Only Watch 2015 — Tudor Heritage Black Bay One
Tudor Heritage Black Bay One for Only Watch 2015
We are back with another Only Watch story. This time, we’ll take a look at the Tudor Heritage Black Bay One, Reference 7923/001, a unique watch that Tudor entered as their first participation at the charity auction. It is quite a special model, first of all because it is a reinterpretation of the highly sought-after reference 7823 from the mid-1950s that was produced in tiny quantities. It is also the first time Tudor, a brand that never made limited edition or bespoke pieces, is making a one-of-a-kind watch.
Riding the wave of vintage watch collections, in 2010, Tudor, just as other brands, launched a Heritage line of watches, a collection of re-editions of legendary models from the past with a modern twist. Actually at the 2012 edition of GPHG, the Heritage Black Bay won the “Revival” category and ever since it’s one of the best sellers of the brand.
See bellow the evolution of the Heritage Black Bay models, starting with the original reference 7923.
Tudor reference 7923 from the mid-50s and the Heritage Black Bay models that followed it.
As you can see the Heritage Black Bay One is more faithful to the original Tudor diver. The baton-type hands return to replace the snowflake hands used on the 2012 and 2014 models. The dial also got an upgrade, if the the luminescent material was formerly painted directly on the dial, on the Heritage Black Bay One it is laid in applied gold-coloured inserts ensuring improved definition. Finally, the dial of the Tudor Heritage Black Bay One is domed, a subtle yet important detail for the experienced eye and representing another nod to mid-20th century watch design.
The size is increased from 37 mm to 41 mm, rendering the watch more modern. The unidirectional rotating bezel is again a return to the past, as it lacks the minutes divisions.
A side view of the Tudor Heritage Black Bay One, showcasing the Tudor rose on the crown. The sapphire crystal covering the dial is domed.
Fitted with a solid stainless steel bracelet featuring tube-type attachments, a technical term used to describe a final link which does not come into contact with the case and an additional reference to the history of product development at Tudor, the Black Bay One also comes with two additional and unique straps: a dark brown aged leather strap, a Jacquard-weave admiralty grey fabric strap. Traditionally woven in a century-old craft company in the French region of Saint-Etienne, the historical cradle of the passementerie (trimmings) industry.
About Only Watch 2015
Only Watch is a major charity event for aficionados and collectors of fine watches that will take place on November 7th 2015. Under the patronage of HSH Prince Albert II, Honorary President of the Cercle de l’Horlogerie de Monaco, this exhibition and auction will present creations from some 40 of the most prestigious watch companies, each one of them creating a unique piece for this occasion.
All the proceedings of the auction will benefit the Monaco Association against Muscular Dystrophy, to help fund research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a genetic neuromuscular disease affecting 250,000 children, adolescents and young adults worldwide and provoking a progressive organism-wide degeneration of muscles.
The auction is preceded by a travelling exhibition presenting the collection in Monaco, Hong Kong, Beijing, New York and London.
