Tudor Black Bay Chrono increase in value
As the sister brand of the incomparable luxury watch brand Rolex, Tudor has been keeping the watch world busy for years. The company presents a very attractive range of high-quality watches, including the Tudor Black Bay Chrono . A watch that immediately springs to mind for many watch fans when Tudor is mentioned. We ask ourselves the question: is the Tudor Black Bay Chrono model a watch that is suitable as an investment? What sets the hyped timepiece apart and how is its price likely to develop? We will address this topic in the following article and also inform you about which other Tudor watches stand out for their value stability.
Important information about the Tudor Black Bay Chrono
Before we take a detailed look at the value of the Tudor Black Bay Chrono watch, we would first like to introduce the model from the Swiss watch brand in more detail. The timepiece is a stylish piece of jewelry with a "Black Bay"-typical diving watch design. The elegant watches, which are available with a stainless steel case and bracelet and incredibly elegant gold accents on the strap, crown, pushers and bezel, measure 41 mm in diameter and come standard with the in-house caliber MT5813 with a 70-hour power reserve.
Water resistant to 200 m and equipped with a safety folding clasp, the Tudor Black Bay Chrono gives you the feeling of "pure luxury" at first glance. The watch is available with a dial in matte black, subtle white or extravagant gold, has silver indices and is equipped with a tachymeter scale. Behind the domed sapphire crystal, the hands and hour markers are coated with luminous material, which means that the time can be easily read even in adverse lighting conditions.
Like all models in the Tudor Black Bay line, the Tudor Black Bay Chrono is characterized by precision that can stand up to comparison with Rolex, the highest quality and careful processing of top materials. Its similarity to the iconic Rolex Daytona quickly earned the Black Bay Chrono from Tudor the nickname "Baytona" among fans.
Is it worth investing in a Tudor Black Bay Chrono?
Rolex is one of the brands that are known for their value stability and for almost exorbitant price increases on the secondary market. Anyone who invested in a popular Rolex watch model years ago - such as a Rolex Daytona - can now look forward to a very healthy return in many cases. But what about Tudor in this regard? After the Swiss brand spent years in the shadow of its "big sister" Rolex and had to listen to its watches being called "poor man's Rolex", it has now managed to establish itself independently on the market and gain a certain level of popularity.
In the eyes of many watch lovers, Tudor today stands for innovative new products, bold designs and a diverse range that caters to many tastes. Of course: In a direct comparison with Rolex, Tudor still comes in second place. But the brand does not aim to outdo the big name Rolex. Rather, Tudor is increasingly targeting a younger audience, which it knows how to win over with a successful mix of the best quality and an almost unbeatable price-performance ratio.
The question of whether it is worth investing in a Tudor Black Bay Chrono must be answered with an unsatisfactory "yes and no". Some watch experts suspect that the Tudor Black Bay Chrono will become one of the brand's most sought-after watches in the coming years and could therefore increase in value. Others believe that the model has very limited potential for increasing in value and would advise against investing in it. Realistically speaking, Tudor watches - somewhat different from the much more expensive Rolex timepieces - are not necessarily intended as an investment object to be admired in a display case, but rather as a utility item to be worn in everyday life. And given its excellent functionality, the Tudor Black Bay Chrono is actually far too good to just be admired and not used.
In short: An investment in the Tudor Black Bay Chrono may prove worthwhile in a few years, but enormous price jumps are not to be expected for this exquisite chronograph at the current price.
Tudor Black Bay Chrono price development
In order to better assess the potential for an increase in value of the Tudor Black Bay Chrono models, we will now take a closer look at the topic of price development.
Current price
The prices of watches - especially when it comes to very popular products - always have to be considered from two sides. Firstly, there is the price according to the list, i.e. the price that the manufacturer sets for the watches. This is what you pay if you buy a model directly from the manufacturer. Depending on demand and availability, however, buying from the manufacturer can involve long waiting lists, so you may need time and patience. If a watch is not immediately available from the manufacturer, you can also switch to the secondary market instead. However, you must expect significantly higher prices there. After all, the poor availability from the manufacturer already indicates that demand for the watch exceeds the current supply on the market.
