Sunday Morning Showdown: Tudor Northflag Vs. Tudor Black Bay Pro
It’s that time of the week again — time for Sunday Morning Showdown! And this week, regardless of who wins, Tudor blood will be spilled. That’s right, it’s Tudor versus Tudor in a battle of the brand’s yellow-handed, sporty GMT offerings. That includes the new Tudor Northflag GMT, introduced just over a week ago, and the 2022 Tudor Black Bay Pro. Will the newcomer snatch away the belt? Or will the four-year veteran retain the title? Well, dear Fratelli, that’s up to you! Be sure to read on and cast your vote below.
Last week, on Sunday Morning Showdown…
New isn’t always better. Last week’s showdown certainly proved that point. It was a battle of the Breitling Chronomat B31 Automatic 40 versus the new Zenith Chronomaster Solo Sport. It wasn’t even a close call, as the Chronomat earned 63% of the votes, leaving the Chronomaster with just 37%.
We all know it can take us some time to warm up to new things. Change is never easy, and new things take a little while to feel comfortable, whether it’s a new pair of boots, selvedge denim, or a watch making its debut. It’s no surprise, then, that a model that has been around took the win. It’s a known quantity, and some will have grown to like it. But will there be a repeat this week? We’ll have to wait and see. For now, it’s off to Nacho and Jorg. May the better watch win!
Nacho: Tudor Northflag
It seems I’ll be playing with a slight disadvantage today. However, given the warm welcome the Northflag received, it may not be completely hopeless. After all, many, including me, have been patiently awaiting its comeback for a while now. And this new GMT iteration takes much of what made the original great, slims it down, and adds one of my favorite complications. So, what’s not to love? The Ranger II-inspired design with a modern twist has been given a subtle makeover, bringing the Northflag up to modern Tudor spec.
Sorry, Jorg. I had to do it…
On the other hand, we have the chunky boy in the room. Don’t get me wrong, I completely get the appeal of the Black Bay Pro. It is a handsome, capable GMT that hits all the right notes for enthusiasts. Perhaps its Achilles’ heel is its slab-side-pronounced thickness (which isn’t actually as bad in person as it is on paper and in pictures). But let us be honest with ourselves about this watch’s biggest weakness: it is safe. It’s a classic case of Tudor doing what Tudor does best — mining its archives, taking heavy cues from its big brother in Geneva, and serving up nostalgia. It is comforting, familiar, and predictable.
A modern GMT identity
The new Tudor Northflag represents a far more original path forward. To appreciate it, you have to look back at the original 2015 North Flag. That watch was a landmark moment. It debuted Tudor’s very first in-house movement, the MT5621. This proved that the brand, after decades in Rolex’s shadow, could innovate rather than simply iterate on past wins. It’s as much of a key moment in thet Tudor’s history as the opening of its manufacture in Le Locle in 2023.
This new GMT version builds on that legacy while refining its rough edges. Gone is the old power reserve indicator at 9 o’clock, with a clean, sloped 24-hour rehaut encircling the dial instead. The watch skips faux patina and artificial vintage charm entirely, opting instead for a razor-sharp, modern dual-time field-watch aesthetic.
The 40 × 12.7mm stainless steel case is noticeably sleeker than the original’s 13.4mm profile and the Black Bay Pro’s 14.6mm-thick exterior. Tudor has graced it with satin-brushed surfaces that sharply define every angle. An integrated H-link bracelet flows from the case without a faux rivet in sight. It’s also now been upgraded further with Tudor’s excellent T-fit micro-adjustable clasp. Whether we’ll get any alternative straps remains to be seen. Other than that, it’s the full business, inside and out (but more on that soon).
The dial prioritizes pure legibility. Instead of a plain, matte black surface, it features a subtle matte/sunburst finish similar to that of the Pelagos 39. Solid ceramic numerals rise off the dark backdrop, flanking bold white hands and a date window nicely integrated at 3 o’clock. Bright electric-yellow accents paint the “Northflag” text on the dial, the hashmarks on the 24-hour scale, the central seconds hand, and the arrow-shaped GMT hand. This use of yellow directly honors the signature palette of the 2015 original.
