Tudor announced the Black Bay 58 GMT at Watches & Wonders this month. 39mm case, Manufacture Calibre MT5400 with GMT function, 200m water resistance. €4,200.
This is what people have been asking for since the regular 58 launched. The 41mm Black Bay GMT was fine, but too big for a lot of wrists. 39mm makes it wearable for daily use.
The movement is interesting. Tudor built their own GMT caliber instead of using a modified ETA base. Caller GMT (you adjust the hour hand independently), 70-hour power reserve, COSC certified. Same as the bigger GMT but repackaged for the smaller case.
What Works #
The size. 39mm x 11.9mm thick fits under a shirt cuff without drama. Lug-to-lug is 47mm, which is reasonable for most people.
The bezel. 24-hour bidirectional with good action. No play, solid clicks. Aluminum insert, not ceramic, which keeps it in the tool watch category instead of trying to be a luxury piece.
The price. €4,200 is high for Tudor, but fair for an in-house GMT movement in this size. Compare it to a €10k+ Rolex GMT and it starts to make sense.
What Doesn’t #
The thickness. 11.9mm is noticeable. Not huge, but you feel it. The movement isn’t particularly thin, and Tudor didn’t shave millimeters to make it disappear.
The bracelet taper. Goes from 22mm at the lugs to 16mm at the clasp. Some people love it, some think it looks unbalanced. I’m in the middle - it’s fine, but I’d prefer 18mm at the clasp.
The waiting list. Good luck finding one at an AD in the next six months.
Who It’s For #
If you travel regularly and want a GMT that doesn’t scream “expensive watch,” this works. Not trying to flex, just trying to tell time in two zones without pulling out your phone.
Also good if you liked the idea of the 41mm GMT but it wore too big. This fixes that problem.
Alternatives: Rolex GMT-Master II (if you can find one), Grand Seiko GMT models (more dressy), Christopher Ward C65 GMT (cheaper, good value).
I’d wear it.