In 2013, Tudor unveiled a matt black monobloc ceramic case through its Fastrider Black Shield chronograph and in that moment, just as the Daytona came to be emblematic of brother Rolex’s sportive chronograph collection, the Fastrider Black Shield represented Tudor’s cross-disciplinary approach to design, bridging high octane motorsports with its own increasingly unique brand of watchmaking.

Taking that growing expertise in high tech ceramics, Tudor has offered its first Black Bay model in ceramic for Only Watch 2019. Indeed, the legacy of collaborative projects pioneered since the debut of Tudor’s professional diving watches supplied to some of the world’s most renowned military navies, eventually extended to Ducati and now, the progress of an ever growing body of Tudor’s watchmaking know how has been applied for the first time to a Tudor Black Bay Ceramic One Only Watch edition.

Tudor Only Watch 2019 Black Bay Ceramic One

Granted, though the Tudor Black Bay Ceramic One is a single edition produced specifically for the Only Watch auction in support of research for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the model teases to the wider potential hinted at by another all black, non-ceramic edition of the brand’s most popular diving watch – the Tudor Heritage Black Bay Dark.

For a few years, unauthorised “bootleg” editions of Submariner diving watches were a point of constant consternation for both Tudor and brother, Rolex. The Heritage Black Bay Dark hinted to the potential of an official all black diving watch with great panache thanks to its white and red marker accents contrasted with its 41 mm wide steel case, finished with a black PVD-treated (Physical Vapour Deposition) coating. However, the general understanding was that over time, the black PVD would wear down through scratches and dings, showing the silvery glint of steel beneath, leading some to wonder if Tudor would ever produce a Black Bay in ceramic since the brand already possessed the knowhow from their Fastrider collection.

For Only Watch 2019, the Tudor Black Bay Ceramic One is an answer, albeit, a unique one to that question. Keeping true to its heritage of both technical and aesthetic innovation, the Black Bay Ceramic One is a unique 41mm diving watching with matte black ceramic mid-case, black PVD finished titanium bezel and black PVD stainless steel caseback with a sapphire window, showcasing the Manufacture Calibre MT5602, complete with black PVD-coated rotor.

Tudor’s 2019 Only Watch eschews even contrast markers and boasts a daring new all-black look, including dial and hands that are filled with black luminescent material and then accompanied with its matching hybrid rubber and matte alligator strap. Fingers crossed that they make a variation of this a serial production model.

Tudor Black Bay Ceramic One Price and Specs

Movement Automatic Manufacture Calibre MT5602 with 70 hours power reserve
Case 41mm monobloc ceramic case with 200 metres water resistance
Strap Hybrid black alligator leather and rubber strap
Price Estimate USD  4,500 – 5,500

This article was originally published on www.luxuo.com.