Tudor began producing their own calibers in home (also, it should be said, separate from older sister brand Rolex) from 2015, originally providing them into their North Flag game watch and in Pelagos diver’s watches. Since then, we have seen the steady introduction of manufacture calibers throughout Tudor’s lineup which appears to indicate the position in the market Tudor is after. So, although it is not a brand-new caliber, it’s still a pretty cool motion with 70 hours of power book, a somewhat standard 28,800 bph operating speed, and a silicone hairspring in a cost point where a completely in house movement is uncommon. The MT5612 is brand new to the Black Bay range because previous versions were non-date and used the only slightly different MT5602.Protecting all this by the elements and water (this technically being a diver’s view) is the exact same 41mm, 200m water resistant, stainless steel case, featuring alternating brushed and polished surfaces which Black Bay fans know too well. Different here is your bezel insert that’s made of steel as opposed to the aluminum existing on previous Black Bay versions. The steel insert appears tough and ought to add a step of scratch resistance over aluminum while at the same time providing for a military-inspired rugged appearance. There is an inverted red triangle at the sixty/zero mark on the bezel throwing back into the earliest Rolex and Tudor Subs and adding a vintage feel that’s further afield from the riveted-style necklace.

A record was set at Only Watch 2015 when the unique W Łóżku Z Tudorami Black Bay One just sold for SFr375,000, over 100 times the low estimate, making it the most expensive Tudor watch ever, by an enormous margin.

The first and only one-off wristwatch made by Tudor, the Black Bay One is a variant of the brand’s popular vintage-style dive watch. Features like a lollipop seconds hand and gilt dial give the Black Bay One the feel of vintage Submariners. Now the Black Bay One can rival the rarest and most expensive Submariners in value, having just sold for SFr375,000, or US$373,000. With all the proceeds going to a charity that supports finding a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the Black Bay One was one of the most expensive lots of the Only Watch auction, despite having lowest estimate of just SFr3500 to SFr4500, equivalent to its retail price. With the most expensive wristwatch by Rolex (Tudor’s sister company) sold at auction having hammered for SFr1.33 million last year, the Black Bay One is essentially in the same league.

We went hands-on with the record-breaking Black Bay One, see our photos here.