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Tudor Black Bay GMT 41mm Stainless Steel
Ref. M79830RB-0003
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Stepping up in the same colour and case shape
The Black Bay GMT arrived in 2018 as Tudor's answer to a question the brand had been circling since the 1980s: how to offer a serious traveller's watch without reaching for a third-party movement. The MT5652 settled it. Built from the ground up with GMT architecture integrated into the base calibre rather than bolted on as a module, it allows the local hour hand to jump independently in either direction — a practical advantage over movements where you can only chase the hour forward. COSC chronometer certification and a silicon balance spring come with it, alongside a 70-hour reserve that makes a weekend without winding entirely comfortable. At 14.6mm the case wears tall on the wrist, with a slab-sided polished profile that reads unambiguously dressy at a distance but robust up close. The burgundy and blue "Pepsi" aluminium bezel insert and the snowflake hands are direct callbacks to mid-century Tudor diver design, and the black dial gives both enough contrast to read in low light without relying on the lume alone. The fabric strap is woven in France by a passementerie house using a jacquard technique, and a narrow burgundy stripe running its length ties it visually to the bezel. It fastens with a Tudor shield-shaped pin buckle and feeds through fixed loops rather than running NATO-style, which keeps the back of the watch in proper contact with the wrist and gives the whole thing a tidier, less military feel than a full NATO would.
- Reference
- M79830RB-0003
- Brand
- Tudor
- Collection
- Black Bay
- Case size
- 41mm
- Case thickness
- 14.6mm
- Lug width
- 22mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Bidirectional rotating
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- MT5652
- Functions
- GMT, Date
- Water resistance
- 200m
- Bracelet / strap
- Fabric strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Luminous
- Condition
- Pre-owned
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 50mm
- 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 (2,484), Automatic Watches (1,370), Back in Stock (1,176), Sports Watches (649), Dive Watches (461) and Pre-Owned, Ex-Display & Vintage Watches (254).
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch built to be worn hard and got wet.
Strengths
- 200m water resistance, rated for actual diving
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- 70-hour reserve survives a weekend off the wrist
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Second time zone for travelling
Worth knowing
- 14.6mm thick, so it will not disappear under a cuff
Compare alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | M79830RB-0003 | WBP2150.FT6210 | AIRCO-M2-WH-B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £3,050 | £3,360 | £2,925 |
| Case size | 41mm | 40mm | 40mm |
| Water resistance | 200m | 200m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Fabric strap | Rubber strap | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | 70 hours | 38 hours | — |
| This watch | Closely matched |
|
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 is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
How long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 70 hours fully wound — enough to sit off the wrist over a weekend and still be running.
What size strap does it take?
22mm. 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.
Will it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 50mm, which suits wrists from roughly 16.5cm (6½ inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
Mappin & Webb at £3,050, 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 £3,050 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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