Some watches feel made for summer – the Tudor Black Bay 54 Lagoon Blue is one of them. I’ve been wearing it for a week now, and I didn’t want to take it off (and neither did my wife). It’s comfortable, stylish, and surprisingly versatile. It works by the pool, at dinner, or walking around town.
The 37mm case size is a big part of that. I’ve got fairly small wrists (16cm), and the Black Bay 54 fits just right – not too big, not too chunky. It also looked great on my wife’s wrist. In fact, Tudor’s own photos mostly show it on a woman’s wrist, which isn’t something you see that often from a brand known for big tool watches. But this one feels different. It’s properly unisex, without falling back on clichés like precious metals, mother of pearl, or diamonds to appeal to women.
It still has all the specs you’d expect from a serious dive watch – 200m water resistance, COSC-certified automatic movement, 70-hour power reserve – but it doesn’t feel like a tough tool watch. It feels more like a piece of jewellery.
The dial is what really makes it stand out. The light blue colour has a subtle texture, like fine sandpaper, and it catches the light in a really nice way. The polished stainless steel bezel adds to the shine, although it’s not the easiest to read if you’re after perfect legibility. It also tends to pick up fingerprints, especially if you’re wearing suncream – so I found myself wiping it clean with my T-shirt more often than I expected.
The bracelet is great too. It’s a five-link design with polished centre links, and it feels a bit dressier than your usual diver strap. It’s also very comfortable – slim, smooth, and secure. On hotter days, the built-in ‘T-fit’ extension on the clasp came in handy, letting me loosen the fit slightly as my wrist expanded in the heat.
I’ve seen a lot of people talking about this watch online already, and it seems like it’s a hit. And I get why – it really is the ideal summer holiday watch. You can swim with it, wear it to dinner, or just enjoy looking at it in the sun.
What’s most impressive is that Tudor has made a unisex watch that still has the same quality and watchmaking you’d expect from the rest of the Black Bay line, just with a bit more bling. It’s not trying to be overly masculine or tough, and it’s not trying too hard to appeal to women either.
At $4350 in the US and £3590 in the UK, it also feels like good value for what you get. You’re not paying extra for gold or flashy materials, but it still looks and feels premium. It’s well-made, nicely finished, and backed by a solid movement and five-year guarantee.
The Black Bay 54 Lagoon Blue has quickly become my go-to watch this summer. And honestly, I don’t see that changing any time soon.
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