As the various European football championships resume, I offer you a look back at the past season which saw Inter Milan win its 20th scudetto in Italy. To celebrate this achievement, which is materialized by the presence of a second star on the jersey of the famous club, Tudor has presented a limited edition of 1908 pieces of its Black Bay 58.
This watch is very interesting from a strategic point of view. It says a lot about Tudor’s ambition, which is manifested through its involvement in many sports (Rugby, Formula 1, Cycling, Sailing) and now more markedly in football. Of course, the link between Tudor and football is not recent since David Beckham has been an ambassador for the brand since 2017. But David Beckham is an icon whose fame goes beyond the strict framework of football and besides, there was little spotlight on the former England international’s favorite sport during the early years of the partnership. Things are changing with the announcement a few months ago that Tudor was becoming the official timekeeper of Inter Miami CF, the club in which David Beckham officiates as president and co-shareholder. This announcement was accompanied by the release of the Black Bay Chrono “Pink” that we were able to see at the last edition of Watches & Wonders. And then, in the following month of May, the Tudor Black Bay 58 Inter Milan was unveiled. These events demonstrate the acceleration of Tudor’s commitment to football, which is far from fortuitous. Hublot’s successful experience in this field must have given rise to ideas and, in general, the industry understood that there was potential given the considerable sums of money drawn in by this sport. The time when the image of football seemed incompatible with that of luxury watchmaking is long gone.
Let’s be clear, Tudor’s foray is nevertheless being made with caution. The Black Bay Chrono “Pink” does not contain any mention of Inter Miami CF and the pink color can also evoke the jersey of the Giro leader. And then, the Black Bay 58 Inter Milan is released in a limited series and the context of its release means that it is primarily aimed at supporters of the Milanese club. It cannot therefore be considered a watch with a global vocation even if, of course, it has the capacity to seduce collectors looking for a limited series of Tudor. In short, Tudor’s advancement in the world of football is real but it is being done in measured steps.
This watch will be difficult to wear for an AC Milan supporter:
Beyond this context, it must be admitted that the watch is very attractive and particularly successful. The starting point was in any case reassuring since it is a Black Bay 58 which is one of Tudor’s flagship pieces. Then, the strong point lies in the dial. It has a gradient blue background, going from a bright shade in the center to a darker rendering on the periphery. This effect is extended by the black bezel so that the whole offers a harmonious and consistent rendering with the colors of the Inter jersey (blue and black). The insertion of the Inter Milan logo and the two stars is well done because they recall the golden touches of the hands and indexes. This logo and the stars are discreet but remain visually present. A Juventus supporter or even worse, AC Milan, will have a hard time wearing this watch… and all the more so since an imposing logo is positioned on the back of the case. I don’t know if the love of a limited edition Tudor can annihilate the hatred of having the logo of an enemy club on the skin. But if it could, kudos to Tudor, it would show the power of the brand!
Otherwise, I find the main characteristics of the Black Bay 58, namely its diameter of 39mm (neither too big nor too small, ideal in this context), the thickness of 11.9mm, the domed sapphire crystal, the aluminum bezel and of course the MT5402 manufacture movement, chronometer certified. The performances are thus there with a power reserve of 70 hours (for a frequency of 4 Hz) as well as a water resistance of 200 meters. In other words, it is ready to face the hard daily life of a professional football player, being able to go without worry in the training camp swimming pool or endure the jets of champagne in the event of victory. More seriously, the functional versatility of the Black Bay 58 Inter Milan is accompanied by an aesthetic versatility because if it is basically a diving watch, it nevertheless has some refined details highlighted by the excellent execution of the dial. So I found this Black Bay 58 Inter Milan accomplished and worthy of the celebration of the 20th scudetto which constitutes an important step in the history of the club.
The Black Bay 58 Inter Milan is priced at €4,350 and is available at Tudor stores in Milan and Rome as well as select Italian retailers. However, don’t expect to walk into a store in Italy and walk away with it easily. This limited edition is highly sought after and deliveries are trickling in.
