For those of you who have survived listening to our Podcast you may recall hearing that the Tudor Blackbay GMT known as the “Diet Pepsi” in reference to its big brother also launched at Basel 2018, the Rolex GMT Master 2 GMT “Pepsi”, was the first full priced watch i ever bought without having first tried it on.
If i had been doing a podcast and website review when i first collected the watch last June, i would honestly have been reporting that my first reaction was a bit downbeat.
I think it was my reaction to the bezel colouring and more specifically the matt rather than gloss tone of in, especially in comparison the Rolex “Pepsi”
But six months on that is no consideration whatsoever.
I love this watch. It has heft and presence, the bezel is sharp and loud. The crown is tactile and the crown positions are specific and communicate nicely to your thumb and forefinger.
There have been complaints that it is too big and too heavy but not for me.
Any watch brand you speak to will always tell you that folk ask for whatever it is they have launched to be made smaller and lighter but that when they do people buy the larger and heavier in preference, so they now just stick their fingers in their ear to such weighty comments.
I bought mine on the bracelet and it has been great, I’m desk based and it has not scratched up in any significantly way while being bashed around at a workstation.
While it is a fine bracelet my only complaint at all is that when a company such as Tudor has one of the best examples on any watch anywhere on the Pelagos which has quick adjustment features on it why not put that on every watch you make?
Other “diet Pepsi” owners have reported a problem with the movement in the watch. It is a new in house Tudor movement and the issue reported seems to be with the date not properly turning when due.
I have experienced no such issue.
Finally loving the watch is one thing but notionally i have also increased my net value as these watches are now subject to a waiting list which means that some of those that already have them are trying to off load them for a profit.
There are certainly examples of this watch being advertised for more than £1000 over list, which is frankly crazy and so I have a bit of doubt as to if any actually change hands at this sort of margin over dealer price, but either way I have certainly not lost my shirt purchasing a brand new watch at list price.
I love and enjoy this watch, i think, if you can find one you would to.
@rickticktalk is now joining the Diet Pepsi in going on a diet after too much “Christmas”
@rikkiscotland is already svelte and toned and is consuming chocolate during all podcast recordings just to get on ricks nerves
Great looking watch it’s a watch on my wish list, but I’m not interested in entertaining the speculators with their crazy asking prices at the moment. I quite like the muted tone of the bezel and the snowflake hands it makes it recogniseably a Tudor. I would probably go for the leather strap option as I already have it’s big brother on a bracelet. Overall Tudor have achieved a nice balance of aesthetics with this model and when it was announced in 2018 I knew it would fly off the jewellers shelves. Nice review Rikki.
Hey Gordon, it was actually Rick that owns this one and scribed the words above – I think we’re going to have to get him to change his name by deed poll to avoid further confusion 😀 I didnt like the watch when I saw it at Basel last year.
It was displayed in a dimly lit case and looked like a Coke bezel. Seeing it on Rick’s wrist a few months ago changed my mind and it’s one of the few Tudor’s that I actually would buy, and Im no brand snob as I’ve got what is probably Tudor’s least favourite current model.
While this is certainly a nice watch, there are just too many fine watches/brands that need our business. Supporting the scalpers that sell over retail, ruins the watch hobby for too many people. I just don’t understand how people could be such sheep and allow themselves to be victimized by these scalpers. Personally, if I were confronted with with a situation of having to pay over retail for something I wanted I would find it VERY easy to select a product more worthy of my purchase.
Couldnt agree more Tom. I’d love one of the Tudor Bronze Blue editions from Bucherer but they are also sitting high on the secondary market.
Totally agree with that sentiment….but do you want to buy mine for £4K one careful owner, promise