Tudor Black Bay GMT S&G Watch Review

All the attention may have been on the Black Bay Pro of late – and for good reason, it’s a solid, if slightly unoriginal take on the Rolex Explorer – but Tudor’s wider slate of releases has been put unfairly in its shadow.

Granted, an entirely new watch has more to say about it than a slight variation, but honestly, of all Tudor’s releases this year the one that I really wish I didn’t have to take off was the new Black Bay GMT S&G.

Steel and gold is a good mix. There’s something decidedly retro about it and while Rolex may have tapped into it last year with the 36mm Explorer, Tudor have absolutely nailed the aesthetic. While the all-steel version of the GMT is distinctly modern, this new version has an almost sepia tint.

The bezel has been changed to brown and black rather than red and blue, a take on Rolex’s Root Beer rather than the original Pepsi Cola. Paired with the gold rim and indexes, it’s pure nostalgia, hammered home with the gold central links on the bracelet and the matching crown.

The dial too has been given a Midas overhaul, with golden hands, text and indexes against the black. It’s not exactly flashy, but it is a lot more luxurious than the older version.

On the wrist it’s not exactly slim, but I absolutely fell in love with it. It’s a bit chunkier than the Black Bay Pro, but that’s no bad thing and the retro good looks are impossible not to appreciate. Honestly, I think it’s the best looking Tudor around.

It’s available on two different straps in brown leather and Tudor’s now signature striped fabric, but really who’s going to get it on anything but the matching bi-colour bracelet? Anything else would be a travesty.

At £4,290 though it’s a pretty hefty proposition for Tudor. Still, it’s COSC certified, boasts a three day power reserve and has the build quality (read solid 48-notch bezel) that you’d expect from Tudor, so the value is definitely there. Sure, it might not have made as big a splash as the Black Bay Pro, but the GMT S&G is, for me at least, this year’s standout from Tudor.