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...
@ID Guy it may sound cheesy but I feel for you, I feel you are now exiled from the Black Bay community, locked out of a great brand. Here is the issue, your mind is closed, you have a fixed expectation in your head that you cannot get past, you are not alone, let me find an example; Every time I see the new smaller sized legend diver, I cannot get past the fact that the hand does not look as cool as that from the 42 and for that reason, I am out of the crowd and will not get to enjoy what everyone else is enjoying, especially when the price is reasonable. My advise to you is keep on watching and studying, something from the black bay range may get to you eventually, I was with the crowd that hated the snow flake + round marker combo but I am an absolute convert. Give it more time is my advise and if it does not work for you, keep on pushing that idea of the pencil hands and may be, it can happen, it is a great combo and what you feel is normal, I have gone as far as emailing brands with my issues, Ihave given Cartier and Longines a hard time in the past and it eventually works out. Anyways, get on with it and as you know, there is always something we are lusting after, cannot wait to see what you get instead. Have a great new year.
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.
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
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!
Phew, thank you for this. Here I’m thinking my ramblings are just signs that I’m getting on in years 🤣 Seriously though, the fact that anything I’ve said is appreciated means a lot to me. Thank you sir 🥃
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.
I like the snowflake. I have a 54, and it’s nice to see a brand to embrace something wholly unique to the brand. There are tons of brands who embrace the Mercedes hands, but none do snowflakes.
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!
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!! 🥂
Looks better with the snowflake hand in my opinion. Snowflake IS modern Tudor. I adore my BB54 and will never part ways until it is passed down to my son.
Talking about why it does not suit your collection, you also described why it is a perfect single-watch set. So close to the sweet spot on each axis. Thank you for this insight!
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.
Agreed. I've learned to live with A-, rather than keep striving for A+. Because even the watches I would give an A- to are like 2.1% of all watches. That's why I've kept my Tudor BB54 and my Citizen Chronomaster.
I couldn’t agree more about the pencil hands-they would have elevated the BB54 to true stardom. I love the proportions and the slightly domed dial, the 20mm lug width.
@@tcapd Tudor should homage Rolex’s classic designs, 1-1. That’s kind of what they were created to do anyway. Although i love the legibility of the snowflake hands (and indices), there is room for both.
I said years ago snowflake hands and round indices are a no go for me! What I want is a reissue of the Tudor Submariner, but I know that will probably never happen-Tudor instead dances around the periphery making sort of, kinda…and never hitting the mark. Happy New Year 🎆 and looking forward to your sotc!😎
Heavy all nighters of watching all the RUclips videos- I bought the 54 then returned it thinking it was too small. It wasn’t- I had and have still a smiths military prs29a at 36mm (multiple over the years). I’m in the process of repurchasing the 54. 😂 Someone said and I echo the sentiment -that the watch that’s on our wrist , is the watch that’s the least desirable BECAUSE it’s on our wrist and we would rather stare at the unattainable. I’ve found the desire for the 54 even stronger now after sending it on its way 🤯
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.
Thank you for this Roy. Just after removing that third line of text and I thought “maaan, why didn’t they just tweak this detail” 🔥 And as for the handset, makes sense for sure 🥃
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 🍻
I am the same. I love the Mark series but the ones I love were with sword hands. The current style should only be for the BP models which IMHO are perfect for.
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 !
+1. I too thought these remakes would allow me to wear vintage vibes daily, but no matter how accurately reproduced they don’t have the soul of the old ones….😢
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.
It’s interesting to see how Tudor produces watches that are instant hits on RUclips and often announced as the next best thing to hit the market (Ranger, 58&54, Pelagos 39, military models), and yet they seem to be entirely forgotten 6 months later.
The 54 is nearly the perfect new "Rolex". Bigger is not better, and this form factor and fit are superb. I agree with you about the snowflake hands being the biggest detractor. I think they should go back to Mercedes hands personally. Mercedes hands are also part of the heritage, but they look so much better.
I’m just too pedantic, when I see the Pelagos with the handset, I see perfect 😉 The Black Bay on the other hand? Must say the newer metas 2-liners look far more balanced with the handset. I guess it’s just the BB54 that I really wanted them to go “all out” on 🥃
With you on that, I understand the square/circle ocd designer thing but personally I thiink it still works. I mean the Explorer has a Mercedes handset and yet its indices are all fundamentally rectangular and nobody seems to criticise that: Go snowflakes!
It seems to me that as watch enthusiasm grew in popularity, people started delving deeper into the rich history of wristwatches. This newfound appreciation led many to express their passion by embracing vintage aesthetics and wearing watches in their original, old-school sizes. However, I sense the Zeitgeist is shifting again. Enthusiasts are rediscovering the appeal of pieces like the IWC 5002 or a 41mm Submariner, realizing that the progression toward slightly larger, more prominent watches happened for a reason. There’s something undeniably satisfying about the presence of a substantial timepiece on the wrist-an expression of character, craftsmanship, and passion. Today, mechanical watches occupy a different space in our lives. They’re not merely tools designed to be as small and practical as possible, as they were in the past. Instead, they’ve become statements of individuality and starting points for conversations, embodying the joy of shared enthusiasm. A touch of wrist presence, after all, feels perfectly in tune with the modern role of the mechanical watch.
I like everything about Tudor except the snowflake. It’s not the shape but the blunt end. If they could design it with a point at the end it would match the minute hand and be more aesthetically pleasing. At least to me.
exactly, also the hour hand is simply too long. But there are references with overlength hour hands from 1954 (Submariner), I guess it comes from that.
I sold mine too as there was very rarely a time where I wouldn't rather be wearing my Explorer. Too much overlap, despite the very different style. I hadn't regretted it until I saw yours on the Ranger's NATO! Whatever you do, don't watch your video back, as it looks gorgeous! 😂😣 Happy new year to you my friend. I hope you're well and happy😉🥃
Happy New Year my friend. 💥 🥃 More than most of us, you are a designer, and thus your eye is more nuanced / critical of the design details. Your change of heart about the BB54 is in line with your ethos, and no critique on our part is necessary. I was initially enamored with the BB54. However, I could not not accept the reduced lume strength as well as the snowflake hands. As you have aptly noted, the snowflake hands are best on the Pelagos line. Thus, the addition of the P39 to my small watch stable. Keep on reimagining watches and showing us thoughts on how they should be. At some point, the manufacturers will take notice and reflect your design concepts. May 2025 be a fortuitous adventure for you. I will always look forward to your Friday releases! 🙏🏻
Upon your recommendation, I went to my local AD last month and tried one on. Almost everything about was just as you described. The size, proportions, comfort and look. All cylinders were firing for me and I would have walked out with it that day, except….I felt obliged to put my fingers on the crown and give it a turn. That was the deal breaker for me. It was just so small that I knew I wouldn’t be able to let it go. I knew that whenever I were to set the time, I was sure to wince and grimace. We are all of us, as you said, spoiled for choice. Quite a time to live in. Alas, we parted ways and the search for my first dive watch in my small collection continues. We are also, all of us, mEnTaL 🤪 Great vid as usual 😎👍🏼
Great video. You are spot on, completely agree with your thoughts around how a piece like this can ultimately leave your collection. I can totally relate. This is part of the collecting journey of course. Looking forward to your SOTC video! Thanks man!
