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Tudor Black Bay 41mm Stainless Steel
Ref. 7941A1A0RU
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Stepping up in the same dial colour
The Black Bay range has long occupied the space between Tudor's heritage dive roots and something more contemporary in its engineering, and the BB41 sits at the top of that hierarchy — the largest of the three current Black Bay sizes and the first to carry METAS Master Chronometer certification alongside its COSC rating. That dual accreditation means the MT5602-U inside has been tested not just for rate accuracy but for performance inside a magnetic field of 15,000 gauss, a standard borrowed from IWC and now applied here for the third time across Tudor's catalogue. The silicon balance spring that makes this possible is manufactured in-house. On the wrist, the 41mm diameter understates the presence: at 13.6mm thick, this wears more substantially than the number alone suggests, and some will find it pushes against a shirt cuff in a way a Submariner at the same diameter does not. The burgundy aluminium bezel insert is what distinguishes this reference from its black-bezel sibling, and it does something particular to the character — less blacked-out tool watch, more conscious of the 1950s dive watches the lollipop seconds hand and snowflake hour markers are drawn from. The domed dial carries a radial brushing that only reads in direct light, and the gilt accents warm against the otherwise cool steel. The female end links Tudor now fits to this generation bring the effective lug-to-lug span in and help the case settle against the wrist rather than bridge across it — a real improvement on earlier Black Bay generations that wore longer than their case size implied.
- Reference
- 7941A1A0RU
- Brand
- Tudor
- Collection
- Black Bay
- Case size
- 41mm
- Case thickness
- 6.5mm
- Lug width
- 21mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Tonneau
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Unidirectional rotating
- Movement
- Solar
- Calibre
- MT5602-U
- Functions
- Small seconds
- Water resistance
- 200m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Butterfly clasp
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Condition
- Pre-owned
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 70 hours
Learn more about Tudor
Tudor exists because Hans Wilsdorf wanted to sell a Rolex to people who could not afford one. He registered the name in 1926 and relaunched it properly in 1946 as a separate company: Rolex cases, Rolex bracelets, Rolex crowns, but bought-in movements — usually ETA — at a fraction of the price.
For decades this made Tudor the practical choice for organisations buying in bulk. The French Marine Nationale issued Submariners to its divers. The US Navy tested them. Tudor's military history is arguably richer than Rolex's, because navies bought Tudors.
The watches developed their own identity regardless. The snowflake hands fitted to Submariners from 1969, specified by the French navy for legibility, became a signature the brand still uses. The Monte Carlo chronographs of the early 1970s, with their orange and blue dials, look nothing like anything Rolex made.
The brand withdrew from the US market in 1996 and spent a decade in relative obscurity before returning in 2013 with the Heritage Black Bay, which mined the archive rather than chasing modernity. It worked. Tudor now develops its own movements through a partnership with Kenissi, supplies calibres to Breitling, and holds METAS Master Chronometer certification — a technical position it never had when it was simply the affordable Rolex.
- 1926
- Hans Wilsdorf registers the Tudor name.
- 1946
- Montres Tudor SA is established as a separate company.
- 1969
- Snowflake hands appear on Submariners for the French navy.
- 2012
- The Black Bay revives the brand internationally.
- 2015
- The first in-house Tudor calibre is released.
Also in 6 collections
This watch appears in Stainless Steel Watches (2,551), Automatic Watches (1,311), Chronograph Watches (1,017), Sports Watches (655), Dive Watches (450) and Skeleton Watches (212).
What the specifications mean
A watch built to be worn hard and got wet.
Strengths
- 200m water resistance, rated for actual diving
- 6.5mm is unusually slim for a 41mm case
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Compare alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 7941A1A0RU | BRX5R-BL-ST/SRB | 565.NX.1270.RX.MDM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £3,450 | £5,120 | £5,325 |
| Case size | 41mm | 41mm | 38mm |
| Water resistance | 200m | 100m | 50m |
| Movement | Solar | Solar | Solar |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Mesh bracelet | Mesh bracelet |
| Power reserve | 70 hours | — | 42 hours |
| This watch |
|
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 200m it is rated for swimming, snorkelling and recreational diving.
Will the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Does it need a battery?
No. It charges from light, and the cell behind that is designed to last a decade or more.
What size strap does it take?
21mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
Mappin & Webb at £3,450, pre-owned. No UK retailer we track lists this reference new.
Is this available new?
Not from the UK retailers we track. This reference is listed as pre-owned only, at £3,450 from Mappin & Webb. A pre-owned watch has been worn, and is normally sold under the retailer’s own warranty rather than the manufacturer’s.
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