It’s also what inspired us to put it up against the Black Bay GMT, which also features yellow accents. In its case, however, it’s a sly sidestep away from the Rolex 1655 (and its orange GMT hand) that inspired it.
Tudor MT5652-U
Master Chronometer power
Under the hood, the Northflag continues to push technical standards. It houses the manufacture caliber MT5652-U, which features full METAS Master Chronometer certification. The movement delivers a handy 65-hour power reserve and withstands magnetic fields up to 15,000 gauss. Crucially, Tudor kept the sapphire window in the case back. It provides a broad view of the industrial interior and a nod to the original’s crowning achievement.
The Black Bay Pro, on the other hand, uses the inferiorly qualified MT5652. It’s just a COSC-certified chronometer and doesn’t boast the full METAS treatment. Other than that, it’s essentially the same movement. This does beg the question of why the Black Bay Pro needs to be almost 2mm thicker. Sure, it has a 100m water resistance rating. But, given modern construction standards, I’m sure you’re just as safe taking the Northflag into the depths as you would be with the Pro.
And if the going gets tough, I feel that the Northflag would wear its battle scars better than the Black Bay Pro. The latter’s radially brushed bezel would certainly be a shame to scratch. And yet, as its most protruding element, it’s likely to take more than just a few hits.
Function over nostalgia
Let’s wrap it up, shall we? As I mentioned, the Black Bay Pro relies heavily on vintage warmth to win your heart. But it also lays it on a bit thick — faux-aged lume, faux rivets on the bracelet, all stacked a bit too tall. The Northflag does not need to borrow glory from the past. It stands firmly (and slimly) on its integrated, purposeful construction. If you want a safe, nostalgic GMT, the Black Bay Pro is the one for you. But if you prefer a bold, forward-looking tool watch that honors Tudor’s modern turning point, the new Northflag gets my vote every single time. Over to Jorg!
Jorg: Tudor Black Bay Pro
Thanks, Nacho! Today’s matchup is interesting, but this is probably the easiest time I’ve ever had picking a favorite in our Sunday Morning Showdown Series. As some of our readers will know, the Tudor Black Bay Pro is my intended next addition to my collection. I have written multiple lengthy articles explaining my love for the Black Bay Pro. The last one was about Black Bay Pro being the best watch I almost owned. In that article, I mentioned that it’s time for me to act and buy the black-dial version of the Black Bay Pro.
There are plenty of reasons for this. As I explained in the article, I spent a lot of time wearing the Black Bay Pro to conduct a hands-on review of the three Forstner bracelets made for the watch. In fact, I had the rare chance to wear it for over a year and knew it would be part of my collection one day. Let me quickly remind you why I love the Black Bay Pro so dearly. I’ll start with the biggest issue that many people have with it — the thickness and how the slab-sided case bands accentuate it. If there is one thing I have learned from wearing the two watches at the top of my wish list, it’s that I have a thing for chunky watches. The Rolex Sea-Dweller ref. 16600 and the Tudor Black Bay Pro wear similarly with their chunky profiles and substantial heft.
The two main reasons I love the Tudor Black Bay Pro
There are two simple reasons why I love that. First, I am a big guy, so a thicker tool watch fits me perfectly visually. Second, I love the feeling both watches give me when I put them on my wrist. They both assure me I could wear them every day without a single worry. Not many watches make me feel that way, but when going about my daily routine, that’s what I want from a daily wearer. Both the Sea-Dweller and Black Bay Pro convey that, and some of our readers who own both watches confirm it. There are great similarities in how they wear.
