Hands-On: The New Tudor Black Bay Chrono Carbon 25

April 02, 2022

Tudor released the Black Bay Chrono Carbon 25 for this years Miami F1 Grand Prix. The watch celebrates the collaboration with the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls (VCARB) Formula 1 team with a 2,025-piece limited run. I got a chance to go hands-on to see whats what.I was delighted to get this opportunity because it allowed me to test my preconceptions. I must admit, I am not a big fan of collaborative special-edition watches. I am also not generally a fan of the Tudor Black Bay Chrono, so I shouldnt like this watch at all. Lets see if that is indeed the case!The Tudor Black Bay Chrono Carbon 25But first, lets quickly recap the specifications of the Black Bay Chrono Carbon 25. You get a 42mm forged carbon case, which is 1mm wider and 0.1mm thinner (14.3mm) than the steel versions. The same 200m water resistance remains. A sapphire crystal sits surrounded by an integrated carbon tachymeter bezel.Inside ticks caliber MT5813. This column-wheel chronograph caliber is based on Breitlings B01. It beats at 28,800vph and offers an ample 70-hour power reserve. Tudor specifies an accuracy of +4/-2 seconds per day. The same movement powers the regular Black Bay Chrono. The Black Bay Chrono Carbon 25 comes on a hybrid leather/rubber strap with blue stitching. The strap pieces tuck into a pair of fitted carbon end links. You get two spring bars on each side - one for the end link and one for the strap. This offers you the choice of wearing the strap with or without the end links.Not as advertisedSo, as explained above, I went into this review with low expectations. I am delighted to report that the watch was nicer in real life than I gathered from the press images - much nicer! The forged carbon looks more subdued than most competing offerings. It is much less flaky and three-dimensional in appearance. I would argue it sits somewhere in between carbon and ceramic in looks.It was the blue, white, and black combo, however, that most surprised me. The blue accents are much less in-your-face in real life than in press images. I like this hue s almost Yves Klein brightness, especially in this sparing application. It provides the watch with a ton of character without being overpowering.The white dial, similarly, looks subtler than I expected. It has an ever-so-slight opaline effect, pulling it away from overly clinical pure white. The sub-dials are more textured, flakier forged carbon, offering a bit of added detail. And speaking of detail, even the date window s frame matches the carbon construction of the sub-dials. All in all, my first impression was radically different from what I expected from the press materials.Wearing the Tudor Black Bay Chrono Carbon 25I was in for a second positive surprise. I remember the Tudor Black Bay Chrono as a watch that I consider unwearable on my 18cm wrist. In my humble opinion, it is too clunky and unrefined. This is also a matter of style, so your mileage may vary. For me, though, it is simply too massive. Naturally, then, my expectations of this even larger model were low.It must be the slimming effects of the dark material and the watchs overall lightness, but I genuinely liked the fit of this Black Bay Chrono Carbon 25. Sure, it is still too thick, but I now find it very wearable.I also liked the watch s dynamic behavior. The dial, the blue accents, and the lume respond strongly upon moving indoors from bright sun. In certain light, the dial appears silvery, while in others, it turns a bright, crisp white. I do miss the depth of flakier forged carbon, but this looks nice and clean nonetheless.Closing thoughtsI love it when a watch defies my beliefs. If you do this for a living, it is quite easy to become a bit jaded. You think youve seen it all and know what you like. But then, a watch comes along that somehow doesnt fit any of the well-organized compartments in your mind. This is such a case for me.Would I buy one? Well, no. For starters, the VCARB F1 team carries no significance for me. And even if this were a regular production model, it wouldnt be quite my style. However, those are subjective matters. On the objective side, I have very little to complain about. I simply think this is quite well done.I would urge you to seek out the new Tudor Black Bay Chrono Carbon 25 ($7,460 / US$7,575 / CHF 6,800) in real life. As mentioned above, the press images dont do it justice. It is much subtler, more wearable, and generally less brash than it appears in Tudors images. Be careful; you just might like this watch quite a lot more than you planned to.What do you think of the new Tudor Black Bay Chrono Carbon 25? Let us know in the comments section below.Watch specifications Brand Tudor Model Black Bay Chrono Carbon 25Reference M79377KN-0001Dial White opaline with two forged carbon sub-dials and date frame, applied luminous indexes, blue logo and minutes/seconds track, red depth ratingCase Material Forged carbon with black PVD-treated titanium crown and pushersCase Dimensions 42mm (diameter) 14.3mm (thickness)Crystal Double-domed sapphireCase Back Black PVD-treated titanium, screw-in Movement Tudor MT5813: Breitling 01 base, automatic with manual winding and hacking, 28,800vph frequency, 70-hour power reserve, 47 jewels, column wheel, COSC-certified chronometerWater Resistance 200 meters (20 ATM)Strap Black leather-rubber hybrid (22mm width) with blue contrasting stitching, carbon end links, and carbon tang buckleFunctions Time (hours, minutes, small seconds), chronograph (45-minute register and central seconds), date, tachymeter bezelPrice $7,460 / US$7,575 / CHF 6,800Warranty Five yearsSpecial Note(s) Limited to 2,025 pieces