Tudor Black Bay GMT (M79830RB): a 5-month review

Introduction

Following up on my previous review of the Tudor Royal 41mm, one might be forgiven for thinking I am a Tudor fan-boy, but for the fact that I am relatively new to the brand (I received my first Tudor in 2021) although this writer might just be in denial at this stage. I digress; in front of us, today is the 79830RB GMT that was first released in 2018 (has it already been 5 years?!) alongside its more ubiquitous cousin, the Black Bay 58. This model’s headline features include a jumping-hour hand “Flyer” GMT movement, 70 hours of power reserve, as well as 200m of water resistance.

This is the “original” black dial version, and this model perhaps deserves a renewed round of scrutiny now that the is-it-white-or-is-it-silver-maybe-a-bit-of-both “Opaline” dial version was released earlier this year at Watches & Wonders 2023. Indeed, there is something a little more understated with the older model, and since we’re collectively travelling around in a post-pandemic world, let us push in that flippy clasp, spin that wrist around, and have a proper gander at this watch.

Slabs of Presence

One of the common critiques of the Black Bay range pertains to the “slab-sides” of the case design. This is a concern for those whose wrists are of a smaller size, whereby the watch head sits a little too proud on the wrist. However, given that Tudor fans are - as of 2023 - well served by “smaller” dive watch options such as the BB58, Pelagos and the BB54, I am a little less inclined to commiserate with those who have wrist circumferences measuring less than 7”; there is also the Black Bay Pro for those desiring the GMT complication but within a more compact 39mm package.

With my 7.25” wrist, I gravitate towards watches with diameters between 40 and 42mm, and the 79830’s 41mm diameter is very much in that Goldilocks zone. I must, however, celebrate one tiny design detail that seems to be present solely on this model: Tudor introduced a rather generous bevel at the bottom edge of the case where one’s skin would normally rub up against the metal. Objectively though, this doesn’t do much to mask the fact that the watch is 15mm thick, and the polished vertical case side height contributes about 8mm of that perceived thickness.

However, this detail comes right out of the industrial designer’s playbook of making things slimmer than they actually are. Apple kicked this movement off with their execution of the laptop profile transition from full thickness to a slimmer case edge. This “trick” is now adopted across the industry and has clearly spilt over into domains where one’s notion of perceived thickness is accompanied by unnecessary tantrums - do you genuinely wear tightly cuffed dress shirts for all instances of travelling across time zones?

That said, the rest of the case is very much classic Tudor: polished edge bezels that run along the top of the aforementioned polished case sides, with diagonal brushing for the case top and bottom; likewise the slightly blockiness to the overall presentation which is offset by female endlinks to keep the lug-to-lug distance reasonable at just under 50mm. 

The slightly oversized crown, a hallmark of the Black Bay range, is not so large that it is disproportionate to the rest of the watch, and it is very much welcome for this writer’s stubby fingers to grip onto; overall the mixture of brushing and polished surfaces provides a presentation that vibes well with the rest of the appointments to hand, such as the dial.

Dialling it in

The dial for the 79830RB is very much in line with the rest of its family range: silver half railway track outer markings with thicker lines for each 5-minute marker, applied indices with a healthy amount of lume encapsulated by glossy metallic sides, a date window with a white date wheel at 3 o’clock, 4-hand snowflake handset, and a reasonable amount of text in the same muted silver colour - Tudor shield, “Tudor” name, “Genve” above the central post, and “GMT”, “Chronometer” and “Officially certified” below.

The main point of differentiation from the 3-hander 79230N is the colour of the lines and text, as well as the fact that this is a GMT model. To that end, this model’s dial has a “cooler” - as in colour temperature-wise - colour scheme, by virtue of eschewing the gilt appointments.

The lone exception is the red 24-hour hand with the snowflake indice affixed near the very end. If you look really closely, you will realise that this is not just a square affixed at a 45-degree angle (which is the case for the seconds hand), but instead there is a tiny rectangular portion protruding out at the “tip” of the diamond. A small detail, but a very nicely appointed one indeed.