I’m very interested and entertained by your thoughts on this watch, not the watch per se, but the thoughts and emotions around how it fit (or didn’t) into your collection and preferences. If I don’t feel something when I put a watch on my wrist, it’s not going to stay there…life is too short.
I’ve sold all my tudors. Never could bond with them the way I did with my other watches. I think for me it’s the slab sides and the thin bezel. You look at a sub or a speedmaster and it’s just looks so much better proportionally. There are no bad angles to look at.
youre absolutely right. 200 meters master chronometer is enough. personal opinion is if this is mentions on the back of the case, even this could be removed and we are left with just tudor logo.
I understand some of the criticisms of the 54. I have the 54 myself, and overall, I love it. I just wish Tudor would at least consider a lollipop hand if they don't want to have the mercedes hand on their BB's. Having owned a BB41 and 58, I've kind of just accepted the snowflake hand as part of the DNA of the BB. Great video, and happy new year!
Thank you, as ever, for a video that is more thought provoking than simply about watches. I had a light bulb moment recently when I read Lex’s article in Fratello about “maximisers” vs “satisficers” (a concept first raised by Barry Schwartz, US psychologist) and I think your thought process on the BB54 is a great example. Schwartz describes maximisers as perfectionists who consider every alternative imaginable to ensure their purchase is the best on offer. Satisficers still apply some criteria but will comfortably settle for a “good enough” option, fully aware it is not the best option.
And to your point about enjoying the watches in your collection, as I think Nietzsche said, true happiness comes from continuing to desire what you already have.
As a novice 4 watch collector, I admire my BB54 for the 90-95% that I love about it….particularly the vintage feel, thin dial, and T-fit clasp. If I had 15-20 watches, I think I would probably start looking for reasons NOT to wear a specific watch as there are only so many days in a week.
I recently consolidated my collection and moved some nice pieces to acquire a polar dial explorer II. I have an Explorer 39, sub, and the Explorer ii along with a few other cheaper pieces. I moved on from two Tudors and an Omega to acquire the Explorer ii. I had the same evaluation as you, and realized that I was longing for my others when wearing some of those. I still loved them and enjoyed them, but it just came down to refinement of my collection and wearing what brings me the most joy rather than ticking boxes. Looking forward to your state of the collection! Wishing you a great 2025.
I have never really considered a Tudor due to 1) snow flake hour hand (yep), 2) shape of the lugs side-on (chunky and flat) and 3) look of the bracelet side-on ("bolts" sticking out). Does this make sense? Maybe not, but there's plenty of choice out there.
I completely agree with you. The FXD is pretty close to damn perfect. Greater than the sum of its parts it’s just ‘right’. The 54, while so close is a 90% watch - but when you’re looking for perfection all you see is that missing 10%. The curse of being a designer.
This resonates. I wanted a Tag Heuer glassbox (black dial) since it came out. I finally found one at a decent price and in perfect condition. I bought it and I love it but I’m starting to have thoughts like “if only the indices weren’t only polished. A little bit of brushing would look more interesting…” I’ll see where that train of thought is headed over the coming months!
@ lots of polishing, that’s my highly valuable insight. 😂 in the wrong frame of mind the indices can almost look like plastic. I still love it, but don’t know if it will last the long haul. A watch that I recently acquired (thanks in no small part to your video on it) is the Seiko SJE093. I have no such doubts about that. What a drop dead stunner. The latest progression of my highly advanced Seiko-itis. I started with SPB but it has developed into full blown SJE.
Lots of brands are going back to great vintage designs but trying to be too clinical/precise with all the details. Once the honeymoon phase is over, you start looking for things it's not. There is no real charm which a vintage piece evokes, these new releases will not look any different 30 years from now. Looked at Tudor many times and each time there was something I couldn't put my finger on but it was lacking something other watches "just had in spades." Life is too short to keep justifying trying to love a watch rather than moving on a getting one which hits all the right spots. Hope you're having a great New Year's!
I went through a not dissimilar journey with my BB54, ultimately deciding to sell it because having opted to consolidate, the other watches in my collection were “superior”, figuring I’d always choose a Rolex, etc. But in the end, I missed it. I realised it only needed to be better than the weakest link in my collection, and that even then, if I love it, none of that really matters. So I bought another one and it’s bloody wonderful!
bought the bb54 in 2023 from my AD and a week later got the call for the green sub. sold it to a friend because I couldn’t justify two divers in the collection. fast forward to a year later I found a good deal on an sd43 so now I’ve got two different but very similar divers in the collection. bb54 is a great watch
You sound like me at the moment (especially with the SD43) for some bizarre reason, I’m still yearning to own one? I just can’t forget the day I tried one on and thought “this is fantastic” - what a stellar pair for divers you have! 🥃
Hmm it sounds like you just didn’t like the BB54, since you’re willing to have 2 divers in the collection. Doesn’t matter either way, but kinda points to this video’s thoughts too.
@ word, that’s cool. My presumption only comes from the fact that you still ended up having 2 divers, but time can change things and it was a whole year later. Definitely not criticizing, just an interesting observation.
@@triniboy05 it was a fair assessment and yeah time does move things along. i have a blnr which was my retirement gift from my wife and the kermit was my 50th birthday watch so those will never leave the collection. the sd43 has been on my wrist almost exclusively since early last month and has only lost 10 secs in 30 days. it’s different enough from the other two that it may stay in the collection for quite some time. have a great day! 😊🤙🏼✌🏼
Happy new year to you ID guy. Recently I also made hard decisions about part way with my favorite watch. I decided to sell my Blancpain Fifty fathoms couple months ago cause I have some dissatisfaction. It’s a great watch among the dive watches but it was the expensive piece and a big boy so I constantly baby it. Because I bought it in used condition, I just couldn’t accept the fact that the lume is very weak compared to the new one. At the certain point I wasn’t ok financially and felt like the watch owned me now not the way around. So decided to sell it with thought that I will buy the FF again when I don’t have to worry about money. Then I replaced it with BB 54 and it hasn’t left my wrist ever since. I finally realized that what I want all this time is a reliable GADA mechanical watch I completely understand your reasons to part way with yours. I would love the BB 54 go with the Mercedes hand but snowflake hand is Tudor signature now, and it’s quite unique imo. 3 line on a dial also not a deal breaker for me but I wish Tudor could included one more line with the word “Black Bay” like Rolex/Tudor did all these years
Yup, I couldn't get over that "snowflake" hand, either, and you're spot on about that last line of text on the dial. Never realized that before, but now that I've seen it, I agree. It's just too much.
