New Rolexes Are Lame, But The Tudor Black Bay 36 Is Perfect
The rest of the internet may kill us for this, but let’s be honest.
New Rolexes are lame.
There was a time when Rolex meant quality without compromise. When purchasing a watch made in their factories ensured you got everything you needed and nothing you didn’t. The case shapes and basic design language grew from necessity and gave cues to fellow enthusiasts, but didn’t scream when a loud voice wasn’t needed.
That company still exists. It is Tudor.
There is no denying that Rolex watches are more popular now than they’ve ever been. Just like Range Rover and the North Face, Rolex has leveraged their toughness and reliability into a brand with mass luxury appeal. And just like how new Porsche 911s are a foot wider and a few feet longer than their predecessors, the new Rolexes have also grown in size as the mainstream watch consumer expects a ‘big watch.’
But for enthusiasts, this added bling and added bulk can be a bit of a turn-off. Not that it matters to Rolex, of course. The brand is so popular now that the boys in Bienne have been practicing damage control for at least a decade.
Fakes are everywhere, and the widespread acceptance of their advertising means they are in the quite enviable position of almost being too popular. To avoid cheapening the brand, they’ve instead limited supply to consumers.
So it is silly for us to question their design decisions or their advertising; both can be considered unquestionable successes. But what of their classic models?
What of Rolex’s proportions and designs, many of which are basically blueprints now for what a watch is? What of the consumers that used to buy Rolex because of what it was made of, not because of the name on the dial?
Again, that company still exists; it is Tudor.
As many watch-blog articles will tell you, the Black Bay 58 is the true heir to the Submariner. The Tudor GMT really brings the spirit of the Rolex ‘Pepsi’ GMT back to a modern watch.
But Tudor also holds a few secrets close to the vest.
When the Black Bay 36 was introduced, it seemed to make barely a ripple in the ‘online watch nerd’ community. Strange, as the Explorer I is about as revered in those circles as the previously mentioned Rolex classics.
Only when the blue-dial version snuck out did we get some IG and blog love for the 36, which is a shame. But real heads know.
There’s something about an old Air King, an old Explorer, an old Datejust. The lines, the overall design, the way it sits on your wrist.
The Black Bay 36 has this harmony, and so many watches do not!
It is simple as this.
As stated above, a lot of watches these days have tailfins or claws or feathers. Bells and whistles. The 36 in comparison looks almost staid in a display case. Boring even. But the Black Bay series and the 36 specifically rewards repeat listening.
Our brothers at Hodinkee coined the term a ‘one watch collection,’ and it is this phrase that typifies the 36. If you’re wearing swim trunks and a loose-fitting T-shirt, it looks like a dive watch. And that’s what it is basically; the crown screws down, the caseback is secure, and if you get any scratches on the thing you’re probably improving its vibe.
Change into a suit and it becomes a Day-Date or a Datejust. Maybe not 100 percent dressy; that of course would call for a strap and possibly a smaller watch. But of course the 36 can handle that task as well! It looks lovely on leather or a NATO.
We only wish that Tudor really went old-school and drilled lug holes on the sides of the case for easy changes. Aftermarket mods maybe? Do some Singer-style ‘backdating’? Hmm…
There’s also that issue about the word ‘Rolex’ not being on the dial. This is a love it or hate it thing. Our advice; if you want that crown and those words on a watch, take your couple grand and get into the secondhand Air King or Datejust markets. You might have to save an extra paycheck or two, or do a bit of digging, but you’ll find what you need there.
But for those that sort of like a bit of reverse snob appeal? Here you go. Those who don’t care what the thing says on the dial? There you go. Those buyers for whom ‘Rolex’ might be a bad word? This is Bienne offering an olive branch.
As mentioned before, this watch really rewards repeat listening. Listen to it for a week, a month, a year or so. You may also agree. It’s like music; some songs or some albums sound great the first time you hear them. But every time after that first time, you end up liking it a little less. Other records sound okay at first, but every time you hear them, they seem to get better. This watch is the latter.
If you like the classic Rolex designs, give the Black Bay 36 a try. It’s a new thing that’s already a classic.