On the topic of the snowflake handset, there have been grumblings amongst a number of watch enthusiasts about how this design feature has become the hallmark of the Black Bay line, and indeed I can see how too much of a good thing can eventually become a bad thing. That said, in the context of the 79830RB, this handset could not be more appropriate; each hand is highly legible, clearly differentiated, and - relative to the dial and the respective indices - very nicely proportioned.

Hands Up! 

One of the many celebrated aspects of the 79830RB is how it was one of the few “flyer” GMT models made available at a relatively affordable price to enthusiasts and the watch-wearing community at large. For those not in the know, a “flyer” GMT movement has a hour hand that can be adjusted independently forwards or backwards to facilitate quick hour time adjustment without stopping the movement, which works great for travellers who traverse across different time zones.

However, within the better part of 2022 and 2023, there have been significant movements (no pun intended) amongst the many players of the watch industry; a veritable plethora of GMT movements have landed, and not just the typical “Caller” GMT variants. On the “Flyer” GMT end of the spectrum, most notable is the Miyota 9015, as well as the ETA-based C07.661 as found in the Mido Ocean Star GMT models. 

With the Swatch group looking after its own stable of brands and limiting access to ETA-based movements, a significant number of micro-brands have now started using the afore-mentione Miyota 9015 movement to plant a flag and stake a claim within the “Flyer” GMT space. Being the owner of an ETA 2983-2-equipped watch (Glycine Airman “The Chief”) and a recently acquired the Borealis Estoril 300 GMT, it would be fair to say that use cases for both “Caller” and “Flyer” are ubiquitous, with each having its own benefits.

For this writer, the “caller” and “flyer” movements each have a place in my collection. That said, a “flyer” movement truly fits my own travel habits as observed when using “caller” type GMT watches on past travels. For one, I genuinely dislike having to stop a watch movement just to set the time, and in that regard, “caller” GMT movements grind my gears as I have to stop the movement, make changes to both the main hands as well as the 24-hour hand either prior to or upon landing.

For those of us who love the idea of a mechanical movement that is optimised for a traveller’s convenience, it is hard to deny the functionality of the “flyer” movement; unscrewing the crown, the “first position” allows for a buttery smooth winding feel. When pulling the crown once more to the “second position”, this is how you move the hour hand forwards and backwards; yes, you can even revert to “yesterday’s date” by moving the hour hand back. 

Now, this might be seen as a liability in the context of quick-set date adjustment, and that is undeniable. This is perhaps, the sole downside to this “flyer” movement which is all too often ignored by the mainstream watch press. The upside still remains clear - I can change the local hour time with my “flyer” GMT movement without having to stop and reset the movement.

At the same time, the manufacture calibre MT565 is both COSC certified, and has a generous 70-hour power reserve, which is a boon for me and almost entirely evades the quick-set date aspect previously outlined. After all, even if the watch is in a rotation with 3-4 others, at the very most I will have to do the date adjustment for 2-3 days, which is hardly a palaver in my books.

In case you missed it…

Beyond the main case and the dial, it is worth talking about the bezel and its historical connections. While everyone already knows the connection between the Rolex GMT master, its “pepsi” colour configuration and the Pan-Am pilots of old, I would like to mention how Tudor have brought that design archetype into the 21st Century. 

To begin with, the font choice is decidedly modern without throwing the baby out with the bathwater - slightly elongated with more emphasis on vertical strokes, rather than the rounded fonts of yore. There are still the dots which represent the odd numbers along with the Inverted triangle at the 24 hour position. However, the main piece-de-resistance is the colour choice which sets this apart from its Rolex forebears. There is a tinge of grey mixed with navy blue that is deep and rich, moving away from the brighter and perhaps more “primary colour” blue shade we are familiar with. 