You never pick up on everything until you wear it for a long time (I understand). The criticism about the dimensions or spacing of the text, I feel that way about the new BB58 GMT (where GMT and Master Chronometer are too disproportionate from one another). It would have been nice to have the old hand set, however, the marketing and DNA of Tudor with the snowflake hands is deliberate (I think) to parallel with Rolex and mercedes hands. I still have my BB54 and the dimensions are perfect like you said (especially for someone with skinny wrists like me). Thanks for the content and wishing you a prosperous 2025 for your channel!
As great as the BB54 is, I agree with your assessment. You have the Omega Seamaster 300 1957 and the Tudor Pelagos FXD, so you are covered on both your vintage diver and a modern tool diver, with Tudor also being covered. The 54 is becomes redundant on the diver side, along with being redundant in the black dial small watch category with the explorer 36. So it makes sense for it to go and release some funds.
When you said you find yourself asking “is this what I want to be wearing…” is the reason why we own collections with depth and breadth. It’s also the problem with tiny collections (>4). Moods shift our ideas of what we want to enjoy on the wrist. So collect…buy and hold…build an empire of your emotions and experiences in a large collection so when you are 60 or 70…you can look fondly upon the vastness of your preferences over the decades. A memoir embedded in your personal art gallery/museum of watch happiness.
Well said John and I agree! Less is more and finding each watch as “complete” pieces in themselves. I’ll be looking forward to getting this years SOTC together (trying to bring across all of these thoughts) 🥃
I agree with you on my most obvious problem with the Black Bay...I could only live with it if I swapped out the snowflake hands. I'd probably go with Mercedes hands in a nod to 1960s 1970s. While at it, I'd also likely swap out the sapphire crystal for a hesalite crystal. Happy New Year!!!
The 54 is a totally different watch to the Explorer. I’d also argue it’s different enough to the Pelagos. I personally think the Exp & BB54/58 would be a more complementary pairing…
@@KeepingWatchUK I dont think so. The Pelagos is simply the better toolwatch, better readability, the handset works well and the size is different, the BB54 goes more from the dimensions towards Explorer & the Guilt Dial with the text, annoyed me a little with the Time.
Great video! I am still using the BB58 925 a lot, it is the watch that I wear the most casually, I really love that watch and the patina that it has developed. Originally looking at the zoomed photos I felt weird about the snowflake hands, but in real life my older eyes appreciate that feature. I had it serviced twice under warranty (last time more than one year ago), I hope it is just bad luck and it seems fine now.
When I purchased my first Tudor snowflake watch I was concerned about the esthetic of the hand. Four years later I now have two in the collection and really enjoy the look because it is different.
I stumbled on a Smiths Navi the other day and was soooo close to picking it up… Also almost nabbed a IWC Mark 15… there’s definitely a trend 😉 Hope you had a terrific first Christmas and New Year with your boy, Val! 🥃
@ID-Guy thank you so much. I hope this Christmas was okay for you, given your loss last year. I really enjoyed this video my man. I totally relate, and find the BB54 just not special enough, especially compared to your other wonderful watches... I'm taking a year off new purchases. My CWC is a brilliant daily, along with my W59 Casio and the 5600e G shock.. and then after that I'll make a big purchase... not sure what.... maybe Speedy again, or Mark XV, or some neo vintage Omega.... time will tell
I love the BB54 as a daily beater on a nato. Like you, I would prefer 2-lines of text and a pencil hand (throw in the rose logo and lug holes while we’re at it). I am still considering the pencil hand mod from True Patina. I use the BB54 in conjunction with my 14060M which stays on a bracelet. As much as I’d like a 5513 to replace the BB54 on a nato, it’s nice having a newer watch not to worry about damaging or being too fragile
Happy New Year! Watch collecting is just learning more about yourself. That's all. Last year, all I was looking at were GMT's. Now, all I'm looking at are Piaget Polos and other geezer watches. It's all good and it's all fun!
You mention not enjoying the defending text at the base of the BB54. How do you feel about the 3 lines of text on your Explorer under the 12 o’clock marker? For me, they just look so cramped and off balance - as opposed to the two lines under 12pm on the 39mm Explorer and the three lines above 6pm - which I feel look so much more balanced.
I've not owned the 54 but your experience seems similar to my 58 experience, like you it went and my only Tudor Diver is the MN FXD, for me it's the real deal, modern, no faux nothing, just perfection
Happy new year bro! I hope you will have a terrific year! Now regarding the text, my only rule is, less text the better. Now, I don't think there is a watch that is "perfect"? But there are lots of 98% out there, BB wasn't just for you, and now you have room for another watch. Why don't you give a spin on a GMT watch? Perhaps a grand seiko with spring drive?
@@rhgrabowski3855 he already has n FXD tho, also ID Guy feels a bit like someone who does 1 brand 1 watch thing, well at least now that he has sold off his BB
I had a similar experience with the Seiko SPB143. It started with "well, i guess the watch is a little heavy" then i found myself getting frustrated about how bad the timekeeping was and it slowly snowballed from there, finding more and more things I didn't like until I decided to sell it. Sometimes it's not the watch, it's our expectations of what the watch will be that's the problem.
I sold my Grand Seiko SBGE255 because the date window wasn’t framed and I couldn’t get over it. Normal looks cheap when it’s surrounded by amazingly detailed and beautiful.
The black bay is great watch! No doubt. It would have never been the watch for me though, because it wants to look vintage and still isn’t really true to the vintage model. I went for the pelagos 39 instead, because to me it feels like it took design dna elements, but applied them in a modern way. But I totally get the points of criticism. It‘s the same for me with my spitfire (which you discussed in another video already) where I‘m not fully happy with the sword hands and the two dots next to the triangle which take away from the british heritage and use German elements instead. Still love the watch though.
I had the same issue as well between my SMP300 212.30.41 , my BB58 and my SKX013. Just something about the BB that just didn’t gel well with me. It’s a great watch but I just can’t connect with it. Even changing bracelets and straps it didn’t help. Eventually sold off the BB58.
@@KeepingWatchUKright. Kind of a weird a weird way to tell a brand to “change their brand identity”. Either the brand works for you or another one does.
Brilliant perspective. I agree with your thoughts. However, I believe both BBs 58 & 54 have their place. But, yes, there is a but, I'm on your side of the camp...there's something that prevents me from pulling the trigger...not to say that these aren't amazing timepieces, they are, but there are many other choices. That is the hardest part of this hobby. BTW, great guitar into. Be well, and keep on ticking. Cheers Mate
A long-time favorite axiom of mine is "the perfect is the enemy of the good", and for damned sure it applies to watches. I would only add to this he matter of how acquiring certain watches an alter one's aesthetic perception and preferences along the way: the preferences and priorities you *may* have thought deeply-set are now suddenly unmoored and shifting. I'm not saying your grail-baby of years-past gets tossed out with the bathwater of momentary whims, but there IS a perceptual shift, and you really can't ignore it. I had it happen when I recently hit my own "accidental grail", and it pretty much altered what I regarded important (and unimportant) in the watches I've chosen to hang onto. This also depends on matters of cost - I fly at a lower altitude than you, so that's a factor.
