WWG26: Highlights from TUDOR

We take a look at the latest novelties from TUDOR, fresh off the Watches & Wonders Geneva 2026.

Press release with commentary in italics. Images courtesy of TUDOR.

TUDOR, the sister brand of Rolex, is often known for its robust and well-priced tool watches. We take a quick look at some of the models the brand is introducing this year.

TUDOR Monarch

We begin the article with one of our favourite novelties from TUDOR this year: the Monarch.

The Monarch is a collection that TUDOR had brought back from its archives. Here, we have a very agreeable 39mm case, with a nice faceted case and a rather handsome salmon “California” dial. In terms of looks, we reckon the Monarch had ticked all the right boxes.

Powering the Monarch is the calibre MT5662-2U, which is Master Chronometer-certified and features a power autonomy of around 65 hours. The entire package, in our opinion, is very attractive. The only issue is that TUDOR has historically been popular for its Black Bay, and to a certain extent, the Pelagos collection. The Monarch has all the right recipes to do well, and we do hope that collectors can look beyond the usual suspects and consider giving the Monarch a shot.

Press Release

A pure approach to watchmaking is king at TUDOR, and horological tradition reigns supreme. The core mission has always been to build the best possible watch at the best possible price for a century now; the only thing that’s changed is the approach TUDOR takes to meet this goal. In the beginning, long ago in 1926, the brand relied exclusively on independent suppliers. In recent times, TUDOR has built its own industrial network that has aided in achieving the Master Chronometer certification by METAS, the most demanding standard in the industry.

The new Monarch is testament to just how far TUDOR has come; it encapsulates a century’s worth of progress. Using the highest grade components developed from the brand’s network of in-house and independent suppliers, TUDOR is revisiting one of its historical lines and imbuing it with a century’s worth of savoir faire. While the aesthetic of this new Monarch is reminiscent of TUDOR’s early days, with its signature finely faceted case and matching bracelet and papyrus-toned dial with distinctive applied
hour markers, its execution and level of performance is only possible today using the incredibly high precision production process that TUDOR has created within its Le Locle Manufacture.

Black Bay 58

The Black Bay 58 sees a myriad of updates, each subtle but meaningful, resulting in an improvement to an already well-made timepiece.

The 39mm timepiece now features a slightly thinner case profile at 11.7mm (from 11.9mm), as well as a redesigned bezel and crown. Compared to the previous iteration, this also features a cleaner two-liner text. All these subtle changes, together with the five-link bracelet, gives the Black Bay 58 a really nice vintage-touch. This is perfect for someone who is looking for a vintage timepiece, without the fuss of owning an old watch.

Press Release

The Black Bay 58 is named after the year in which the first TUDOR divers’ watch waterproof to 200m, the reference 7924, dubbed the “Big Crown”, was introduced. Among other aesthetic allusions to this famous historic watch, this model has a 39mm diameter case, in keeping with the characteristic proportions of the 1950s. The new edition of the Black Bay 58 builds on the 2018 release and retains all the core design elements from TUDOR throughout the ages, but this year the classic Black Bay 58 gets the Master Chronometer certification, one of the industry’s most demanding standards in terms of chronometry and resistance to magnetic fields. Each fully assembled watch is tested in Switzerland by the Federal Institute of Metrology or METAS. To tie the whole package together, the new Black Bay 58 is now available on a five-link bracelet, a three-link bracelet or a rubber strap. All three have TUDOR’s rapid adjustment system known as “T-fit”, making the watch more wearable than ever before, not to mention a new case shape at 11.7mm thick.

Not only is the case design updated, the aesthetic is as well. At first glance it’s easy to see that the text on the dial has been reduced to two lines in line with TUDOR’s Master Chronometer certified watches, but upon closer inspection you’ll notice pinched hands at the base and a new bezel and crown design.

Black Bay 54 “Blue”

This year, TUDOR launched a new colourway to the Black Bay 54. The watch features the brand’s signature blue, which adds a nice touch to the 37mm timepiece where it pays homage to the brand’s first divers’ watch (Reference 7922).

