When the Pelagos FXD “Alinghi Red Bull Racing Edition” watches were launched almost two years ago, it represented the first time either Tudor or sister brand Rolex had experimented with carbon fibre cases. Almost a year later, the Pelagos FXD Chrono “Cycling Edition” was introduced, Tudor’s second step into the world of high-performance carbon. This year, the story continues with the launch of the Tudor Black Bay Chrono “Carbon 25”, unveiled at the Miami Grand Prix.

Where all three of these models stood out was in their true connection to Tudor’s partnerships with the sporting teams that it supports. In the past, the brand hasn’t been above adding new colors to models in celebration of its ambassadors and sponsorships – the Black Bay Chrono “Pink” and “Flamingo Blue” being prime examples. But, with the two Pelagos carbon models – and now the Black Bay Chrono “Carbon 25” – the designers and engineers took the connection a step further than simply focusing on the red and blue highlights of Alinghi and the red and black of the Tudor Pro Cycling team, choosing to incorporate the same high-tech material used in the racing AC75 boats – carbon fibre and titanium – and professional bicycles into the make-up of the watches themselves.

Building on the lessons it has learned from the above partnerships; Tudor today launched its most high-tech model to date. Debuting at the Miami Grand Prix, the Black Bay Chrono “Carbon 25” is a celebration of the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls Formula 1 team that Tudor has sponsored since 2024. With this watch, the entire 42mm case plus tachymetric bezel and end links are manufactured in carbon composite. The caseback and screw-down pushers are rendered in black PVD titanium, making it the lightest Black Bay to date.

Tudor’s connections to motorsport are well documented. From the brand’s first official link in 1953 when a Tudor watch was worn by a motorcycle endurance racer, through the 1960s and the Tudor Watch Racing Team based in Japan, to the now famous campaign of 1970, which saw rally driver Tim Wheatley equipped with Tudor’s first chronograph, the Oysterdate with a manually wound Valjoux 7734 caliber.

In 2010, the brand became the timing partner of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Championship, in 2011 the timing partner of Ducati and, in 2013, a sponsor of the IMSA SportsCar Championship. But it is its relationship with VCARB and the team drivers Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar that all eyes are on today.

Motorsport has led to the development of several Tudor models, but the Black Bay Chrono “Carbon 25” is the most closely connected to date. In addition to the material links, the watch is 1mm thinner than previous Black Bay models at 14.3mm high, immediately giving it a weight advantage over its predecessors. The white domed dial features accents that echo the 2025 racing blue and red colors of the VCARB team. The chrono counters at 3 and 9 o’clock are in carbon fibre, while the window at 6 o’clock shows the date in white out of black. Team colors continue onto the black hybrid strap, which features VCARB blue contrast stitching.

As with all Black Bay models, the Black Bay Chrono features the “Snowflake” hand first introduced in 1969 to enable greater surface area for luminescence – an important development for diving in low light conditions but less essential for motorsports. Although the hand is sometimes criticised for blocking a full view the chronograph subdials, the feature is a signature of the brand that no Black Bay model would feel complete without, so by popular consensus, it stays.

Within the case is Tudor’s COSC-certified column-wheel chronograph calibre MT5813, a movement that was developed through a long-term collaboration with Breitling and is based on the brand’s B01 calibre.

The watch will be made in a limited-edition of 2,025 pieces. Although not a first for Tudor – its 2019 Black Bay Chrono Dark was made in an edition of 1,181 pieces to match the number of players who had been selected for the New Zealand All Blacks since the team’s international debut in 1903 – this is the first time that the numbered edition will be finite as new Chrono Darks are added when new players are selected.

In this writer’s opinion, it is a sure fire hit, but the proof of the pudding will be the reaction of clients and collectors. To that end we asked @tudorcollector himself, Ross Povey who already seems to be a fan, saying: “Tudor has always gone the extra mile when it comes to collaborations, right back to the 1950s and 1960s when it worked closely with the French Navy to create purpose-built dive watches. That same spirit continues today, whether it’s the Pelagos FXD “Cycling Edition”, or this latest Black Bay Chrono “Carbon 25”, which channels the lightweight, high-performance world of Formula 1. 

“It’s the first Tudor to feature a carbon fibre case and bezel, and the newly designed sleeker case makes it seriously cool on the wrist. The dial is a real standout too, with a sandwich construction in team colours, featuring a brass base and top plate with carbon in between, cleverly cut away to reveal carbon fibre sub-dials beneath. It’s more than just a nod to F1, it’s a watch built in the spirit of racing.” 

Tech Specs: Tudor Black Bay Chrono “Carbon 25”

Movement: COSC-certified manufacture Caliber MT5813 with column wheel construction and vertical clutch; 70-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes; date; column wheel chronograph with central chronograph hand and two carbon fibre sub-counters – a small running seconds at 9’oclock and a 45-minute counter at 3
Case: 42mm; carbon fibre; titanium caseback; fixed carbon fibre tachymeter bezel, water resistant to 200m
Dial: Domed white dial; luminous black counters
Strap: Hybrid leather-rubber strap with tyre pattern
Availability: Limited-edition of 2,025
Price: USD7,575