Saying Goodbye to Tudor's Heritage Chronograph

Tudor has dominated much of the discussion coming out of Watches and Wonder 2023. Yet for all of the digital ink that is being spilled on the slimmed down and upgraded Black Bay, the release of the new Black Bay 54, and the introduction of a new dial color for the ever popular Black Bay GMT, a story more important to the modern history of the brand is being ignored.  The Tudor Heritage Chronograph is no more.

First introduced in 2010 this watch, along with the red bezel Black Bay 41 in 2012, was largely responsible for the revitalization of the brand and its eventual reintroduction into the American marketplace in 2013.  At a time when the 2008 recession was starting to fade and the hobby was rediscovering its vintage roots Tudor reinvented itself as the mid level brand for enthusiasts.  Given their prominence today, only a decade later, I don’t think it is an understatement to say that these are both important watches.  If not icons, both are worthy of serious reflection as they say so much about where Tudor came from, and where its heading next.

It is ironic that one would be dropped at the same moment that the other is being thrust back into the spotlight. While watch journalists have wondered if the brand risks becoming too associated with the Black Bay line and vintage aesthetic, this year’s releases at Watches and Wonders seem to suggest that its leadership is doubling down.  The elimination of the single chronograph lacking the initials “BB” further reinforces the perception.

Of course the most important new development for the brand in 2023, and the one that sets the stage for our story, was not any of its watches.  Rather, it is the opening of a new Le Lochle manufacture and headquarters, finally distinct from Rolex. This will allow it to increase production and pursue its own projects. Chief among these are the elimination of any remaining ETA movements from its range and the move towards METAS certification for the entire product line.

It was precisely these more technical goals that ultimately doomed the Heritage Chronograph.  After a decade of neglect, during which time Tudor continued to sell these watches but did nothing to update them, continued production seems to have became unstainable for economic reasons.  Rather than the Kenissi made movements that are at the heart of modern Tudor, the Heritage Chronograph still used an ETA base with a Dubois Depraz module. 

Compared to Breitling’s movement in the Black Bay Chrono, this must have helped to keep production costs down. This accounted for the unsightly offset controls and less crisp feel when activating the pushers.  Yet it also allowed the for a watch was just a hair under 13mm in height and one that wears quite nicely on my wrist.  But all of this became a moot point as with the loss of ETA movements there would be nothing to rest the Dubois Depraz module upon.

So why did the Black Bay 41 get a case, bracelet and certification upgrade while the Heritage Chronograph was quietly dropped?  I think it all comes down to price points.  Tudor is able to dominate so much of our discussions of an event like Watches and Wonders because it seems to be regarded as the most exciting heritage brand in the three to five thousand US dollar range. Its relevant to a broad base of consumers in ways that pricer brands like Zenith, IWC and even Rolex are not.  Tudor knows its market niche, and that is undercutting Omega and Breitling at every turn. 

At the end of the day it was possible to upgrade the Black Bay and keep its final sales cost under $4,500.  That is exactly what the Heritage Chronograph used to cost.  But there was no way to adapt a more expensive Kenissi movement, do the redesigns necessary to make the case work, upgrade the bracelet and get it METAS certified without driving the price of the watch up to, and very likely well above, the current Black Bay Chronograph. 

In short, the Heritage Chronograph became a victim of our changing expectations of the brand. On the one hand we know the technical improvements that we want to see Tudor undertake (slimmer cases, a quick adjust on every clasp, upgraded “in house” movements, METAS certification).  But we also have very definite thoughts as to how much a Tudor should costs (well under 6K).  It's like walking a tight rope. When looking back at the two pillars of modern Tudor, the red Black Bay and the Heritage Chronograph, it was clear that only one of the two would be able to make it. 

Maybe this is also a cautionary tale about the Black Bay GMT with its new “polar dial.” Its basic re-dial in the same year that the diver got a more fundamental update has left a lot of people perplexed and frustrated. Everyone would love to see a slimmed down in-house true GMT movement, redesigned case and upgraded bracelet.  But what they would actually be willing to pay for those things is another matter. It’s just a lot easier to make the numbers work with a simple dive watch than a vastly more complex GMT or chronograph.

But here is the critical question.  Without the success of the iconic Heritage Chronograph in 2010, would there have been a 2012 Black Bay range at all?  Would any of us be obsessing about Tudor today?It seems unlikely.  The good news is that with a 13 year run there will be lots of these colorful and quirky pieces floating around the secondary markets for years to come.