The Tudor Black Bay Chrono Dark

With the Rugby World Cup just around the corner,there can be no better way to celebrate than by exploring the brand new limited edition watch from the event’s official timekeeper, Tudor.

Since the birth of the Oysterdate chronograph in 1970, Tudor has left its mark on the history of chronograph watches with bold moves in style and technology. This year, nearly half a century after it all began, watch collectors around the world are looking forward to viewing  a new limited edition timepiece from the brand, introduced to celebrate the partnership with the Rugby World Cup. 

A chronograph is a watch that allows the user to measure elapsed time, similar in many ways to a stopwatch. 

Tudor Black Bay Chrono Dark sports two screw-down pushers at 2 o’clock and 4 o’clock on the side of the case allow the operation of the start, stop and reset functions of the chronograph. Couple this with a central, sweeping second hand and a dial featuring two recessed sub-dials, the Black Bay Chrono Dark lets the user accurately time intervals of up to forty-five minutes. Naturally, enough to time each half of a rugby game. 

The tachymetric scale located on the anodised aluminium bezel can be used to measure speed over a given distance and was historically used in motor sport.

Created in conjunction with brand ambassadors and reigning Rugby World Cup champions the New Zealand All Blacks, the Black Bay Chrono Dark takes a unique twist on the already fantastic Black Bay Chrono. 

With the tried and tested in-house calibre MT5813, this COSC certified movement is one of the best currently available, boasting a huge 70-hour power reserve and upgraded internals such as a silicone balance spring and free-sprung adjustable mass balance for better timekeeping. All this coupled with Tudor’s standard 200m waterproof case, makes for one of the best automatic chronographs on the market today. 

The “All Black” matte finish is created through a process of Physical Vapour Deposition, PVD for short, covering the entire 41 mm case and bracelet. The process involves vaporising certain metals and compounds such as the notoriously tough Titanium Carbide and binding them to the steel in a vacuum, creating a unique finish and for this Limited Edition piece.

“Limited Edition” watches are commonplace for many watch brands but not for Tudor. Though the brand has delved in to the world of one of a kind pieces for the “Only Watch” charity auction with 2015’s Black Bay  one and this year’s highly anticipated Black Bay Ceramic oneit was only a matter of time before Tudor released their first ever limited edition piece. Numbers are capped to 1/1181 to represent the number of players that have played for the All Blacks since their founding in 1903.  

Getting your hands on this watch will be tricky due to supply, but for those that were #Born to Dare, there is some good news. Over the years as more players dare to join the ranks of the current world champions, more of these watches will be made to honour them and their legacy, making this timepiece a future collectable.

Priced at £4,260 it sits proudly between the Black Bay Chrono in steel at £3,650 and the new for 2019 Black Bay Chrono S&G at £4,890.