For those of us not in Switzerland last week, and instead watching the debuts and big surprises from the sidelines of the 2025 Watches and Wonders event, it felt like a pretty big moment in the industry.
There were monumental new models or key updates to core models from Rolex (natch), IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Hublot, and Lange – just to name a few of the heavies. Of course, normal nerds without seven-figure watch budgets were excited to see a ton of releases from workaday luxury maker Tudor.
The Black Bay line continues to define modern Tudor and launches this year include a bigger format of the vintage-inspired portfolio with the Black Bay 68, a Black Bay 58 that’s been bathed in burgundy, and a white “Opaline” dial for the Black Bay Pro. (The Pelagos Ultra also debuted to extend Tudor’s serious diver range; I expect to write more about that watch in the near future.)
Tons of words were written about all of the Black Bays above, but I’ve yet to see much digital ink spilled on what, at least to me, is one of the low-key critical updates for Tudor: Adding a five-link (don’t call me “jubilee”) bracelet option to the core Black Bay Chrono line.
Of course, Tudor has offered its version of the joob with the BB Chrono in the past. Last year the brand brought the bracelet to the new blue-dial version of the model, and famously it was featured on the pink and teal dial chronos.
A new bracelet offering for the existing panda/reverse panda colorways of the Chrono shouldn’t, I realize, take center stage at a busy W&W25. But I think it’s a transformative move for the model for a few reasons:
- The Tudor rivet bracelet isn’t great. I’m not in the cadre of neckbeards incensed at the three-link affair simply because of some non-functional rivets, but I don’t like the look.
- The jubilee option transforms the watch. Forget about the brand offering the five-link on its splashier Chrono colorways; enthusiast owners have been sourcing joobs for their BBs for years, via friendly Tudor ADs and the aftermarket.
- I hate to even bring the Daytona into this – I have a better chance of winning the Daytona 24 than I do of putting together a grey market Rolex Daytona-sized budget – but the five-link does give Tudor’s mainline chronograph an interesting wrinkle relative to its distant cousin.
- Maybe I’m alone on this, but I’ve always found jubilee bracelets to be more comfortable than their lesser-linked competition. This seems to be a format thing, not a brand thing, as it has held true on everything from an Uncle Seiko unit to the real deal on my Datejust. Hit me in the comments if I’m off-base.
The small downside to the new strap is a $100 upcharge versus the three link, on the black and white dial chronos. In the world of watches (especially one about to be turned on its collective head with tariff woes), I call that a bargain.
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