Tudor 2025 predictions – why Rolex’s little sibling could end up overshadowing it this year
Jamie WeissWe’re less than a month away from Watches and Wonders Geneva, where many of the world’s biggest watchmakers are set to reveal their most important releases of the year. Chief among those is Rolex, as well as its sister brand, Tudor. To be completely transparent, as members of the horological press, we occasionally get forward notice of brands’ releases – but Tudor (and Rolex) is not one of those brands. We don’t have an inside track here. But I actually like it this way. It keeps us bastards honest – a level playing field – and it also means we can have a go at speculating what these brands are going to unveil in Switzerland come April 1st.
In recent years, Tudor has become the experimental, rebellious and affordable counterpart to Rolex’s conservatism and iterative approach to watch releases. From chasing Master Chronometer certifications for its products to experimenting with case materials like ceramic and sterling silver, Tudor is often the more interesting sibling to pay attention to. Last year’s Watches and Wonders saw Tudor release some solid but not exceptionally wild watches, including the much-anticipated Black Bay 58 GMT and its first-ever solid gold case and bracelet model in the Black Bay 58 18k. This year, however, I predict even more needle-shifting releases from the Shield – ones that might even overshadow the Crown…
A new Big Block
While this is perhaps my most bold prediction, seeing as it represents a whole new model for Tudor, it’s actually the safest bet of all. Why? Because, in 2023, Tudor created a piece unique called the Prince Chronograph One for that year’s Only Watch auction – a contemporary take on the 7000 series Oysterdate Chronograph, better known as the “Big Block” thanks to its chunky case. Crafted from 18ct solid yellow gold, this piece was also set to introduce a new manufacture column-wheel chronograph movement, dubbed the MT59XX.
However, Only Watch 2023 was controversially postponed to 2024 after uncertainty around the charity’s finances came to light. Tudor was one of a number of brands that pulled their watches from the auction due to the controversy, meaning the Prince Chronograph One never saw the light of day. This is a lot of preamble, but the point is that Tudor went to the effort to make a brand-new model – and they’re unlikely to waste all that R&D just to produce a one-off. They’re not that sort of brand. Tudor is almost certainly primed to introduce a series production version of the Prince Chronograph, which I reckon they’re likely to release this year.
Again, why? Well, there’s an established pattern. At Only Watch 2019, Tudor offered the Black Bay Ceramic One – at that point, their first ceramic-cased watch. Then, in 2021, they unveiled the series production Black Bay Ceramic, which differed slightly from the Only Watch piece by having natural lume plots rather than black ones and utilising a leather hybrid strap rather than an alligator hybrid strap. If you’re following along, it’s two years since we first saw the Prince Chronograph One, so if Tudor’s going to repeat history, we should expect a Prince Chronograph “Big Block” in 2025.
Rather than gold, I’m confident predicting that Tudor will release it in stainless steel, and I suspect they’ll give it a “reverse panda” dial, as that was one of the dial patterns the original Big Block came in. I’m curious to see more details about the movement it will debut, too, and how much of an evolution it is from the calibre MT5813 that powers contemporary Black Bay Chronos. I wonder if they’ll get Tiger Woods back on board to promote it, too…
Tudor’s Formula 1 watch gets a white ceramic look
The Tudor Black Bay Ceramic “Blue” is one of the most distinctive watches in Tudor’s catalogue. Joining the range last year to mark Tudor’s return to motorsport with the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 Team (the Red Bull-owned Formula 1 team formerly known as AlphaTauri and Toro Rosso), its combination of a black ceramic case, electric blue dial and hybrid strap make it stand out as the sportiest watch in Tudor’s catalogue, despite being a simple time-only piece.
While I think it would make sense for an F1 team watch to receive a chronograph complication – offer a motorsports-themed counterpart to the Pelagos FXD Chrono Cycling Edition – I also think Tudor could really make a splash by making it match VCARB’s livery even closer with a white ceramic case. This prediction is perhaps more a case of wishful thinking rather than an educated guess, but Tudor has shown some appetite to riff on the BB Ceramic Blue – with then-VCARB driver Daniel Ricciardo and current driver Yuki Tsunoda wearing unique rainbow gradient dial takes on the model at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix. However, I think a white ceramic model makes more sense and would stand out as one of the most flashy Tudors ever. We might even see something at the Australian Grand Prix this week – I’ll be on the ground to let you know.
A new bezel colour for the Black Bay 58 GMT
To make a slightly more realistic prediction, I think Tudor could respond to the rave reception the Black Bay 58 GMT received last year and offer another variant of the Goldilocks-sized GMT watch. The original’s black-and-red “Coke” bezel (or should that be “Root Beer” as it’s got those hints of gilt gold?) is charming, but I think it’d be cool if Tudor went for a solid bezel colour, such as the “Blueberry” look we’ve mocked up above. That would further differentiate the BB58 GMT from the standard Black Bay GMT and the Black Bay Pro. More on that in a second.
Expanding the Black Bay 54 range
The Black Bay 54 is another cult-favourite Tudor released in recent years that’s crying out for a range expansion, and considering there haven’t been any additions to the family other than the inaugural model released in 2023, I reckon 2025 is ripe for a release. There are surprisingly few coloured dial options in the broader Black Bay range – Tudor will play with different bezel colours but stick with black dials – so I wonder if this year we’ll see the BB54, the most compact and unisex of Tudor’s Black Bay tool watches, get a full colour makeover. How about a BB54 “Hulk”? That’d sell like hotcakes.
The Black Bay Pro finally goes Polar
Now for a watch that I’m surprised Tudor hasn’t done already. As the owner of a Black Bay Pro, I’m convinced it’s the underrated gem of the Tudor range, even if its star has been eclipsed somewhat by the thinner BB58 GMT in recent times. Of course, the BB Pro is a homage to the original Rolex Explorer II ref. 1655 from 1975, so it made sense for it to launch with a black dial – but why not give it a “Polar” white dial to bring it closer to the ref. 16570 of 1989, which is the most recognisable Explorer II design?
I’m slightly perplexed as to why Tudor didn’t offer a white dial for the BB Pro from day dot, so this one’s long overdue. They’ve given one to the normal BB GMT! I’m not convinced, however, that block lume indices would suit a Polar dial quite as well; standard lume-filled plots might be a cleaner look.
A truly regal solid gold Royal
Finally, here’s a prediction that might come slightly out of left field, but it actually makes sense when you think about it. Tudor as a brand is almost solely focused on the Black Bay and Pelagos, with the Royal being something of the red-headed stepchild of the Tudor range. It’s a shame because I think the Royal has a lot to offer: it’s a slim, integrated bracelet dress/sports watch that’s very distinct from Rolex offerings while offering a bit of Day-Date class.
On that: in 2023, we saw Tudor add two-tone Royals to the range, and we know now that Tudor has the appetite to make all-gold watches, so it’s not that outlandish to expect Tudor to try a gold Royal. Think about it: an integrated Day-Date. That sounds cool when you put it like that, right? Admittedly, it’s a niche offering, but I’d like to see Tudor push the boat out and give it a try, and I don’t think it’s outside the realm of possibility.