A total newcomer and not just another color variation of Tudor’s Black Bay line. The new Tudor Black Bay P01 takes its inspiration from a prototype presented to the U.S. Navy in the late 1960s and that never went into production. The name of said prototype was Montre Plongeur “Commando.” The new Black Bay P01 is equipped with a bezel system that was patented in 1968. This blocking bezel system via the end link at 12 o’clock, allowed for the wearer to lock, turn or disassemble the bezel for cleaning. This watch is an interesting release for Baselworld 2019 and one that is better looking in person than in pictures. A robust and very solid watch with a sporty and somewhat military feel to it.

Things to Know About the Watch

The new Tudor Black Bay P01 wasn’t our cup of tea when we saw it for the very first time behind the glass at the Tudor booth; However, once we got to play with it on the metal, our take on it changed a lot. Still not a favorite from this year’s releases but a watch that for sure will grow on everyone. The Black Bay P01 comes with a satin-brushed stainless steel case measuring 42 mm in diameter and slightly similar in looks to the Black Bay Steel ref. 79730 released in 2017.

What makes this watch special is not only its crown with crown guards located at the 4 o’clock position but also its 12-hour graduated stainless steel bi-directional rotating bezel with patented blocking system. The way the blocking system works is by pressing the hinged end-link at 12 o'clock which then it allows for the bezel to be turned in either direction. The system is interesting but at least while test driving the watch, it was counter-intuitive and hard to figure out how to make it work properly despite several attempts at it.

The Tudor Black Bay P01 ref. M70150-0001 is fitted with a gorgeous very vintage looking black matte radial dial with cream colored markers and hands, cream colored date disc and snowflake hour hand. The dial features the depth rating in red very much like the Black Bay Steel. One thing to point out is that the markers do not have surrounds as the rest of the Black Bay line giving the watch a much more vintage look and feel.

The new Tudor Black Bay P01 is delivered on a honey brown distressed calf leather with rubberized backing. The strap is equipped with a Tudor shield folding clasp with safety flip-lock. The watch is powered by the in-house Tudor automatic calibre MT5612 which is a COSC movement with bidirectional rotor system and which provides a power reserve of 70 hours when fully wound.

On the Wrist & Pricing

On the wrist, the new Tudor Black Bay P01 ref. M70150 wears slightly bigger than its actual size by a millimeter or so. A good looking watch that needs to be seen in person to appreciate it. This is the type of watch that would’ve looked much better on a stainless steel bracelet specifically designed to match the end links of its blocking bezel system.

Sticker Price $3,950 USD. For more info on Tudor click here.