This, ladies and gentlemen, is the new Tudor Black Bay Chrono 39 “Bumblebee”. And in case you hadn’t noticed, it has a (very) yellow face.
Unlike its stablemate Rolex, which officially eschews the famous nicknames its watches are bestowed by fans (think Pepsi, Batman, Hulk, et al), Tudor is more than happy to lean in. Whether your mind instantly turns to one of nature’s great pollinators or to the kindly Chevrolet Camaro Autobot from Transformers probably tells you more about your (mental) age than the watch, but either way, its “Bumblebee” sobriquet is undeniably accurate.
The watch gets its signature aesthetic from a vibrant yellow domed dial paired with contrasting hollowed-out black sub-dials and black minute track, all framed by a black anodised aluminium inset bezel. Blur your eyes and there’s undeniably a hint of Barry B Benson about it (you know – from Bee Movie, the underrated DreamWorks animation. OK, I’m definitely showing my mental age now.)
When it comes to yellow colourways, Tudor has form. Despite rumours of a rare prototype chronograph gifted by legendary Rolex/Tudor figure René-Paul Jeanneret in the 1970s, the first commercially available yellow Tudors were the 1990s-era Prince Date "Tiger" Chronographs. The name might sound like the watch should have been more orange than yellow, but the Tiger in question was not feline, but Woods.
From 1997 to 2003, the world’s most famous golfer frequently rocked the yellow-dial model (References 79260 and 79270) while he was a global brand ambassador. Among Tudor cognoscenti of the time, it caused quite a buzz (sorry!) – and so the “Bumblebee” nickname first took hold.
The real trick here is that Tudor has used its loudest dial to make its most sensible chronograph
But while the colour has no doubt grabbed the headlines with this latest launch, there’s something far more exciting about the watch – and that’s its size.
At 41mm, the wide range of modern Black Bay Chronos available since 2017 have all been a little oversized for those of a more diminutive wrist. The “Bumblebee”, however, delivers a Chrono at 39mm for the first time – a sweet-spot size for many.
It’s also been slimmed down – from 14.4mm to just 13.1mm thick – a small change that makes a big difference under most cuffs.
The column-wheel Manufacture Calibre MT5813 ensures the reliability and smooth operation we’ve come to expect – not to mention the more-than-sufficient 70-hour power reserve.
The pushers feature a new knurling pattern which will have the real purists geeking out.
But the real trick here is that Tudor has used its loudest dial to make its most sensible chronograph: smaller, slimmer, sharper, and far more wearable than the headline colour might suggest.
In other words, come for the yellow. Stay for the proportions.
Tudor Black Bay Chrono 39 “Bumblebee”, £5,270, tudorwatch.com