We have always been fans of TUDOR’s blue colourway, and the addition to this line-up is rather stunning. Otherwise, it is still a 37mm Black Bay 54 through and through – with all the other usual touches and expected reliability.

Press Release

The all-new Black Bay 54 is the most true-to-form example of TUDOR’s first divers’ watch, the reference 7922. The 37mm case retains the classic proportions of yesteryear, yet boasts the technical prowess of TUDOR’s time-only Manufacture Calibre MT5400 and a 200m depth rating. True to form, the unidirectional bezel is devoid of any graduated hash marks, echoing the days of the early 1950s when scuba diving was in its infancy and TUDOR produced a watch for those daring enough to engage with the
burgeoning sport.

The new aesthetic details, however, don’t stop at the case dimensions and bezel. The seconds hand recalls the look of the original with a lollipop design. Ergonomics have evolved as well, with a redesigned crown and bezel, both featuring historical proportions. What’s new this year is also a nod to a part of TUDOR history; the inclusion of “TUDOR blue”. This specific hue of blue is a distinct “sapphire” colour with a sunray-brushed dial and matching blue bezel.

Black Bay Ceramic

TUDOR had first produced its ceramic timepiece in 2021, with the introduction of the 41mm Black Bay Ceramic. This year, the brand had gone a step further, with the introduction of a full-ceramic bracelet. This completes the look of the Black Bay Ceramic, which is definitely a cool touch – and adding a nice layer of “stealth” to this already cool and inconspicuous timepiece.

We definitely like its discreet looks, and it certainly has an air of mystery around it. The fact that the entire watch is made with various shades of dark grey or black – including the lume plots – make the entire appearance every more intriguing. This is a cool watch to add into any watch collection.

Press Release

The Black Bay Ceramic is a prime example of TUDOR’s expert command of one of the industry’s most demanding standards in terms of chronometry and resistance to magnetic fields, as well as its mastery of technical material engineering. Tested by the Federal Institute of Metrology or METAS, this Black Bay model is the epitome of high-tech aesthetic language. Its matt black ceramic elements, charcoal dial and black hands, including lume, accentuate the Black Bay Ceramic’s outstanding performance.

Ceramic is a difficult material to work with, but now TUDOR has developed a matching ceramic bracelet with ergonomic qualities that serve as testament to the brand’s mastery of technical innovation, as well as a new aesthetic in line with TUDOR’s tradition of “going dark”.

TUDOR Royal

We round it up with the new release of the legendary Royal collection. While the Royal has been a mainstay in the TUDOR line-up, the brand is taking it up a notch with this collection this year. While we note that TUDOR is introducing a series of vibrant dial options to the collection, what is more interesting is that the brand has finally incorporated its own Manufacture Calibres into the watches. This is big – as it signals that TUDOR is serious about this underrated and often overlooked collection.

Press Release

The Royal is longstanding TUDOR model with an air of elegance that’s been iterated on for decades. Now the model is getting Manufacture Calibres in addition to a range of exciting new dial colours in both the stainless steel and the S&G configurations. Royal was a name first used by TUDOR in the 1950s to emphasise the superior quality and exquisite designs of its watches, which stand until today.

Now, the Royal range just got even more magnificent with a host of new dial colours in three brand-new sizes: 30mm, 36mm and 40mm. Now, there’s a Royal for every wrist. The bezel has been redesigned with razor-sharp polished notches that elevate the overall look and feel of the case, and on the 40mm version, there’s a Day complication. The end links and lugs have also been redesigned as to not allow the links to touch the case, preventing abrasion.

Concluding Thoughts

The Monarch, in our opinion, is perhaps the best novelty from TUDOR this year. It is something different – and it is nicely executed. While the Black Bay collection remains as the most impressive (and certainly going to be the most popular one from the brand), the novelties are simply updated versions of the existing watches. By no means they are great watches, but as collectors, it is a bit… boring. The Monarch, on the other hand, is the breath of fresh air that all collectors are desperately seeking.

What are your thoughts on TUDOR’s new watches this year? Let us know in the comments section below.