thinner than time-only models. As Zach has put it, it’s not just a cheaper alternative to something like the Rolex Explorer II: it is an equal or perhaps better competitor available for a fraction of the price. Price: US$4,625
Tudor Black Bay Ceramic Blue “VCARB”
2024 represented a changing of the guard for Formula 1, in more ways than one – but I’ll keep things focused on the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation. In the same year that Rolex ceded its 11-year global sponsorship of the sport to LVMH, Tudor joined the grid for the first time as a partner of the awkwardly-named Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 Team (the Red Bull-owned team formerly known as AlphaTauri and Toro Rosso). VCARB’s name was widely criticised as being a bit soulless, but the watch its partnership with Tudor has birthed is anything but.
Worn by drivers Liam Lawson, Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda as well as VCARB mechanics and team members during the exciting 2024 F1 season, the Tudor Black Bay Ceramic Blue “VCARB” stands out as one of the best F1 team watches currently on the grid as well as one of the most dynamic watches in Tudor’s repertoire. Sporting a bold electric blue dial evocative of VCARB’s livery paired with a matte, murdered-out ceramic case and hybrid leather/rubber strap with blue stitching, this lightweight Master Chronometer also represents the most accessible F1 team watches on the market – it’s a great deal more accessible than an IWC, Girard-Perregaux or Richard Mille, for example. Price: US$5,150
Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono Cycling Edition
Another sport that Tudor is involved with is cycling. Tudor is the official timekeeper of the Giro d’Italia, sponsors Swiss Cycling (the national governing body of cycle racing in Switzerland) and even sponsors a development team, the Tudor Pro Cycling Team – with the Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono Cycling Edition launched this year to commemorate the team’s first Grand Tour entry. While it shares its bones with the FXD “Alinghi Red Bull Racing Edition” the brand made for its yachting team, it’s a more compelling watch due to the lack of obvious branding, as well as its positioning as an explicitly cycling-focused watch.
When this Tudor came out, it really made me think: why don’t we see more cycling watches? In a world where we have regatta timers and motorsports chronographs, it feels like an underserved niche. But even if you’re not a cyclist, there’s a lot to like about this Tudor. You won’t find anything like its 43mm carbon composite case with fixed bars in any Rolex catalogue, and its almost villainous black-and-red colour scheme is just badass. Its Breitling B01-based movement might not be METAS-certified but it is COSC-certified and has a free-sprung silicon balance, column wheel, vertical clutch and a 70-hour power reserve. The term ‘value proposition’ once again comes to mind, even if it’s one of the most expensive watches on this list. Price: US$5,275
Honourable mention: Tudor Black Bay Chrono Pink
Originally, I wasn’t going to include the Tudor Black Bay Chrono Pink in this list because, unlike the other models I’ve covered, this was just a new dial colour for a preexisting watch rather than a new watch proper. However, this vibey chronograph proved to be one of the most unexpectedly hype-y watches of 2024, so I can’t not talk about it! Allegedly inspired by Tudor brand ambassadors David Beckham (whose Inter Miami football club wears pink kit) and Jay Chou (who is known to wear pink often), and ambiguously available with “only a small number of examples [to] be produced”, the BB Chrono Pink has commanded the highest premiums on the secondary market for a modern Tudor, debuting on Chrono24 at over six times its retail price in May 2024, two months after its release.
As of publishing, it is still trading for around double its retail price on average on Chrono24 and other platforms – it’s a Tudor that’s harder to cop at retail than many Rolex models, which is a perverse state of affairs. Admittedly, the pink dial is very cool and very on-trend; subjectively, it’s more interesting than the Black Bay Chrono Blue that also dropped this year. This model also debuted the first T-fit clasp for a BB Chrono, which only adds to its appeal. Price (retail): US$5,650