Ah yes, the Black Bay diver, one of the watches from Tudor’s lineup that really put the brand on the radar for many. With the addition of two smaller sizes in the form of the Black Bay 58 and 54, it seems like the right time to ask if this 41mm Tudor Black Bay reference 79230N is still a relevant option. With great looks, different case sizes and materials to choose from, I guess it speaks for itself why we’re seeing more Black Bays out in the wild now.
Putting movement aside, two elements that separate the Black Bay 58, 54 and this reference 79230N are the case size and thickness. Therefore, at least in this article, the term relevance will only be based on the size, and thickness.
For reference:
- Black Bay reference 79230N – 41mm case, 14.8mm thickness
- Black Bay 58 – 39mm case, 11.9mm thickness
- Black Bay 54 – 37mm case, 11.24mm thickness
As mentioned, the watch of discussion here is the Tudor Black Bay reference 79230N which houses the in-house calibre MT5602. So, let’s cut the chase and talk looks. From the top, the main element that catches my eye at first glance is the huge snowflake hour hand which kind of throws off the balanced look of the watch ever so slightly but at the same time, giving so much character in return. In a way, the Black Bay might be too plain and basic without it. Speaking of balance, it’s worth mentioning how balanced this watch looks without having a date window. But guess what? It get’s even better as there are gilt accents on the dial to top things off!! I mean, come on.
Well, as looks aren’t everything, how does it wear? With it being 41mm in diameter, I’d say it wears relatively well on my 16cm wrist. As you can see, there’s no significant overhang from the lugs thanks to the wearable 50mm lug-to-lug width. Diving a little deeper into the case, I love how the lugs taper down beautifully, adding a touch of vintage flavour to it. But as great of a watch as this is, the thickness honestly takes away a couple of points for me. Although it feels relatively well-balanced weight wise when worn on the bracelet, the 14.8mm thickness takes away some joy when wearing the watch on a strap if I’m being honest. However, the absence of crown guards does compensate for the thickness as it allows the watch to wear better.
So, back to my question, is the Black Bay reference 79230N still a relevant option if you’re considering a Black Bay? Personally, it’s a yes for the case size but a no for the thickness. Again, bear in mind that this is heavily affected by personal preference and might not be the case if you have a thicker wrist or just don’t mind a thicker watch. At the end of the day, the reference 79230N is still a great watch regardless.
feedthewrist. 