How does the BB58 compare to a Submariner?

The BB58 is smaller (39 vs 41 mm), uses a domed acrylic-style sapphire crystal for vintage character, and lacks a date - all deliberate choices favouring vintage proportion over modern utility. The Submariner offers the Rolex name, slightly higher build refinement, and significantly better resale; the BB58 offers similar in-house horology and arguably better wrist presence at a fraction of the cost.

Watch Models

Tudor Black Bay 58 - Modern Vintage, Done Right

Released in 2018, the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight (BB58) is widely cited as the watch that brought Tudor - long the 'value' sibling of Rolex - into a category of its own. Its 39 mm case, in-house movement, and gilt-dial styling reference the 1958 Submariner reference 7924 without quoting it directly.

By Ira Zoot

Reviewed against editorial standards Last updated April 26, 2026 Subject-matter reviewed

Why 39 mm matters

Tudor's first-generation Black Bay (2012) measured 41 mm - already conservative by modern dive-watch standards but still oversized for many wrists. The BB58's 39 mm case, 47.5 mm lug-to-lug, and 11.9 mm thickness recover the proportions of mid-20th-century dive watches and fit a wider range of wrists than almost any modern competitor.

The MT5402 movement

Tudor's in-house calibre MT5402 is COSC-certified, runs at 28,800 vph, and offers a 70-hour power reserve - competitive with Rolex's own 32xx family at a fraction of the price. The use of a free-sprung balance and traversing bridge are features more typically associated with movements at significantly higher price points.

Why it matters

The BB58 demonstrated that a brand could deliver genuinely well-made, in-house horology with vintage-correct proportions at an accessible price. Its commercial success has shaped how nearly every mid-tier Swiss brand now positions its dive watches.