I was at an AD a few weeks ago. He said after the rush from people that have to have the latest and greatest of everything they can’t give this watch away. He said nobody wants it.
Exactly what I predicted when it was first released. The classic BB58 size will prevail. 37mm divers has always looked effeminate to me. That size is best on dress watches or field watches but as a diver you need something a bit more substantial. It seems that the audience for the BB54 was skim milk latte drinking, keyboard warrior desk divers who are always seeking the latest woke trends. They've now moved onto the Tudor GMT & Master Chronometre
After owning a few watches, I sold them all and got the BB54. It's my only watch and I feel complete and in need of nothing else when I wear it. Following the channel, I know that you are very detail-oriented, and it's great. If it doesn't fulfill you 100% keep trying to find a watch that does, after all, you have only watches that feel perfect for you and you would not change a thing. I love the BB54 for what it is, and I would not change a thing. I love watches, but I am pretty sure I am not that deep in this rabbit hole, so the writing on the dial or the bezel font are not details that are as important for me as they are for you in this hobby. I am very passionate about the fragrance industry. I own 50+ scents from brands like Roja, Amouage, etc. I am so deep in that rabbit hole that if I smell something off in a composition, such as an opening bergamot note that feels synthetic or a note of peru balsam in a composition that for me, tolu balsam would have been more suitable, I shy away. I totally get and understand your reasoning, because that is me in another hobby where I am more deeply involved. For how amazing it is, I believe that when you dig so deep into something, you are getting further and further away from happiness, so when you finally find it, the feeling is remarkable. And I will continue to follow watches and go deeper into this. And I definitely plan on getting more watches in the future, like an Omega for my 30th birthday in 2030, maybe a Rolex at 40 or 50 if life turns out as I plan. But things change, opinions change, and until then, the BB54 is my one and done.
I agree with you about your negative points on BB54 like the writings on the dial and the snow flake hand but I still love my BB54 and have been wearing the most out of my collection for the moment. It is a well made watch with good quality parts at an affordable price.with a vintage twist
I never connected with the 54 either. With that said I did not own, but looking at one at the AD, it was the non matching colors from bezel to dial. It's a lovely watch, size, weight what it will do for you as a daily driver is wonderful, but... watch guys walk a funny path. While at the AD ultimately turning down a 54 to purchase, I looked at my wrist and was wearing my Seiko Samurai, and as it always does, I got that smile and another hit of, "yep your my watch " . Most guys would give a tickers' damn for a Samurai, but for me I connected with it. I do have a couple watches in my collection that when I wear them, I think of other watches I have, thinking they would be a better choice. So you are not mental, or thinking too hard or too much when it comes to the little things. You are on the right path, don't doubt yourself, you'll be fine.
Very interesting discussion. I would have liked to hear your thoughts on where the Seiko SJE sits now with the departure of the 54’. Text placement/ handset etc on that piece are historically correct I believe. Do you still love that as your 37mm piece in the collection?
Great discussion! I think what you realized here is what I’ve found with the BB58: they are too “perfect.” So while they do everything right and look great, they lack that something special that stands out or draws attention to it. The rest of your collection the way it is, I’d almost never have worn the BB54. Your collection has such cool pieces that must be constantly calling your name! Oh! And great guitar playing 👌
I love your point about watches being “too perfect”. We seek perfection but if there isn’t an element of raunchy we get bored. It’s a vicious circle…lol
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...
@ID Guy it may sound cheesy but I feel for you, I feel you are now exiled from the Black Bay community, locked out of a great brand. Here is the issue, your mind is closed, you have a fixed expectation in your head that you cannot get past, you are not alone, let me find an example; Every time I see the new smaller sized legend diver, I cannot get past the fact that the hand does not look as cool as that from the 42 and for that reason, I am out of the crowd and will not get to enjoy what everyone else is enjoying, especially when the price is reasonable. My advise to you is keep on watching and studying, something from the black bay range may get to you eventually, I was with the crowd that hated the snow flake + round marker combo but I am an absolute convert. Give it more time is my advise and if it does not work for you, keep on pushing that idea of the pencil hands and may be, it can happen, it is a great combo and what you feel is normal, I have gone as far as emailing brands with my issues, Ihave given Cartier and Longines a hard time in the past and it eventually works out. Anyways, get on with it and as you know, there is always something we are lusting after, cannot wait to see what you get instead. Have a great new year.
Nope.
IDguy hello!
You should have sent it to TruePatina for a mod! What’s wrong with modding a watch? We mod our cars and it actually improves the product!
Good riddance. After all, it is just a material thing.
Sounds like the right girl at the wrong time in your life. Context is crucial.
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.
It's wild how watch guys will never be happy with what they have, and explain it away as a "journey".
Kind of how people are in love relationships. We can't even be faithful to a watch.
That's how I justify the money I've lost flipping! LOL
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
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.
Agreed
Spot on
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!
Phew, thank you for this. Here I’m thinking my ramblings are just signs that I’m getting on in years 🤣 Seriously though, the fact that anything I’ve said is appreciated means a lot to me. Thank you sir 🥃
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.
Good, keep it that way!
I like the snowflake. I have a 54, and it’s nice to see a brand to embrace something wholly unique to the brand. There are tons of brands who embrace the Mercedes hands, but none do snowflakes.
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!
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!! 🥂
Looks better with the snowflake hand in my opinion. Snowflake IS modern Tudor. I adore my BB54 and will never part ways until it is passed down to my son.
Glad to see you back.. happy New Year
It felt like a week off from the channel BUT even still I was working on videos 🤣 Great being back JT, legend! 🥃
love the fact that you stay honest to yourself ser.
Definitely try to Theo, definitely try 😉🥃
Talking about why it does not suit your collection, you also described why it is a perfect single-watch set. So close to the sweet spot on each axis. Thank you for this insight!
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.
Accurate!
Agreed. I've learned to live with A-, rather than keep striving for A+. Because even the watches I would give an A- to are like 2.1% of all watches. That's why I've kept my Tudor BB54 and my Citizen Chronomaster.
I couldn’t agree more about the pencil hands-they would have elevated the BB54 to true stardom. I love the proportions and the slightly domed dial, the 20mm lug width.
That's why I bought an Omega. No goofy distracting hands and better quality and value.
@@tcapd Tudor should homage Rolex’s classic designs, 1-1. That’s kind of what they were created to do anyway. Although i love the legibility of the snowflake hands (and indices), there is room for both.
