Tudor Black Bay Heritage Bronze

The Reference

When it was released in 2016, the Tudor Black Bay Heritage reference 79250BM was the first-ever bronze watch created by the brand. If you know anything about bronze then you know that it patinas, eventually to the point of verdigris, but can do so unevenly. Tudor, not content with this outcome developed a proprietary bronze for their watches that ensures that their watches age and develop patina evenly. This excellent example from 2017 is just beginning to show the beautiful results of the bronze patina and will surely continue to age with grace for years ahead.

This example was purchased new by the seller in Austria in 2017 and comes complete with its full set of box and papers including the original sales receipt. Additionally, the watch comes with both original straps with the NATO being unworn and in its original packaging.

The Case

The 43mm bronze case is in excellent condition with no faults to note. The seller notes that the watch has been worn sparingly (10-12 times) and the overall condition seems to corroborate this. As stated above the bronze has begun to take on a lovely patina and the next owner should be excited to continue to see this unique case material continue to develop a patina. All components are correct and original to the watch.

The Dial and Hands

The brown explorer-style dial is in excellent condition and pairs very nicely with the warmth of the bronze case and the brown dive bezel. Capping off the dial are the classic Tudor snowflake hands that enthusiasts clamor for. Also of note is the lack of a date aperture which leads to a wonderful balance in the design of the dial.

The Movement

This watch features an automatic Tudor MT5602 movement with a 70-hr power reserve, hacking feature, COSC rating, and a silicon hairspring. The watch is running very well as evident by a recent timegrapher readout and the watch has never been serviced.

The History

Tudor was founded and patented in 1926 by Veuve de Philippe Hüther, a Rolex distributor, on behalf of Hans Wilsdorf, the man behind the Rolex crown. Tudor began to really take shape after Hans Wilsdorf officially took over the brand ten years later. Another decade after that, in 1946, he created a newer version of the brand, Montres Tudor SA. In the 1940s and early 1950s, Tudor heavily marketed itself as a tool watch company championing the Oyster case in the Tudor Oyster Prince, a model famously put to the test by the British Royal Navy in their 1952 North Greenland Expedition. Needless to say, it passed with flying colors. Mr. Wilsdorf described the idea of Tudor as a brand sold “at a more modest price than our Rolex watches and yet one that would attain the standard of dependability for which Rolex is famous.” Translation, take ebauche (ie – generic) movement calibers and put them in Rolex cases.

That was vintage Tudor. Modern Tudor is a different story. The major inflection point came in 1996 when Tudor decided to no longer use any Rolex brands parts such as cases, crowns, or bracelets in favor of Tudor branded ones. After a short hiatus from the US market, Tudor returned with a whole new look in 2013. They introduced new product lines that were truly their own and watch enthusiasts have embraced them with open arms.

PHOTO GALLERY