Compared to Rolex watches, Tudor models are fairly readily available. Nevertheless, you may have to wait a while for Tudor. According to the list, a Black Bay Chrono costs around €5,000. The new Tudor Black Bay Chrono S&G chronographs with the elegant gold-heavy look are listed at an even higher price of €6,100 to €7,450. Nevertheless, it is a fair price, especially when you consider the reliable movement, the high-quality materials and the timeless designs of the models.
On the open market, prices are currently a little higher on average and you have to pay around €200 to €500 above the list price for the watches. This is certainly due to the current popularity of the entire Black Bay collection. It is surprising that the S&G watches in particular can sometimes be snapped up for less than the list price - so bargain hunters may see an opportunity here.
price development in the coming years
In principle, it is always difficult to make general statements about the future price development of timepieces. Why? It is quickly explained: numerous factors affect the value that a watch is given on the market. These include availability, demand and the development of watch design trends over the years. All factors that can change suddenly and are therefore only partially estimable. Nevertheless, there are points that can be looked at more closely in order to get a better picture of the situation and the likelihood of a watch increasing in value in the future.
There are actually a number of aspects that speak in favor of a price increase for the Tudor Black Bay Chronographs. Given the growing popularity of the brand, a watch bearing the Tudor logo should not be a bad investment in principle. With the elegant bezels, the various tasteful color combinations and, above all, the high-quality movement, the models are quite timeless items that are unlikely to go "out of fashion" too quickly. Reviews also show a high level of customer satisfaction, while the good sales figures speak for themselves. All points that suggest that the watches have potential to increase in value.
On the other hand, we have seen time and again in the past that the hoped-for price increase for real investment favorites has failed to materialize or has at least taken a long time to arrive. Investing in a watch - even if it is a Rolex that retains its value enormously - is ultimately always associated with a certain amount of risk. You should definitely be aware of this before purchasing a model from the Tudor Black Bay series as an investment.
Which other Tudor watches retain their value?
Tudor has a few other watches in its range that stand out for their value stability. We would like to briefly discuss these in conclusion:
Black Bay GMT
The Black Bay GMT watch, which costs between €3,500 and €5,200, is sometimes compared to the GMT Master and is sometimes available in a chic bicolor version with a two-tone bezel reminiscent of the Rolex "Pepsi". The special watch was presented in a new edition at the Watches & Wonders 2021 watch fair and has been on everyone's lips ever since. Inside the Tudor Black Bay GMT ticks a caliber MT5652, which impresses with its 70-hour power reserve. Equipped with a strap made of stainless steel or robust textile fabric, the Black Bay GMT makes a particularly sporty impression, which is further underlined by the straight-lined, no-frills dial.
Black Bay Pro
One of the new items in the Black Bay collection is the Black Bay Pro, which is listed for between €3,700 and €4,100. The watch with a black dial and luminous indices comes in a solid stainless steel case and is available with a metal, textile or rubber-leather strap. Water resistant to 200 m, the Black Bay Pro with a screw-down crown is powered by an MT5652 caliber and also has a 70-hour power reserve.
vintage watches from Tudor
If vintage watches are an option, it is worth taking a look at this selection from the Tudor product portfolio:
Tudor chronograph
Precise, reliable and charming: An older Tudor chronograph is one of the most stable Tudor timepieces and is traded at astonishingly high prices on the secondary market - at least if the product is in good condition.
Tudor Submariner
The Tudor Submariner, which has been part of the watch brand's range for many decades, is a solid diving watch that holds its value extremely well. Reissued several times over the years, the Tudor Submariner is now available in a wide range of different models, although the older generations can only be purchased on the secondary market.
Conclusion
From the Black Bay Chronograph to the Black Bay Pro and the GMT version to the respective S&G variants, the Tudor Black Bay collection includes a whole host of models that make watch lovers rave. There's no question about it: every model looks authentic and classy, scores points for quality and reliability, and looks great. Accordingly, there is much to suggest that investors who invest in one of the Chrono models can look forward to value stability and a possible price increase in the future. How the value of the coveted Tudor models will actually develop, however, remains to be seen. But one thing is already certain: thanks to the high quality, the excellent workmanship, the great functionality and the elegant, timeless look, hardly any watch fan will regret having bought a Tudor Black Bay.