The Many (Foolish) Reasons Why I Sold My Tudor Black Bay...

A Discussion and Review of my Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Four and why I fell out of love with it. Even after parting with this watch, I still adore it. From its size, attention to detail, great all-round presentation, but what ultimately turned me away from wearing it were small aspects that the brand could've addressed to keep this specific reference more faithful to the original Reference 7923. From adjusting the text on the dial to changing the handset, two small details that would have made a world of difference to this outstanding little watch.

#blackbay #tudor #tudorwatch

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[ID-Guy]

Happy 2025 Everyone! We start the year with some mental gymnastics ;)
It’s always that 5-10% that makes all the difference with a watch, right?
As much as a I still adore the BB54, just couldn’t get past the few smaller details...

[ImperialCityNord]

It's wild how watch guys will never be happy with what they have, and explain it away as a "journey".

[procrastephen]

I view my BB54 in a different perspective, which made it still my favorite watch by far. It's a tribute to the 1954 model but having "a modern touch". It will never be the 1954 reference, because it's more than that. Better movement, better robustness, and most of all, it's a watch for this generation and many generations ahead.

[bdstansberry]

I would never buy a 54 or a 58 for that matter, BUT these types of videos are so valuable for me. The way you dissect and describe your likes/dislikes of these truly wonderful watches has helped me describe/dissect my own. You are a very talented and special human and I appreciate you. Happy New Year!

[Griff]

Your original video on the 54 was a big reason why i went and bought this watch as my first luxury watch, for a special occasion, and I still love it. Good recap on your feelings for it today, and (as you know) none of the items you mentioned are too big of a deal, but if you work with so many watches I can see how you would get picky about a few of those items. For me its my GADA 1 watch collection at the moment.

[jasont]

Happy New Year. Great timing of this video as I have been seriously thinking of downsizing my collection to 3 or 4 watches. We all make statements of eating healthy, getting to the gym, etc but for me, my resolution is to get my watch hobby under control. Great content as always. Cheers!! 🥂

[Theo_]

love the fact that you stay honest to yourself ser.

[Vrettason]

Wow those pencil hands would have made the 54 so much better. If I was Tudor I’d do pencil hands for round indices and snowflakes for the watches with the square ones

[andrew-qm]

Needle hands make less sense for a dive watch.
The minute hand is the one you want to concentrate on, so being easy to distinguish is vital.

[martynmcclure]

Honestly? I think you’re being a wee bit hard on it - but the heart wants, what the heart wants.

Another great video, and best wishes for a happy, healthy, and successful 2025!

[paulkukula]

I don’t have one, but really like the snowflake hands.
Each to their own.

[BiffTannenBTTF]

I find that the only thing that satisfies my taste for vintage watches, is actual vintage watches. The remakes always feel hollow for some reason.

[SquirrelRIP]

Yesterday, a song from my hometown. Thank you ID-Guy ❤

[Clément-lo]

We share the same feeling.
I owned it last year for 3 months thinking it would be my last purchase.
But i could no longer ignore the gilt, the bezel that always looked like a lifebuoy ring to me, and the somehow greenish tone of the faux patina.
Great video as always !

[Roy-vhrp]

Here are my thoughts on your thoughts: The dial looks much better without the last line of text. We agree on this one. However, I think the snowflake hands are great - they're easy to read at a glance and, of course, an iconic characteristic of the watch and brand.

[teeKeri]

Discussing your thoughts and observations in this video for example, is what i appreciate on your channel. ♥

[MeestroDavid]

This was exactly my experience with the Black Bay 54. I bought it because it fit my wrist so brilliantly, but never stopped being bugged by the little issues I had with it (in my case, it was the snowflake hands, the rivets, and the t-fit clasp, which I found too long, too thick, and with too little travel, necessitating the purchase of an aftermarket half-link). And, like you, I found after a while that I always wanted to wear something else in my collection. I never felt an emotional connection with it because, at the end of the day, it all seemed a bit soulless in its lack of character and dutiful enthusiast box-ticking. I still feel like it's probably the best watch for someone who doesn't love watches but wants one great, high-quality piece to wear every day and I still admire it whenever I see it, but when I held it next to my SLA043 I realized that the Black Bay would lose out every time I had to decide which dive watch I wanted to keep...and so it went.

[scottt.]

Blown away by how much you’ve grown in this hobby. Your taste and appreciation for the details are on point. I feel the same way about the Big Pilot hands used on the IWC Mark XX. Wrong wrong wrong! I’d pay retail for the Mark XX if it just had the appropriate Mark 11 and Mark XII hands. Great video with coffee this afternoon. Cheers 🍻

[anthonysmith]

I'm often amused by the things we find fault with - doesn't matter how well it wears, how well proportioned, if that thing - always something a casual watch wearer wont be cognizant of - decides to bother us, it's difficult, perhaps impossible to overcome. We're an odd lot …
I take the approach that watch collecting is more often than not an excerise in deciding what flaws I'm prepared to live with, and if I'm lucky and the watch is 'right', I have even learned to love a watch because of its flaws - sort've like my kids or this romantic sense of 'it ain't much, but it's mine'. It's been liberating.

[joeyjojo]

gotta say I always liked the snowflake hand but now I can’t unsee how great the pencil hands look!
Another great video