@@melissasmess2773😂 a seamaster ?
I said years ago snowflake hands and round indices are a no go for me! What I want is a reissue of the Tudor Submariner, but I know that will probably never happen-Tudor instead dances around the periphery making sort of, kinda…and never hitting the mark. Happy New Year 🎆 and looking forward to your sotc!😎
@@underachievingwatchcollect1878 me too, I love the Tudor Submariner. There is only one solution there and that's to buy one
Heavy all nighters of watching all the RUclips videos- I bought the 54 then returned it thinking it was too small. It wasn’t- I had and have still a smiths military prs29a at 36mm (multiple over the years). I’m in the process of repurchasing the 54. 😂
Someone said and I echo the sentiment -that the watch that’s on our wrist , is the watch that’s the least desirable BECAUSE it’s on our wrist and we would rather stare at the unattainable.
I’ve found the desire for the 54 even stronger now after sending it on its way 🤯
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.
Thank you for this Roy. Just after removing that third line of text and I thought “maaan, why didn’t they just tweak this detail” 🔥 And as for the handset, makes sense for sure 🥃
Was about to say the same
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 🍻
I am the same. I love the Mark series but the ones I love were with sword hands. The current style should only be for the BP models which IMHO are perfect for.
I don’t have one, but really like the snowflake hands.
Each to their own.
The BB54 is my all time favorite piece
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 !
It’s the worst thing when we “know” it’s there, but we ignore the flaws… and they just keep grinding away at us 😆🥃
I bloody love the snowflake hands. In my opinion it should stay this way
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.
I’m the opposite.
The vintage would scare me to death. Eg a Tudor sub.
The modern eg Tudor pelagos 39. I could wear without a care.
+1. I too thought these remakes would allow me to wear vintage vibes daily, but no matter how accurately reproduced they don’t have the soul of the old ones….😢
Discussing your thoughts and observations in this video for example, is what i appreciate on your channel. ♥
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.
It’s interesting to see how Tudor produces watches that are instant hits on RUclips and often announced as the next best thing to hit the market (Ranger, 58&54, Pelagos 39, military models), and yet they seem to be entirely forgotten 6 months later.
Yesterday, a song from my hometown. Thank you ID-Guy ❤
The 54 is nearly the perfect new "Rolex". Bigger is not better, and this form factor and fit are superb. I agree with you about the snowflake hands being the biggest detractor. I think they should go back to Mercedes hands personally. Mercedes hands are also part of the heritage, but they look so much better.
I’m camp snowflake
I’m just too pedantic, when I see the Pelagos with the handset, I see perfect 😉 The Black Bay on the other hand? Must say the newer metas 2-liners look far more balanced with the handset. I guess it’s just the BB54 that I really wanted them to go “all out” on 🥃
With you on that, I understand the square/circle ocd designer thing but personally I thiink it still works. I mean the Explorer has a Mercedes handset and yet its indices are all fundamentally rectangular and nobody seems to criticise that: Go snowflakes!
I love the ❄️ handset too! I love it on my black dial Pelagos FXD.
Team snowflake. The thinner hour hand he proposed looks utterly ridiculous. Throws off the balance and its less legible.
Totally. It provides a lot of surface area for lume, creates excellent legibility, is the calling card of Tudor, and just looks amazing.
It seems to me that as watch enthusiasm grew in popularity, people started delving deeper into the rich history of wristwatches. This newfound appreciation led many to express their passion by embracing vintage aesthetics and wearing watches in their original, old-school sizes. However, I sense the Zeitgeist is shifting again. Enthusiasts are rediscovering the appeal of pieces like the IWC 5002 or a 41mm Submariner, realizing that the progression toward slightly larger, more prominent watches happened for a reason.
There’s something undeniably satisfying about the presence of a substantial timepiece on the wrist-an expression of character, craftsmanship, and passion. Today, mechanical watches occupy a different space in our lives. They’re not merely tools designed to be as small and practical as possible, as they were in the past. Instead, they’ve become statements of individuality and starting points for conversations, embodying the joy of shared enthusiasm. A touch of wrist presence, after all, feels perfectly in tune with the modern role of the mechanical watch.
Great analysis. I agree with all your points. The Rolex Explorer in 36mm is the most versatile watch ever made, I love mine from 1996
I like everything about Tudor except the snowflake. It’s not the shape but the blunt end. If they could design it with a point at the end it would match the minute hand and be more aesthetically pleasing. At least to me.
exactly, also the hour hand is simply too long. But there are references with overlength hour hands from 1954 (Submariner), I guess it comes from that.
gotta say I always liked the snowflake hand but now I can’t unsee how great the pencil hands look!
Another great video
I sold mine too as there was very rarely a time where I wouldn't rather be wearing my Explorer. Too much overlap, despite the very different style. I hadn't regretted it until I saw yours on the Ranger's NATO! Whatever you do, don't watch your video back, as it looks gorgeous! 😂😣
Happy new year to you my friend. I hope you're well and happy😉🥃
Happy New Year my friend. 💥 🥃 More than most of us, you are a designer, and thus your eye is more nuanced / critical of the design details. Your change of heart about the BB54 is in line with your ethos, and no critique on our part is necessary.
I was initially enamored with the BB54. However, I could not not accept the reduced lume strength as well as the snowflake hands. As you have aptly noted, the snowflake hands are best on the Pelagos line. Thus, the addition of the P39 to my small watch stable.
Keep on reimagining watches and showing us thoughts on how they should be. At some point, the manufacturers will take notice and reflect your design concepts.
May 2025 be a fortuitous adventure for you. I will always look forward to your Friday releases! 🙏🏻
Upon your recommendation, I went to my local AD last month and tried one on. Almost everything about was just as you described. The size, proportions, comfort and look. All cylinders were firing for me and I would have walked out with it that day, except….I felt obliged to put my fingers on the crown and give it a turn. That was the deal breaker for me. It was just so small that I knew I wouldn’t be able to let it go. I knew that whenever I were to set the time, I was sure to wince and grimace. We are all of us, as you said, spoiled for choice. Quite a time to live in. Alas, we parted ways and the search for my first dive watch in my small collection continues.
We are also, all of us, mEnTaL 🤪
Great vid as usual 😎👍🏼
Great video. You are spot on, completely agree with your thoughts around how a piece like this can ultimately leave your collection. I can totally relate. This is part of the collecting journey of course. Looking forward to your SOTC video! Thanks man!
I’m very interested and entertained by your thoughts on this watch, not the watch per se, but the thoughts and emotions around how it fit (or didn’t) into your collection and preferences. If I don’t feel something when I put a watch on my wrist, it’s not going to stay there…life is too short.
I’ve sold all my tudors. Never could bond with them the way I did with my other watches. I think for me it’s the slab sides and the thin bezel. You look at a sub or a speedmaster and it’s just looks so much better proportionally. There are no bad angles to look at.
youre absolutely right.
