Short on time? Launched in 2021, the Black Bay Ceramic was the first Tudor certified as a METAS Master Chronometer. 41mm matt-black ceramic case, 200 metres of water resistance, a sapphire caseback and the calibre MT5602-1U with about 70 hours of power reserve. Ours is new and unworn, stickers still on.
Backstory
For years, Tudor was described as "the cheaper Rolex". That's not really fair anymore, and the Black Bay Ceramic is one of the best arguments against it.
The headline is certification. METAS is the Master Chronometer standard developed with the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology, and it goes well beyond the usual COSC test. It checks the finished watch for accuracy over several days, in different positions and temperatures, and makes sure it can handle magnetic fields of 15,000 gauss. When the 79210CNU passed, it became the first Tudor to do so.
Key Details
The case is 41mm of matt-black ceramic. It's light, very hard and very scratch resistant, and even the crown is blacked out. The rotating bezel has a black ceramic insert with a 60-minute scale, and water resistance is 200 metres, so this is a real dive watch, not just a dark one.
The domed black dial uses Tudor's signature "Snowflake" hands, which keep it readable despite all the black.
The Movement
The calibre MT5602-1U runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour with around 70 hours of power reserve. Turn the watch over and you'll see it through a sapphire caseback, with a blackened rotor that matches the rest of the watch. It's COSC certified as well as METAS.
On the Wrist
All-black watches can look like a fashion accessory. This one doesn't, because the proportions and the Black Bay DNA are still there. It's light thanks to the ceramic, and it comes on a hybrid leather and rubber strap that's comfortable straight away.
Ceramic's only real weakness is that it can chip if you drop it on something hard. Fair trade for never scratching.
Final Thoughts
The Black Bay Ceramic is one of the most interesting modern Tudors: tough, great looking, and the moment Tudor joined the Master Chronometer club.
Ours is a new, unworn 2022 example with stickers, box, papers and an extra fabric strap. See it here.