Image: Bulang & Sons
But when I look at a watch on my wrist, I want to feel infatuated every time, and both the Sea-Dweller and Black Bay Pro do that to me. This is where the comparison with the Tudor Northflag gets interesting. It’s not that the Northflag doesn’t have the same tool-watch properties as the Black Bay Pro. Rather, it’s that the latter’s design makes it the clear winner for me. We all know the Black Bay Pro is Tudor’s modern version of the legendary Rolex Explorer II ref. 1655 “Freccione.” That first-generation Explorer II has become an enthusiast’s favorite with its signature steel bezel and quirky dial design. It is one of my favorite vintage Rolex watches, but it comes with a hefty price tag. That’s where the Black Bay Pro comes in as the perfect, relatively affordable modern alternative.
The Freccione is one of my favorite vintage Rolex models
I didn’t have that sentiment when I first saw the Black Bay Pro. But after spending so much time with the watch, I quickly found that the Tudor designers did an awesome job giving the Freccione a Tudor makeover and cleaning up the dial beautifully in the process. The result is a remarkable watch. It maintains the perfect balance between reminding me of one of my favorite Rolexes ever and standing out as a proper Tudor creation. This makes it one of my favorite watches currently on the market.
Back in 2015, when the original North Flag debuted, it was a landmark release for one important reason: it was Tudor’s first watch with a manufacture caliber. In all fairness, though, that was the main reason people were talking about it. Looks-wise, it was never widely praised as a stunning watch that would, over time, become a proper classic. Truthfully, it has always just been a darling of a small crowd of Tudor enthusiasts. Of course, there is nothing wrong with that, and it made the North Flag somewhat of a cult classic after its quiet discontinuation in 2021.
One of the two watches has a certain charm
Still, I was never a fan of the original because I always thought the design looked awkward due to its thin bezel and large dial aperture. Plus, with the large, modern numerals and the clumsy power reserve indicator, it ended up being a rather quirky design. But unlike the Freccione, it leaves me completely cold. Both watches have quirky looks, but the 2015 North Flag lacked the charm that makes the ref. 1655 so great. Looking at its inspiration, the Ranger II from the 1970s, it suffers from the same flaws. It felt like the brand needed a watch from its past that wasn’t taking after a Rolex too obviously to celebrate the introduction of a manufacture caliber. While that was a rational approach, I wouldn’t consider the Ranger II a design classic that could make the North Flag really remarkable.
So when the new Northflag — I still find that new name without the space weird — debuted, I thought it was a smart move to make it a GMT. It adds extra functionality to the adventurer’s watch and provides visual refinement. But I was once again confronted with that design style that I simply don’t like. Do we honestly feel that the Ranger II and the first North Flag are proper Tudor classics, sporting typical Tudor looks that have made their mark on the watch world? I don’t know about you, but I don’t see it.
Never have, never will…
Sure, the North Flag was the first Tudor with a manufacture caliber, and it had a look that wasn’t inspired by Rolex. But is that enough to be granted a grandiose return to the spotlight? I think Tudor perfectly understands that the North Flag has become a cult classic among a small audience of Tudor fans, and that was the lever that the brand could use to create hype. But the reality is that the original North Flag was far from a commercial success, and I attribute much of that to its design. Despite my love for the Tudor brand, and it is a love that runs deep, I don’t think it will be a hit now.
The design feels too generic and “early 2000s” to have any longevity beyond the initial excitement of seeing a new Northflag. Speaking of which, the IWC GST series, especially the GST Deep One, shows perfectly how to inject a design like this with more refinement and charm. Anyway, I have rambled on long enough. By now, you will know that I am not the biggest fan of the new Northflag for several reasons. The Black Bay Pro, however, will always be the Tudor for me.
Time to vote!
All right, you’ve heard from both of this week’s contestants, and now it’s time to cast your vote. Which of these toolish GMT watches will you go for? Will it be the new and modern Northflag GMT? Or will you go for the mid-century looks of the Black Bay Pro? Regardless, be sure to vote, and please share your reasons for picking your champion in the comments!
