A Prototype in Series: Reviewing the Tudor Black Bay P01
Based on a prototype from the late 1960s, the Tudor Black Bay P01 reveals a little-known aspect of the brand?s history. For this feature, originally published in our May-June 2020 issue, we tested the current serial model.
The Tudor Black Bay P01 is shown at right; the “Commando” prototype from the 1950s at left.
History tells us that Tudor supplied the U.S. Navy with divers? watches as early as the late 1950s. But Reference 7922 wasn?t introduced until 1964 and is considered to be the first dive watch from Tudor. It was water resistant to 100 meters.
?Commando? Was the Codename for a Special Bezel System
Three years later, the Swiss brand began developing a highly functional watch to replace the Oyster Prince Submariner Reference 7928, which was the Navy?s standard watch at that time. The first phase of development led to various prototypes and a patent for an unprecedented function. The ambitious project with the codename ?Commando? was never realized, but the plans were carefully preserved in the company?s archives. The novel component was a hinged mechanism on the case that could be unlocked to reset the bezel and locked to secure the bezel in place. Patented in 1968, the hinged mechanism was also intended to simplify maintenance and servicing.
The Black Bay P01 of 2019 (P01 stands for Prototype No. 1) incorporates this system, but not in its complete functionality. It?s primarily based on the locking mechanism, which lets the wearer secure the B...
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