Mario Canonizado 
Hot on the heels of their Watches and Wonders novelties, Tudor has surprised the watch world with the high-speed drop of a new Black Bay Chrono!
It seems that in the modern day, the connection between horology and motorsports is more apparent than ever. While the bond has always existed — think Steve McQueen and Heuer, or Paul Newman and Rolex — nearly every watch brand today is trying to align itself with the adrenaline-fuelled world of racing. Nowhere has this become more apparent than in Formula One, where most brands would kill for an opportunity to be a part of. Naturally, some prove more successful than others, leveraging more than just shared values and lofty brand philosophies. Instead for brands like Rolex and TAG Heuer, their deep-rooted history and far-reaching influence within the sport allow them to do more than just participate — they’ve become synonymous with it. Or rather, their dials have become the faces of the sport itself.
Just like its big sister brand, Rolex, Tudor’s history with Formula One runs deep. It began with the Tudor Watch Racing Team in the 1960s and came full circle last year with the brand’s return to the iconic motorsport through a partnership with the Visa Cash App RB (VCARB) Team. That comeback was marked by the release of a special Black Bay Ceramic in the team’s signature blue. Now, with Formula One enjoying unprecedented global popularity — thanks in part to Netflix’s Drive to Survive — Tudor has unveiled a bold new collaboration celebrating its continued partnership with VCARB.
Enter the brand-new Tudor Black Bay Chrono Carbon 25. A limited edition of 2,025 pieces, it would be easy to dismiss the Carbon 25 as just another cosmetic refresh of the existing Chrono line — but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The most notable innovation lies in its entirely new case construction: rather than stainless steel, the Carbon 25 is crafted entirely from carbon fibre, including the bezel, which is seamlessly integrated into the case.
As a postmodern innovation in watchmaking, carbon fibre offers exceptional toughness while remaining remarkably lightweight — ensuring the watch wears comfortably without sacrificing resilience. This is especially important since the lightness of carbon fibre helps to offset the imposing 42mm wide, 14.3mm thick frame of the Carbon 25. The high-tech, featherlight construction is further complemented by titanium pushers and a black PVD-coated case back, all designed to echo the cutting-edge aesthetic and engineering prowess of the VCARB Formula One team. However, due to the lower density of the carbon fibre, you might be able to hear the mechanics of the watch a lot clearer than you usually would.
From the dial side, several updates help distinguish the Carbon 25 from the rest of the Black Bay Chrono line. The signature ‘panda’ layout remains, but both the 45-minute chronograph register and the small seconds subdial have been re-imagined with the same carbon fibre finish as the case — tying the design together with a cohesive, high-tech flair. A black date window with white text — a reversal of the standard Black Bay Chrono’s white date window — sits cleanly at six o’clock, while a blue minute-and-seconds track runs around the periphery of the dial.
The combination of blue, white, and black already offers a sharp, modern aesthetic, but it’s the subtle red details, like the ‘200m:660ft’ water resistance rating and the red-tipped chronograph seconds hand, that add the right amount of contrast. The result is a design that doesn’t overtly scream ‘VCARB’ or ‘Red Bull,’ but rather delivers a universally attractive aesthetic that those in the know will immediately recognise and appreciate.
Finally, turning the watch over reveals a titanium black PVD caseback engraved with a speeding Formula One car, along with the individually numbered reference of the watch. The usual flavour text found on other Tudor models is present here as well, but with the addition of ‘Édition Limitée’ — a subtle touch that reinforces the exclusivity of this release.
Beneath this dark medallion beats the trusted MT5813 movement, operating at 4Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour) with an impressive 70-hour power reserve. As expected from a brand with Tudor’s reputation, the MT5813 is COSC-certified, meaning it meets strict chronometer standards for accuracy. In fact, where COSC allows an average variation in the daily rate of an uncased movement of between -4/+6 seconds’ variation per day, however, Tudor goes another step further with this movement and applies a -2/+4 seconds variation. While it isn’t METAS like the new Tudor Black Bay range, its a great compromise between COSC and METAS.
My Thoughts
When I first saw this watch and skimmed through its details, I was admittedly stunned by the AU$10,970 price tag. Not because the watch doesn’t warrant a price that steep — Tudor is a luxury watchmaker, after all — but because the brand has long been associated with accessible, high-quality craftsmanship. That price point, for some, may feel like a stretch.
But that doesn’t detract from the steady evolution Tudor has been undergoing over the past few years. It wasn’t too long ago that the brand was consistently pigeonholed as the ‘poor man’s Rolex.’ Watches like the Black Bay Chrono Carbon 25 are a testament to how far Tudor has come in shedding that label and forging its own legacy — distinct, confident, and forward-thinking. It’s a continuation of what we’ve seen from them at the last two Watches & Wonders shows, and yet another exciting step in what has become a defining era for the brand with the shield.
Reference: M79377KN-0001
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 42mm case diameter x 14.3mm thickness
- Case Material: Black carbon fibre and black PVD titanium
- Dial: “Racing” White with asphalt-inspired black subdials & blue accents. Super-LumiNova filled hands and indices
- Movement: Automatic MT5813 with COSC Chronometer certification, chronograph (45min register) & date complications
- Power Reserve: 70h
- Water Resistance: 200m (20bar)
- Strap: Hybrid black leather/rubber strap with ‘tyre pattern’ & black PVD titanium pin buckle
