Opinion – initially skeptical, now beaten: The Tudor Black Bay Chrono Carbon 25

Some watches immediately attract their attention and their interest, while others never go into attention. Others may be a bait and a switch: they love it at first, but when they get it into their hands, the love relationship is short -lived. Some time ago I made it mechanically with a Hamilton Khaki field. Loved it when it was published, it bought it only to sell it two months later. I just didn't connect it. It can also be the other way around, what was the case for one of Tudor's latest and bravest watches, The Black Bay Chrono Carbon 25. When the press release entered, I didn't think much about it. “Only another Tudor Black Bay Chrono” was my first thought. But when I got it into my hands a few minutes a few days later, things started to change quickly! Allow me to explain …

I have something for Tudor watches directly from the goal. One of my first major purchases in the Watch Collecting was indeed a Black Bay 79220n, which with the Smiley dial and the ETA movement, with a black dial and a bezel. And to this second I would like to wear this watch! While it is my only tudor so far, it has permanently connected me to the brand, so I always have an above -average interest in what you do. But when this Black Bay Chrono Carbon 25 was released, I was initially not convinced. In fact, I didn't like it on the press pictures! What was the problem, you ask? Simple: I have never been the biggest fan of co-branded and super observer watches, and for me this ticked both boxes, despite my love for Formula 1 as a sport. Sure, the branding of the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 team is not too good, but it is still there. It is the same reason why I was watching watches with soccer teams, individual athletes and so on.

What has changed my opinion with this? Well, it is a bit more difficult to explain, but it depends on a few things. First and foremost, the combination of black and white, mixed with a hint of blue, works easy for me. The strong contrast between the colors is simply cool and keeps the readability and functionality of the Black Bay chronograph exactly where you have to be. Then there is actually the weight or lack of it. It is made almost exclusively from carbon fiber and weighs at least for a chronograph. It is a large watch with 42 mm (1 mm larger than a steel version) and 14.3 mm height, but it is very portable! For all details and specifications of this watch, I suggest checking the first report here.

Details such as the carbon fiber SUB dials and the carbon fiber data window may not catch up immediately, but on closer inspection it only works. It feels different from its steel siblings, and for me it is a large part of the attraction. The colors, the weight, the textures and the fact that it has a very comfortable hybrid leather rubber strap (with carbon sinks!) Instead of a bracelet, also helps too much. With all other variations you know exactly what you get involved with. The collection is long enough until the vast majority of enthusiasts and collectors have an idea of owning and wearing. But this … This simply calibrated her senses! And I like that very much!

One last note that I would like to share looks at the price. Alone EUR 7,400 EUR The sales price seems pretty steep. But compared to the EUR 5,930 EUR Sticker Price of a normal BB chrono made of stainless steel, things start. It is still a good part money (especially when looking at the rest of the Tudor range), but you get something extra in return: one of Tudor's bravest and bravest watches to this day! And that is worth something in my book.