Tudor’s New Blue and Racy Black Bay

in 2024 Tudor returned to motor sport through a Formula 1 partnership and a very cool watch...

Racing cars and watches go hand in hand, or maybe more precisely hand in racing glove. And of course, no watch is more closely linked with the world of motor racing than the chronograph. Many brands developed chronograph watches in partnership with racing teams or were heavily inspired by racing when developing the watches. Tudor has a long history of working with motor racing and associated itself with the sport, dating back to the late 1960s when it sponsored a Tudor Watch Racing Team. One of the team’s drivers was Tomohiko Tsutsumi who raced a Porsche 906 and appeared in Japanese print ads at the time. Interestingly his only option was to wear a Tudor Submariner reference 7928 as the brand did not release their first chrono until 1970.

Home Plate and Beyond

Then of course there were the early Home Plate chronograph adverts that featured rally driver Tim Wheatley sitting next to his car and wearing a reference 7032 chronograph. More recently Tudor entered a partnership with the International Motor Sports Association that included the Tudor United SportsCar Championship. Tudor was also the official timing partner of Porsche Motorsport worldwide in 2010 and 2011 and sponsored Dutch driver Patrick Huisman.

Tudor sponsored Porsche driver Patrick Huisman

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Timezone

Patrick Huisman's Grantour Chronograph

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Timezone

The Tudor Historic Grand Prix

Then beginning in 2015, for three years Tudor sponsored the Historic Grand Prix in Zandvoort. As part of its sponsorship, the brand offered 12 of its Heritage Chronograph watches to the winners of the races. The Historic Grand Prix comprised a number of races that included 500cc Formula 3, Pre ’66 touring cars and the 1000cc Historic Formula 3.

Thrills and spills at the Tudor sponsored Historic Grand Prix

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Fratello

A competitor's pass at the Tudor Historic Grand Prix 2017

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Fratello

A Speedy Return

Now Tudor is back on the track as the official timing partner for the Visa Cash App RB Formula 1 team, or VCARB as it is known. This collaboration not only celebrates Tudor’s rich racing heritage but also aligns with the technological and performance-driven ethos of Formula One. The partnership has been marked by the new Black Bay Ceramic “Blue” watch, designed to mark the partnership with the team.

This special edition watch, featuring a striking blue dial that echoes the team’s livery. The watch is worn by the team’s renowned drivers, Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda, becoming a part of their official gear in the paddock. With its Master Chronometer certification, the Black Bay Ceramic “Blue” is not only a testament to Tudor’s commitment to excellence but also an integral element of the team’s racing identity, encapsulating the spirit of endurance and precision that is critical in the high-octane world of Formula One racing.

The commercially available version of the Black Bay Ceramic “Blue” is not actually a team watch and is a little different to the version made exclusively for the Visa Cash App RB Formula One team. While maintaining the core aesthetics, this edition has a distinct feature: a clear sapphire case back that allows wearers to view METAS certified Manufacture Calibre MT5602-1U movement. In contrast, the team-exclusive variant features a solid case back with the Visa Cash App RB team logo engraved on it.

This watch features a 41mm matte black ceramic case that is both lightweight and highly resistant to scratches and wear. The dial, a domed Visa Cash App RB livery-matching blue, has applied hour markers and Tudor’s signature “Snowflake” hands coated with Grade X1 Swiss Super-LumiNova®.  The watch is complemented by a hybrid strap made of leather and rubber with blue stitching with folding deployment clasp. Additionally, it comes with a complimentary black fabric strap featuring a blue centre band.

Tudor’s selection of the Black Bay Ceramic “Blue” as a dive watch rather than a chronograph for their partnership with the Visa Cash App RB Formula One team in 2024 is deeply rooted in the brand’s longstanding association with motor racing. As discussed earlier, the relationship that dates back to the late 1960s when TUDOR sponsored its own racing team that wore the Tudor Submariner reference 7928. Opting for the Black Bay Ceramic “Blue” dive watch in their latest motorsport collaboration highlights TUDOR’s heritage and evolution—it showcases their most technically advanced dive watch, equipped with features like a ceramic case and METAS-certified movement, resonating with the high-tech demands of Formula One and celebrating a legacy that began with robust, reliable dive watches.