Credits: Article and images by Raman Kalra @ Quill & Pad. See the original article here - https://quillandpad.com/2023/10/28/tudor-black-bay-54-vs-black-bay-58-a-calculated-downsize/
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The differences between the Tudor BB54 and BB58
If these two watches are closer than expected, what are the main differences to look out for?
L-R: Tudor Black Bay 41mm, Black Bay 58 and Black Bay 54
Let’s start with the bezel. This is one of the more obvious changes. Tudor has followed the original ref. 7922 for the BB54, resulting in the minute markers between 12 and 3 o’clock being removed.
In following the original, it cleans up the overall aesthetic of the watch, bringing a new sense of symmetry. It does take away some functionality of the bezel, although how many BB54s end up being used for diving remains to be seen.
Tudor Black Bay 54 bezel
At the same time, you will notice the whole watch has a cooler hue. The gilt accents remain on the dial, which is pretty much exactly like the BB58, but the bezel opts for aluminum accents. In addition, it does not use the red accent for the 12 o’clock index.
It may not sound like much, but I do prefer it. While I am a big fan of the BB58, gilt accents are not my favorite when they are too saturated, so the cooler BB54 is a welcome change.
The next difference revolves around the bracelet. All Tudor bracelets are very good and put some of the competition at higher price points to shame. Overall, they are solid and have a good weight, while being comfortable and good-looking (at least to me).
However, over the years Tudor has made some progress in improving their bracelets and one of the most notable upgrades has been the “T-Fit” clasp. As mentioned above, it allows for micro-adjustments of up to 8mm.
Tudor Black Bay 54 rubber strap and folding buckle
You can find a more accurate fit regardless of the weather, and technically, it is useful when it comes to diving. The clasp itself is a good size and has a nice stepped design, coupled with a spring mechanism that allows the adjustment to be made over five positions.
The outcome is that the bracelet really sets the standard at the price.
Despite both the BB54 and BB58 having good water resistance and being diving watches, the BB54 actually has the better setup for real-world use.
Furthermore, and the real oddity of it, the BB54 is a cheaper watch. It makes for a confusing situation whereby spending less you are technically receiving an updated product. I am sure it is a matter of time before this bracelet upgrade is brought to the BB58, but for now, the BB54 is the one to have it.
These are probably the most notable two differences (apart from the size!), but there are a couple more subtle changes that are worth highlighting.
What might not come across in photos is the dial color. The BB58 has a flat black dial, whereas the BB54 has a slight sunburst effect and by doing so, the dial captures the light well.
Through the sunburst effect, the dial becomes more alive and, away from direct light, it appears slightly more saturated and darker.
Where the BB58 dial fades into the background, letting the gilt accents and bezel jump out at you, the BB54 dial takes more of a forward approach and is the opposite. You find your eyes centered towards the dial and it captures your attention instead of the bezel, which is more reserved.
The final change comes on the seconds hand. In line with what we are seeing on newer Tudor models such as the updated 41mm and bezel-less references, the snowflake motif has been dropped in favor of a lollipop design. Subtle, and it will come down to your preference on whether this is the right move or not.
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Credits: Article and images by Raman Kalra @ Quill & Pad. See the original article here - https://quillandpad.com/2023/10/28/tudor-black-bay-54-vs-black-bay-58-a-calculated-downsize/