Likewise for the shade of red on the lower half of the bezel, it leans more maroon, while still intense yet arresting; subtle while still standing on its own. One could almost imagine how the design team at Tudor took their time to agonise over the exact colour tones they wanted for this very modern and sophisticated timepiece; making a nod to the heritage throwback while keeping an eye to the future as well as Tudor’s discerning clientele.

The bezel has 48 solid clicks, with the bezel insert angled upwards from the coin-edge, thereby reducing the side profile of the case somewhat. While often taken for granted, the coin-edging is minute, grippy while not being abrasive at all, unlike the way certain microbrands do their coin-edging.

Beyond the bezel, the 79830RB has one more classy feature which I take immense joy in looking at while the watch is on-wrist - the double-domed sapphire crystal. This component is capable of some visual distortions, overall the crystal affords very good legibility in spite of the lack of AR coating, and while the crystal does contribute to the 15mm case thickness, I doubt that the extra 2mm or so of protrusion will be a cause for concern.

A Riveting Price Watch

As with a previous Tudor purchase, I did not pay full retail, nor did I deem it necessary to pay above retail on the second-hand market. With prices staying well above retail throughout the pandemic, I played the waiting game until a local dealer happened to have a near-mint example at around about 62% of retail pricing for the bracelet model inclusive of box and papers. As of writing (end-November 2023), the average pricing of this model still hovers around 65-70% of full retail pricing, which I feel is probably where current secondary market pricing ought to be. 

Unlike the Royal 41, the 79830RB was not exactly over-priced at full retail. As we have objectively observed over the past 9 months, prices of Rolex and Tudor have been on a downward slide and appear to be levelling out. So if you, my dear reader, are thinking of buying one for yourself, it is a matter of keeping an eye out and monitoring prices; I am sure lady luck will smile upon you in due course. In fact, should you feel the bracelet unnecessary, you will already see many examples on Chrono24 for around 55-60% of retail pricing.

On the topic of the bracelet, it is worth talking about the faux-rivets as a subject which divides many. In short, I am completely indifferent to the issue as I feel it is an aesthetic choice much like the colour on the bezel, the handset choice or even the case detailings. Arguably, there is no right or wrong answer - merely design decisions you agree or disagree with. In my case, I don’t have any affectations towards this design detail that has offended so many, and I honestly do not see it as a deal-breaker.

In Conclusion

The Tudor GMT 79830RB was pretty ground-breaking upon its arrival, even though most of the thunder was stolen by its 39mm sibling, the Black Bay 58. It has a “flyer” GMT movement, and aesthetically, it borrows plenty of iconic design cues from its Rolex ancestors while balancing out modern appointments. It is also equally polarising due to its sizing - not quite fully remedied in the Black Bay Pro - wherein its thickness was an issue for many, along with the faux-rivets rounding off the list of negative points cited by its detractors.

Objectively, this is a solid (almost too heavy and solid, in fact), well-made product that sits well on my wrist. Sadly, the collective voices of the itty-bitty wrist club had shouted down how this watch was a pioneer in so many ways - finally we get a flyer GMT in a Rolex-esque package that is less homage than a natural evolution of the Black Bay range. It objectively reminds me less of the GMT Master, and more of how it simply owns its dedicated patch of turf in our collective psyche: as a compelling option in spite of the recent glut of GMT models put forth containing the more affordable Miyota 9015 movement, offering the kind of build quality and performance which is hard to beat when taking second-hand pricing into consideration.

Who is this watch for, perhaps? To begin with, those with no hang-ups on the Tudor-Rolex relationship; that is to say you do not see this as a stand-in or stop-gap for any of the Rolex GMT models in your near-to-immediate future. For those at the back of the class: this watch deserves to be taken on its own merits and flaws, and so will have broad appeal due to its affordability, especially in recent days.

Lastly, I genuinely believe that most of the perceived issues come from not having the watch on-wrist before judgment could be made. In that regard, I highly recommend putting it on your wrist rather than being too caught up in numbers on the spec sheet.