200 meters
master chronometer
is enough. personal opinion is if this is mentions on the back of the case, even this could be removed and we are left with just tudor logo.
I understand some of the criticisms of the 54. I have the 54 myself, and overall, I love it. I just wish Tudor would at least consider a lollipop hand if they don't want to have the mercedes hand on their BB's. Having owned a BB41 and 58, I've kind of just accepted the snowflake hand as part of the DNA of the BB.
Great video, and happy new year!
I just picked a up a Pelagos LHD, my first Tudor, it's unique and fun. Glad you still like your FXD.!
I’ve a Black Bay 58. You gots to just love the snowflake
Sometimes it is not meant to be, for me that perfect Tudor moment would be the 925 BB. Great video brother 👍🏽
We all just need a Lyrique in our lives (or two) 😉🥃
@@ID-Guy hehe exactly, N.4 will be on the way soon 😁
Two of my favorite people in the Watch community God Bless you both 🙏
Thank you, as ever, for a video that is more thought provoking than simply about watches. I had a light bulb moment recently when I read Lex’s article in Fratello about “maximisers” vs “satisficers” (a concept first raised by Barry Schwartz, US psychologist) and I think your thought process on the BB54 is a great example.
Schwartz describes maximisers as perfectionists who consider every alternative imaginable to ensure their purchase is the best on offer. Satisficers still apply some criteria but will comfortably settle for a “good enough” option, fully aware it is not the best option.
And to your point about enjoying the watches in your collection, as I think Nietzsche said, true happiness comes from continuing to desire what you already have.
As a novice 4 watch collector, I admire my BB54 for the 90-95% that I love about it….particularly the vintage feel, thin dial, and T-fit clasp. If I had 15-20 watches, I think I would probably start looking for reasons NOT to wear a specific watch as there are only so many days in a week.
I recently consolidated my collection and moved some nice pieces to acquire a polar dial explorer II. I have an Explorer 39, sub, and the Explorer ii along with a few other cheaper pieces. I moved on from two Tudors and an Omega to acquire the Explorer ii. I had the same evaluation as you, and realized that I was longing for my others when wearing some of those. I still loved them and enjoyed them, but it just came down to refinement of my collection and wearing what brings me the most joy rather than ticking boxes. Looking forward to your state of the collection! Wishing you a great 2025.
I have never really considered a Tudor due to 1) snow flake hour hand (yep), 2) shape of the lugs side-on (chunky and flat) and 3) look of the bracelet side-on ("bolts" sticking out). Does this make sense? Maybe not, but there's plenty of choice out there.
Happy New Year, mate!
When one door closes another opens. Don’t look back, look forward!
I completely agree with you. The FXD is pretty close to damn perfect. Greater than the sum of its parts it’s just ‘right’. The 54, while so close is a 90% watch - but when you’re looking for perfection all you see is that missing 10%. The curse of being a designer.
This resonates. I wanted a Tag Heuer glassbox (black dial) since it came out. I finally found one at a decent price and in perfect condition. I bought it and I love it but I’m starting to have thoughts like “if only the indices weren’t only polished. A little bit of brushing would look more interesting…” I’ll see where that train of thought is headed over the coming months!
Very interesting hearing your thoughts around it (I've also been considering the reverse panda Glassbox - because they're so darn good 😉)
@ lots of polishing, that’s my highly valuable insight. 😂 in the wrong frame of mind the indices can almost look like plastic. I still love it, but don’t know if it will last the long haul. A watch that I recently acquired (thanks in no small part to your video on it) is the Seiko SJE093. I have no such doubts about that. What a drop dead stunner. The latest progression of my highly advanced Seiko-itis. I started with SPB but it has developed into full blown SJE.
Lots of brands are going back to great vintage designs but trying to be too clinical/precise with all the details. Once the honeymoon phase is over, you start looking for things it's not. There is no real charm which a vintage piece evokes, these new releases will not look any different 30 years from now.
Looked at Tudor many times and each time there was something I couldn't put my finger on but it was lacking something other watches "just had in spades."
Life is too short to keep justifying trying to love a watch rather than moving on a getting one which hits all the right spots.
Hope you're having a great New Year's!
I went through a not dissimilar journey with my BB54, ultimately deciding to sell it because having opted to consolidate, the other watches in my collection were “superior”, figuring I’d always choose a Rolex, etc. But in the end, I missed it. I realised it only needed to be better than the weakest link in my collection, and that even then, if I love it, none of that really matters. So I bought another one and it’s bloody wonderful!
Love that inro 🖤
bought the bb54 in 2023 from my AD and a week later got the call for the green sub. sold it to a friend because I couldn’t justify two divers in the collection. fast forward to a year later I found a good deal on an sd43 so now I’ve got two different but very similar divers in the collection. bb54 is a great watch
You sound like me at the moment (especially with the SD43) for some bizarre reason, I’m still yearning to own one? I just can’t forget the day I tried one on and thought “this is fantastic” - what a stellar pair for divers you have! 🥃
Hmm it sounds like you just didn’t like the BB54, since you’re willing to have 2 divers in the collection. Doesn’t matter either way, but kinda points to this video’s thoughts too.
@ I would’ve kept it had I not gotten the call for the kermit so soon. the sd43 feels less jewelry and more tool due to its size. very purpose built
@ word, that’s cool. My presumption only comes from the fact that you still ended up having 2 divers, but time can change things and it was a whole year later. Definitely not criticizing, just an interesting observation.
@@triniboy05 it was a fair assessment and yeah time does move things along. i have a blnr which was my retirement gift from my wife and the kermit was my 50th birthday watch so those will never leave the collection. the sd43 has been on my wrist almost exclusively since early last month and has only lost 10 secs in 30 days. it’s different enough from the other two that it may stay in the collection for quite some time. have a great day! 😊🤙🏼✌🏼
My fiancée got me a black bay 54 after I proposed. Hasn’t left my wrist since!
Happy new year to you ID guy. Recently I also made hard decisions about part way with my favorite watch. I decided to sell my Blancpain Fifty fathoms couple months ago cause I have some dissatisfaction. It’s a great watch among the dive watches but it was the expensive piece and a big boy so I constantly baby it. Because I bought it in used condition, I just couldn’t accept the fact that the lume is very weak compared to the new one. At the certain point I wasn’t ok financially and felt like the watch owned me now not the way around. So decided to sell it with thought that I will buy the FF again when I don’t have to worry about money. Then I replaced it with BB 54 and it hasn’t left my wrist ever since. I finally realized that what I want all this time is a reliable GADA mechanical watch
I completely understand your reasons to part way with yours. I would love the BB 54 go with the Mercedes hand but snowflake hand is Tudor signature now, and it’s quite unique imo. 3 line on a dial also not a deal breaker for me but I wish Tudor could included one more line with the word “Black Bay” like Rolex/Tudor did all these years
Yup, I couldn't get over that "snowflake" hand, either, and you're spot on about that last line of text on the dial. Never realized that before, but now that I've seen it, I agree. It's just too much.
