Some watches play it safe. The TUDOR Black Bay Chrono 39 “Bumblebee” is not one of them.
Unveiled as part of TUDOR’s Daring Watches collection — alongside its “Pink” and “Flamingo Blue” counterparts — the “Bumblebee” arrives in 2026 with a bright yellow and black dial that is as deliberate as it is distinctive. It is not trying to blend in. That, of course, is entirely the point.
But bold colour is only the opening line. Beneath the surface, TUDOR has quietly made this one of the most refined chronographs in the Black Bay family — slimmer, sharper, and powered by an in-house movement that exceeds the standards it is certified against.
A New Chapter for the Black Bay Chronograph
The original Black Bay Chrono established its credentials as a serious sports chronograph — fusing TUDOR’s dive watch heritage with more than five decades of chronograph history dating back to the 1970 Oysterdate, the brand’s first timing complication.
The Black Bay Chrono 39 reframes that formula. The case diameter has been reduced to 39mm, and the case thickness brought down to just 13.1mm — making this the most wearable Black Bay Chrono TUDOR has produced. Lug-to-lug measures 47mm, sitting naturally on a wide range of wrist sizes without sacrificing presence.
The architecture remains unmistakably Black Bay: satin-brushed and polished finishes, bevelled lugs, and the TUDOR shield-signed screw-down crown. What changes is the proportion — tighter, cleaner, and more suited to daily wear than its predecessor.
The Dial: Fifty Years in the Making
The “Bumblebee” dial is not a novelty exercise. It is a direct reference to TUDOR’s chronograph history.
TUDOR’s first chronograph — the 1970 Oysterdate — was characterised by bright colours, a 45-minute counter, and a date function at 6 o’clock. The “Bumblebee” reinterprets all three. The domed yellow dial is punctuated by two contrasting circular black sub-counters: the chronograph 45-minute counter at 3 o’clock, and small seconds at 9 o’clock. The date sits at 6 o’clock, exactly where it has always been.
The Snowflake hands — a TUDOR diver’s hallmark since 1969 — have been redesigned specifically for this watch to ensure legibility against the vivid yellow ground. The pushers at 2 and 4 o’clock feature a new knurling pattern, drawn from the second generation of TUDOR chronographs. Nothing here is arbitrary.
A fixed stainless steel bezel with a black anodised aluminium insert carries a tachymetric scale in silver — functional by design, racing-adjacent by spirit.
Manufacture Calibre MT5813: The Movement Behind the Colour
The Black Bay Chrono 39 “Bumblebee” is powered by the Manufacture Chronograph Calibre MT5813 — a column-wheel, vertical clutch movement developed in collaboration with Breitling’s Calibre B01, refined with TUDOR’s own high-precision regulating organ and exclusive finishing.
COSC-certified: regulated to TUDOR’s internal standard of −2/+4 sec/day — tighter than COSC’s permitted −4/+6
Power reserve: 70 hours — comfortably weekend-proof
Silicon balance spring: non-magnetic and stable across temperature variations
Frequency: 28,800 beats/hour (4 Hz)
Jewels: 41 jewels | Movement thickness: 7.23mm
The finishing matches TUDOR’s manufacture standard: an openworked tungsten monobloc rotor, satin-brushed with sand-blasted details, bridges with alternating polished and sand-blasted surfaces, and laser decorations on the mainplate.
The Bracelet: New Three-Link Construction
The Black Bay Chrono 39 arrives on a newly designed three-link stainless steel bracelet with smooth link sides — a departure from riveted variants on earlier models. The change gives the watch a cleaner, more contemporary silhouette suited to both the reduced case diameter and the brighter aesthetic.
The bracelet is fitted with TUDOR’s T-Fit rapid adjustment clasp — tool-free, five positions, 8mm adjustment window. Ceramic ball bearings in the clasp mechanism ensure a smooth, precise closure with every use.
Why It Matters
The Black Bay Chrono 39 “Bumblebee” is interesting not because it is yellow — though the colour is executed with rare confidence — but because of what it represents in TUDOR’s current trajectory.
TUDOR is tightening every dimension of the Black Bay family: slimmer cases, more precise movements, cleaner bracelets, and a willingness to take aesthetic positions that few brands at this price point would attempt. The “Bumblebee” is the most visible expression of that confidence in 2026.
For collectors already familiar with the Black Bay Chrono, the 39mm case and 13.1mm profile represent a meaningful upgrade in wearability. For those coming to the model for the first time, the “Bumblebee” is an unusually compelling entry point.
Technical Specifications
| Reference | 79310N |
| Case Diameter | 39mm |
| Case Thickness | 13.1mm |
| Lug-to-Lug | 47mm |
| Case Material | 316L stainless steel, polished and satin finishes |
| Bezel | Fixed, black anodised aluminium insert, tachymetric scale |
| Dial | Yellow, domed, with black sub-counters |
| Crystal | Domed sapphire crystal |
| Movement | Manufacture Calibre MT5813 |
| Certification | COSC (−2/+4 sec/day on assembled watch) |
| Power Reserve | ~70 hours |
| Water Resistance | 200m (660 ft) |
| Bracelet | Three-link stainless steel, T-Fit clasp |
| Guarantee | 5-year transferable, no registration required |
Experience the Black Bay Chrono 39 at Siam Swiss
As an authorized TUDOR retailer with over four decades of experience in luxury watch retail, Siam Swiss is pleased to present the Black Bay Chrono 39 “Bumblebee” at our TUDOR Boutiques in Siam Square and Mega Bangna.
We invite you to visit our Sales Advisors for a complimentary private viewing, or to explore the full TUDOR collection at siamswiss.co.th. Every TUDOR timepiece purchased through Siam Swiss is accompanied by the brand’s five-year transferable international guarantee — no registration or periodic maintenance checks required.
Visit Siam Swiss Tudor Boutiques
Siam Square TUDOR Boutique — 095-858-3847
Mega Bangna TUDOR Boutique — 080-046-4545
