You Can Finally Buy Tudor’s Hyped Formula 1 Black Bay Watch

The brand’s blue-dial ceramic dive watch was previously only available to Team RB members.

Published July 3, 2024

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Updated July 3, 2024

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Back in January, Tudor made the surprise announcement that it was returning to the world of motorsports as the official timekeeping sponsor of the Visa Cash App RB F1 Team.

To mark the occasion, the brand debuted a new version of its Black Bay Ceramic dive watch with a bright blue dial, matching the livery of VCARB’s Formula One race cars. Reaction to the watch was mostly positive, except for one thing: The watches were exclusive to members of the VCARB F1 team and weren’t available to the general public.

Well, it’s six months later and now Tudor is making things right, as the Black Bay Ceramic “Blue” is now available to anyone.

Tudor Black Bay Ceramic “Blue”

$5,150 at Tudor

Feeling Blue

If you were a fan of the original black-dial Black Bay Ceramic, then you’ll probably like this version, since it’s essentially the same watch.

It has the same 41mm black ceramic case and bezel as the black version, along with the same METAS-certified Master Chronometer MT5602-1U automatic movement that’s visible behind a sapphire display caseback. (If you recall, the original Black Bay Ceramic was Tudor’s first-ever Master Chronometer watch back in 2021).

tudor watch on mans wrist — Here’s how the original Black Bay Ceramic looks on a 6.25-inch wrist.

The new version’s main difference is in the dial. Most obviously, the color has changed, as the original Black Bay Ceramic’s matte black shade has been replaced by a vibrant glossy blue. But if you look closer, you’ll see that’s not the only change Tudor has made.

The dial text and minute track appear as gray on the black version, but they’re stark white on the blue watch. The hands and incides are now cast in a darker gunmetal for greater contrast, while the Super-LumiNova lume that fills them has changed from cream-colored to bright white.

vcarb f1 driver wearing a tudor watch — The Black Bay Ceramic “Blue” first debuted in January on the wrists of F1 drivers Yuki Tsunoda (pictured) and Daniel Ricciardo.

These subtle changes bring even more pop to the blue dial, making this a far more dynamic watch than its stealthy older brother. It’s amazing what a difference a few small tweaks can make on the overall vibe of the watch.

Like the original, the new Black Bay Ceramic comes with two straps: A rubber-lined leather strap with contrasting blue stitching and a black PVD stainless steel deployant clasp, and a black nylon NATO strap with a blue stripe running down its center.

Pricing and Availability

One strategy that Tudor has embraced recently, to the chagrin of many enthusiasts, is the dreaded “limited edition.”

Last year’s collab with Rowing Blazers? Limited. The recent Black Bay Fifty-Eight for Inter Milan? Limited. The Inter Miami-inspired pink Black Bay Chrono? Seriously limited and one of the year’s hottest watches for bit-time collectors. The multi-colored “Chameleon Dial” Black Bay Ceramic? So limited the brand made just two, one for each of Team VCARB’s F1 drivers.

f1 driver daniel ricciardo poses in front of a rainbow colored background — Could the vibrant “Chameleon” version of the Black Bay Ceramic, currently exclusive to VCARB drivers, also get a public release in the future?

When the news broke this morning, there was conflicting information out there regarding whether or not the new Black Bay Ceramic “Blue” is limited or not.

The press release and product page make no mention of the watch being a limited edition, yet in responding to a fan’s query on Instagram, the Tudor account wrote, “A limited number of these watches have been made to celebrate the partnership with the Visa Cash App RB Formula One team.”

That certainly makes this watch sound like yet another Tudor limited edition, so I reached out to a rep from the brand for clarification. They confirmed that the watch is indeed limited and provided the following quote:

“A limited number of the watches have been made to mark this important partnership.”

So while the Black Bay Ceramic “Blue” is yet another limited edition, the good news is that it’s available now from Tudor and is priced at $5,150, the same as the previous Black Bay Ceramic.