You never pick up on everything until you wear it for a long time (I understand). The criticism about the dimensions or spacing of the text, I feel that way about the new BB58 GMT (where GMT and Master Chronometer are too disproportionate from one another). It would have been nice to have the old hand set, however, the marketing and DNA of Tudor with the snowflake hands is deliberate (I think) to parallel with Rolex and mercedes hands. I still have my BB54 and the dimensions are perfect like you said (especially for someone with skinny wrists like me). Thanks for the content and wishing you a prosperous 2025 for your channel!
tudor snowflake hands are what make tudor iconic.
Great to have the guitar back in a video. Happy New Year. 👍⌚🎸
As great as the BB54 is, I agree with your assessment. You have the Omega Seamaster 300 1957 and the Tudor Pelagos FXD, so you are covered on both your vintage diver and a modern tool diver, with Tudor also being covered. The 54 is becomes redundant on the diver side, along with being redundant in the black dial small watch category with the explorer 36. So it makes sense for it to go and release some funds.
Perfect strap combo. Honestly, I think you did good. They will eventually release a 54 big crown that will break the internet.
Fantastic watch in my view.
I am a big fan of the snowflake hand and the symmetry of the text at 6.
Each to their own 🙂
When you said you find yourself asking “is this what I want to be wearing…” is the reason why we own collections with depth and breadth. It’s also the problem with tiny collections (>4). Moods shift our ideas of what we want to enjoy on the wrist. So collect…buy and hold…build an empire of your emotions and experiences in a large collection so when you are 60 or 70…you can look fondly upon the vastness of your preferences over the decades. A memoir embedded in your personal art gallery/museum of watch happiness.
Well said John and I agree! Less is more and finding each watch as “complete” pieces in themselves. I’ll be looking forward to getting this years SOTC together (trying to bring across all of these thoughts) 🥃
I agree with you on my most obvious problem with the Black Bay...I could only live with it if I swapped out the snowflake hands. I'd probably go with Mercedes hands in a nod to 1960s 1970s. While at it, I'd also likely swap out the sapphire crystal for a hesalite crystal. Happy New Year!!!
Indeed, you are overthinking! To me, the BB54 is perfect, including the hands. I have an OP and a BB36 and design wise, I much prefer the Tudor!
I also sold my BB54 because I also have a Pelagos 39 & recently an Explorer 1, it just didn't fit into my collection anymore.
The 54 is a totally different watch to the Explorer. I’d also argue it’s different enough to the Pelagos. I personally think the Exp & BB54/58 would be a more complementary pairing…
And that ultimately was the deciding factor with my collection too I reckon, once the Explorer arrived… it was all over 😉🥃
@@KeepingWatchUK I dont think so. The Pelagos is simply the better toolwatch, better readability, the handset works well and the size is different, the BB54 goes more from the dimensions towards Explorer & the Guilt Dial with the text, annoyed me a little with the Time.
The snowflake simply doesn't fit that well with round indices so the Pelagos is all I want from Tudor
@@ID-Guy as if often the case when one buys a Rolex 😂
Great video! I am still using the BB58 925 a lot, it is the watch that I wear the most casually, I really love that watch and the patina that it has developed. Originally looking at the zoomed photos I felt weird about the snowflake hands, but in real life my older eyes appreciate that feature.
I had it serviced twice under warranty (last time more than one year ago), I hope it is just bad luck and it seems fine now.
I’m very keen on the 925. I have almost 8” wrist and concerned about the size. I wonder what size is your wrist.
About 7.25, size is fine for me
I am noticing that I have lost my identity ;-) I used to appear just as “Carlos” in the comments, I do not comment much lately ;-)
I know who you are @Carlos Happy New Year 🥳 Amigo!
@@Thomas_Burnetthappy new year my friend! Is normal that behavior of having the id instead of my name? Can I return it to how it used to be?
The bezel dial colour clash always looked wrong to me.
Snowflake isn't so good with the round indicies, the Pelegos looks awesome in comparison.
Just freaking adore the Pelagos man. It just never gets old 😉🥃
@@ID-Guy agree. I have the GMT and now I have to find the grail strap......Never ending search. At least it is cheaper than watches.
@@ID-GuyI’ve been at odds with buying the FXD for months now, worried that it’s just too big? However, I just love the way the black version looks.
Love it 😊 I love mine and my patek
When I purchased my first Tudor snowflake watch I was concerned about the esthetic of the hand. Four years later I now have two in the collection and really enjoy the look because it is different.
I really considered the blue one.. really enjoying my CWC GS Navigator man ... maybe IWC some day in my life . Happy new year my man
I stumbled on a Smiths Navi the other day and was soooo close to picking it up… Also almost nabbed a IWC Mark 15… there’s definitely a trend 😉 Hope you had a terrific first Christmas and New Year with your boy, Val! 🥃
@ID-Guy thank you so much. I hope this Christmas was okay for you, given your loss last year. I really enjoyed this video my man. I totally relate, and find the BB54 just not special enough, especially compared to your other wonderful watches... I'm taking a year off new purchases. My CWC is a brilliant daily, along with my W59 Casio and the 5600e G shock.. and then after that I'll make a big purchase... not sure what.... maybe Speedy again, or Mark XV, or some neo vintage Omega.... time will tell
I love the BB54 as a daily beater on a nato. Like you, I would prefer 2-lines of text and a pencil hand (throw in the rose logo and lug holes while we’re at it). I am still considering the pencil hand mod from True Patina.
I use the BB54 in conjunction with my 14060M which stays on a bracelet. As much as I’d like a 5513 to replace the BB54 on a nato, it’s nice having a newer watch not to worry about damaging or being too fragile
I fully understand your reasoning. Need to be true to oneself. Just wondering when you get a Reverso for its originality
Happy New Year! Watch collecting is just learning more about yourself. That's all. Last year, all I was looking at were GMT's. Now, all I'm looking at are Piaget Polos and other geezer watches. It's all good and it's all fun!
You mention not enjoying the defending text at the base of the BB54.
How do you feel about the 3 lines of text on your Explorer under the 12 o’clock marker?
For me, they just look so cramped and off balance - as opposed to the two lines under 12pm on the 39mm Explorer and the three lines above 6pm - which I feel look so much more balanced.
I've not owned the 54 but your experience seems similar to my 58 experience, like you it went and my only Tudor Diver is the MN FXD, for me it's the real deal, modern, no faux nothing, just perfection
Nothing beats it, m’boy 😉🥃
I always thought I’d see a Jaeger LeCoultre Polaris on your wrist, the newest iterations are irresistible!
Happy new year bro! I hope you will have a terrific year!
Now regarding the text, my only rule is, less text the better.
