The Tudor Black Bay GMT “Root Beer”

Tudor Black Bay GMT

Tudor has come into its own in the 2010s, but there’s no denying the connection with its parent company, Rolex. The pioneer Black Bay GMT (ref. M79830RB), released in 2018, is an ode to the emblematic Rolex GMT-Master Pepsi that first hit the market in the 1950s.

Measuring about 41mm, it features a steel construction and a domed black dial with luminous snowflake-style hands and indices. Together, they ensure legibility even at night-time and in low-light conditions.

This release meant that the classic Black Bay now comes with a true GMT feature that makes it travel-ready. The complication is shown using an additional red-colored central hand and a 24-hour blue and red rotatable bezel – a homage to both the aesthetics and functions of the famous Rolex Pepsi.

Of course, a new function called for a new movement. The Black Bay M79830RB runs on the Caliber MT5652 – a  COSC-certified automatic movement with a 70-hour power reserve and a stop-seconds function, which allows for precise time setting.

Tudor Black Bay GMT ‘Root Beer’

The success of the Black Bay Pepsi meant that Tudor didn’t really have to reinvent the wheel. Continuing its tribute to the Rolex GMT models of yore, it was followed by the Black Bay steel and gold (“S&G”), better known as ‘Root Beer.” This piece also comes in a 41mm case, with the same wearable construction that made the ‘Pepsi’ popular in the last five years.

Replacing the silver-tone details of the Black Bay Pepsi, the Black Bay GMT ‘Root Beer’ has gold accents on the grainy, matte black dial — from hands and applied hour markers to the signature and minute track. Moreover, it also has central bracelet links and a crown in gold.

The gold bi-directional bezel comes with a matte brown and black anodized aluminum insert which echoes the Rolex Root Beer’s vintage appeal. Tudor also added an option of a fabric strap and leather bracelet, which allows for more comfortable wear on the wrist.

Inside, the Black Bay GMT S&G relies on ​​the same movement that powers the Black Bay ‘Pepsi’: the Caliber MT5652. This mechanism presents improvements in accuracy and reliability and features a high-quality silicon balance spring.