Tudor Black Bay 58 caliber MT5402 39mm

Arguably the first big success story of the compact-sized diver tsunami that has swept through the community over the past few years, the 39mm Black Bay 58 has earned its place as a crowd favourite amongst enthusiasts and casual buyers alike. Far from a poor mans Submariner, the BB58 is a deceptively simple but well thought out diver with some serious build quality and brand cred. 

Take the dial, for instance. The hue of blue chosen is deep but dynamic, with good legibility as both a desk diver and a true-blue (heh) sports watch out in the water. The indice surrounds are polished and reflective, bringing just a little bit of bling and sparkle compared to the more utilitarian Tudor Pelagos line of watches. The snowflake hour hand has some detractors, but personally I love how blocky and legible it is, personally preferring this to the mercedes style hands used on the Rolex equivalent. 

A beautifully clear, boxy sapphire crystal sits on top, which serves as a major contributer to the mid century vibes the BB58 is built to replicate. An underrated feature of this crystal is the distortion at the edges, which gives the dial more depth and character than would have been acheived with a flat crystal and unbevelled rehaut for instance. Also note the lack of metal between the bezel and the crystal; in most comeptitors you will find a small circle of steel where the crystal and bezel interface with the case. Not so with the BB58, making for a cleaner overall look. Sometimes it's not about what you can add to a design, but what you can remove.

Speaking of the bezel, at 60 unidirectional clicks rather than the now standard 120 clicks found on most of the competition, the BB58 does fall a bit behind in fidelity. However, those clicks are some of the best of any bezel at any price currently on the market, so I'm willing to forgive Tudor for this one. Seriously, this is such a nice bezel. I fidget with it a lot when it's on wrist becayse it's a tactile delight.

The bracelet is comfortable, not overly bulky, and has a nice taper. Online reviewers LOVE to moan about the faux rivets in the bracelet, but once on the wrist you have to reeeeeally look to notice them. An on the fly adjustment system is lacking in this generation of BB58, but the newer METAS certified variants hitting the market have the excellent T-fit system; hold out for one of those if thats a deal breaker or get your hands on a second hand 39mm tudor ranger bracelet (they apparently fit the BB58 case so are always an option).

I chose to buy a BB58 as a milestone watch for myself as it is one of the better options on the market for getting the most watch for your watch. It doesnt have any truly out there design choices, which some critics will insist makes it boring and vanilla. I've heard of several owners chosing to sell theirs on after a few years of ownership for exactly this reason. However, this safe design is exactly why I bought a BB58. It's got good enough specs to actually dive, swim, hike and explore with, it's not as flashy and gauche as the current generation of Submariners, and while I cycle my way through a number of different affordable pieces over the years I expect my BB58 to form the safe, bedrock of my collection that all newcomers are compared to. For that purpose? I cant think of many watches better suited than the BB58.

The Tudor Black Bay 58 is the most popular watch at its price for a reason. It has a compact size of 39mm and a vintage-inspired 50s dive aesthetic. It packs a reliable in-house movement with 70hrs of power reserve. For its current retail price it is good value, but for second hand prices it's a steal.

Wetch is so versatile, looks great on a bracelet of a strap. Absolutely perfect specs and value for money. This one is never leaving my collection. Its a total gem. 

I own the BB58 in Blue. I prefer this deep blue to the brighter blue found on Pelagos models. First off the case diameter and lug to lug make it a perfect fit for 6.25-6.5+ inch wrist (any smaller might want to look into the BB54). With the 20mm lug width you have strap options out there as this watch is a strap monster. I personally use the RubberB matching color strap and the OEM bracelet. The bezel action is smooth and significant; as a matter of fact I believe Tudors bezel clicky action to be the best. Watch wears comfortably on wrist, keeps advertised accuracy, and man does it look good. As of the day if this review you can find used BB58s for about $2400.