Now, I don't think there is a watch that is "perfect"? But there are lots of 98% out there, BB wasn't just for you, and now you have room for another watch. Why don't you give a spin on a GMT watch? Perhaps a grand seiko with spring drive?
I bet he would rather go with the FXD GMT.
@@rhgrabowski3855 he already has n FXD tho, also ID Guy feels a bit like someone who does 1 brand 1 watch thing, well at least now that he has sold off his BB
I had a similar experience with the Seiko SPB143. It started with "well, i guess the watch is a little heavy" then i found myself getting frustrated about how bad the timekeeping was and it slowly snowballed from there, finding more and more things I didn't like until I decided to sell it. Sometimes it's not the watch, it's our expectations of what the watch will be that's the problem.
I sold my Grand Seiko SBGE255 because the date window wasn’t framed and I couldn’t get over it.
Normal looks cheap when it’s surrounded by amazingly detailed and beautiful.
The black bay is great watch! No doubt. It would have never been the watch for me though, because it wants to look vintage and still isn’t really true to the vintage model. I went for the pelagos 39 instead, because to me it feels like it took design dna elements, but applied them in a modern way. But I totally get the points of criticism. It‘s the same for me with my spitfire (which you discussed in another video already) where I‘m not fully happy with the sword hands and the two dots next to the triangle which take away from the british heritage and use German elements instead. Still love the watch though.
I had the same issue as well between my SMP300 212.30.41 , my BB58 and my SKX013. Just something about the BB that just didn’t gel well with me. It’s a great watch but I just can’t connect with it. Even changing bracelets and straps it didn’t help. Eventually sold off the BB58.
Nice explination!
Have a great New Year and live in good health. All the best for 2025.
Thank you as always Theo and the same to you sir! I hope you’re not being blasted with snow wherever you are 😉🥃
@@ID-Guyno, just a lot of grey days and rain in The Netherlands.
All is fine here, hopefully some golf tomorow morning.
🍷
It’s really frustrating that Tudor is so married to the snowflake hand. They’re overthinking it.
Tell Adidas to ditch the 3 stripes…
@@KeepingWatchUKright. Kind of a weird a weird way to tell a brand to “change their brand identity”. Either the brand works for you or another one does.
There’s nothing wrong with snowflake hand
I really like the snowflake hand
Brilliant perspective. I agree with your thoughts. However, I believe both BBs 58 & 54 have their place. But, yes, there is a but, I'm on your side of the camp...there's something that prevents me from pulling the trigger...not to say that these aren't amazing timepieces, they are, but there are many other choices. That is the hardest part of this hobby. BTW, great guitar into. Be well, and keep on ticking. Cheers Mate
A long-time favorite axiom of mine is "the perfect is the enemy of the good", and for damned sure it applies to watches. I would only add to this he matter of how acquiring certain watches an alter one's aesthetic perception and preferences along the way: the preferences and priorities you *may* have thought deeply-set are now suddenly unmoored and shifting. I'm not saying your grail-baby of years-past gets tossed out with the bathwater of momentary whims, but there IS a perceptual shift, and you really can't ignore it. I had it happen when I recently hit my own "accidental grail", and it pretty much altered what I regarded important (and unimportant) in the watches I've chosen to hang onto. This also depends on matters of cost - I fly at a lower altitude than you, so that's a factor.
I was at an AD a few weeks ago. He said after the rush from people that have to have the latest and greatest of everything they can’t give this watch away. He said nobody wants it.
Exactly what I predicted when it was first released. The classic BB58 size will prevail. 37mm divers has always looked effeminate to me. That size is best on dress watches or field watches but as a diver you need something a bit more substantial. It seems that the audience for the BB54 was skim milk latte drinking, keyboard warrior desk divers who are always seeking the latest woke trends. They've now moved onto the Tudor GMT & Master Chronometre
After owning a few watches, I sold them all and got the BB54. It's my only watch and I feel complete and in need of nothing else when I wear it. Following the channel, I know that you are very detail-oriented, and it's great. If it doesn't fulfill you 100% keep trying to find a watch that does, after all, you have only watches that feel perfect for you and you would not change a thing. I love the BB54 for what it is, and I would not change a thing. I love watches, but I am pretty sure I am not that deep in this rabbit hole, so the writing on the dial or the bezel font are not details that are as important for me as they are for you in this hobby. I am very passionate about the fragrance industry. I own 50+ scents from brands like Roja, Amouage, etc. I am so deep in that rabbit hole that if I smell something off in a composition, such as an opening bergamot note that feels synthetic or a note of peru balsam in a composition that for me, tolu balsam would have been more suitable, I shy away. I totally get and understand your reasoning, because that is me in another hobby where I am more deeply involved. For how amazing it is, I believe that when you dig so deep into something, you are getting further and further away from happiness, so when you finally find it, the feeling is remarkable. And I will continue to follow watches and go deeper into this. And I definitely plan on getting more watches in the future, like an Omega for my 30th birthday in 2030, maybe a Rolex at 40 or 50 if life turns out as I plan. But things change, opinions change, and until then, the BB54 is my one and done.
Great to hear more thoughts like this, well put
Liked the intro very much! Cool stuff. 😎
I agree with you about your negative points on BB54 like the writings on the dial and the snow flake hand but I still love my BB54 and have been wearing the most out of my collection for the moment. It is a well made watch with good quality parts at an affordable price.with a vintage twist
I never connected with the 54 either. With that said I did not own, but looking at one at the AD, it was the non matching colors from bezel to dial. It's a lovely watch, size, weight what it will do for you as a daily driver is wonderful, but... watch guys walk a funny path. While at the AD ultimately turning down a 54 to purchase, I looked at my wrist and was wearing my Seiko Samurai, and as it always does, I got that smile and another hit of, "yep your my watch " . Most guys would give a tickers' damn for a Samurai, but for me I connected with it. I do have a couple watches in my collection that when I wear them, I think of other watches I have, thinking they would be a better choice. So you are not mental, or thinking too hard or too much when it comes to the little things. You are on the right path, don't doubt yourself, you'll be fine.
Very interesting discussion. I would have liked to hear your thoughts on where the Seiko SJE sits now with the departure of the 54’. Text placement/ handset etc on that piece are historically correct I believe. Do you still love that as your 37mm piece in the collection?
I fully understand. What do you think about the Longines Spirit Zulu Time Limited Edition for Hodinkee?
Great discussion! I think what you realized here is what I’ve found with the BB58: they are too “perfect.” So while they do everything right and look great, they lack that something special that stands out or draws attention to it. The rest of your collection the way it is, I’d almost never have worn the BB54. Your collection has such cool pieces that must be constantly calling your name!
Oh! And great guitar playing 👌
I love your point about watches being “too perfect”. We seek perfection but if there isn’t an element of raunchy we get bored. It’s a vicious circle…lol
BB54 is made for bracelet only… it’s nice to wear loose like a bracelet