Considering What “Tudor Blue” Means With The Newest Black Bay 54

After the dust had settled from Watches and Wonders 2026, fans and critics agreed that Tudor had a relatively quiet showing. The Monarch, of course, was the big release to celebrate 100 years of Tudor. On top of that, we got a series of updates and new versions of already existing models. While less surprising, some of them are understandable, clever updates. The watch that stood out to me immediately was the Black Bay 54 in blue. Since Tudor discontinued the blue-dial Black Bay 58, I was happy to see a blue Black Bay return to the lineup. I was curious to find out whether the new BB54 was as good as its discontinued, bigger brother.

I remember well when the Black Bay 58 “Navy Blue” came out because it was during the COVID pandemic. As a result, we weren’t able to cover the watch on the stainless steel bracelet as I would have preferred it. The simple reason is that I can only pull off the Black Bay 58 and the smaller Black Bay 54 on the bracelet and not on a cloth strap like in the review of the blue Black Bay 58. On the rubber straps, it works fine, but I simply prefer the look of the stainless steel bracelet. So I was happy to try the new Black Bay 54 on the bracelet and find out more about this new “Tudor Blue” color.

The details of the new Tudor Black Bay 54 in blue

The story of the new Black Bay 54 centers around the new colorway. We’ll get into this new Tudor Blue in a minute, but let’s remind ourselves of the details of the smallest of the Black Bay dive models. As most of you will know, this is the third release in the series, following Tudor’s black-dial model unveiled in 2023, which Thomas reviewed, and the Black Bay 54 “Lagoon Blue” that Henry checked out. In particular, the first release impressed me a lot because it cleaned up the overly retro aesthetic of the Black Bay 58.

I know many enthusiasts love the heavily gold-accented look of that watch, but for me, it’s always been a bit too much. I prefer the crisper, more contemporary style of the Black Bay “Monochrome” and the Black Bay 54. That’s also what I loved about the blue-dial Black Bay 58, which followed the initial Black Bay 58 in 2020.

Let’s review the details of the Black Bay 54. The watch has a 37mm stainless steel case with a 46mm lug-to-lug and an 11.3mm profile, including the domed crystal. As a result, it is a handsomely proportioned watch that doesn’t wear much smaller than the 39 × 47.8mm Black Bay 58. In fact, the smallest Black Bay diver is closest in dimensions to the classic Tudor Submariners from the 1950s.

The new “Tudor Blue” dial

The case is matched with a “Tudor Blue” dial and bezel. This new blue shade is rather different from the navy blue of the Black Bay 58. The blues used for the Pelagos and Pelagos FXD are different shades as well. Lastly, Tudor unveiled a Black Bay Chrono “Blue” in 2024 with a blue dial and bezel. Essentially, we have five models, all with distinct shades of blue. It begs the question of what “Tudor Blue” actually is.

We know that the blue dial and bezel are inspired by the classic Submariners that Tudor created for the Marine Nationale divers. Of course, it would be naive to think that the blue shade remained completely unchanged over the roughly three decades that Tudor made watches for the French Navy. Still, I like to think it is a vibrant matte blue, similar to that of the discontinued Black Bay 58. That is based on historical references and personal preference. Then again, my opinion is not necessarily the same as other people’s. That’s why historical context is so important when labeling something “Tudor Blue.” And I question whether this new color is worth that name based on its context.

The Tudor MT5400

Inside the case, nothing has changed. Tudor equips the Black Bay 54 with its caliber MT5400. This automatic movement is a COSC-certified chronometer, operates at 28,800 vph, and offers a 70-hour power reserve. While the brand updated the caliber in the Black Bay 58 to a Master Chronometer, for the smallest Black Bay model, Tudor stuck with the COSC-certified version.

Completing the watch is either a stainless steel bracelet or a rubber strap with stainless steel end links. Both come equipped with a T-fit clasp, which includes an excellent toolless micro-adjustment system offering an incremental 7mm extension. As you probably guessed, I prefer the stainless steel bracelet every time. The bracelet does have the fake rivets, which is always a much-debated stylistic choice. In all honesty, though, they have never bothered me much, and I would gladly wear the bracelet without a second thought.

Wearing the new Tudor Black Bay 54 in blue

Speaking of which, I was happy to try the Black Bay 54 again after having enjoyed the black version three years ago. I was pleasantly surprised by how good it looked on the bracelet, especially considering its size. While a 37mm watch is generally not too small on my wrist, the bracelet is the only option that works for me. After the lackluster experience of wearing the blue Black Bay 58 on a cloth strap, I had to try the watch on a bracelet multiple times to regain the idea that it could be the right size for my wrist.

But with the Black Bay 54, I felt it immediately clicked. Not only does the size perfectly capture the spirit of the classic Tudor Submariners, but it also wears really well on my 18.5cm wrist. As my preferences have changed, I have also been gravitating toward smaller watches. As a result, my current sweet spot is 36–39mm cases, depending on the style. And this Black Bay 54 is the perfect size for what I want from a classically styled diver. On top of that, it offers the modern-day comfort that we know from Tudor. For €4,350 / US$4,725 / £3,690, it’s hard to find a better-made dive watch than the Black Bay 54.

Final thoughts on the “Tudor Blue” Black Bay 54

The new Tudor Black Bay 54 is not a surprising watch for what it offers. However, the one thing that didn’t impress me was the new dial. Both the color and the sunray finish give it a modern metallic feel that I just can’t love. On top of that, the dial has a purple glow from some angles, likely due to the crystal’s antireflective coating. It’s not a look I am particularly fond of, and it is not what I would call a “Tudor Blue” watch. Of course, if you ask 10 people what that term means, you will likely get different answers, but a watch with a purple glow is arguably not it.

On top of that, I didn’t like the rather cold, metallic appearance of the dial. This is something we also saw with last year’s burgundy Black Bay 58. Both dials seem a bit cold and distant, especially considering the retro charm the watches are supposed to convey. That’s where it raises questions for me. Is this the style of dials we will see from now on in the Black Bay line? The updated Black Bay 58 in black seems to prove that it’s not. I would say “luckily,” but other people may have different opinions. For now, I am not sold on the new “Tudor Blue” Black Bay 54. Nevertheless, there are still many Tudor models that are a perfect fit for me, so it’s also important to keep things in perspective.

What do you think of the latest Black Bay 54? Does its blue dial do the “Tudor Blue” moniker justice? Let me know in the comments below.