Tudor’s Tacit Tradition of Steel Bezel Inserts

There’s something distinctive about the sterile look of a stainless steel dive watch with a matching stainless steel bezel insert. Aluminium is the traditional choice of metal for the bezel insert of a dive watch, offering ease of manufacture and printing. Modern watchmakers are increasingly turning to ceramic for scratch-resistance and premium feel, in the case of both Rolex, Omega, and many more brands. Tudor, however, stand out for their willingness to explore both ends of the spectrum, producing divers with aluminium and ceramic bezels, while occasionally turning to the utilitarian appeal of the stainless steel insert.

The stainless insert is a bit of a niche in the world of rugged tool watches, but has my heart nonetheless. To me, it evokes the clinical precision of surgical instruments, the brushed worktops of a professional kitchen, or the heavy-duty surfaces of industrial machinery and vats. It’s a distinctly sterile, industrial aesthetic; and that suits a dive watch perfectly, given that the dive watch represents the pinnacle of the tool watch genre. Of course, there are multiple reasons to use a stainless steel bezel over printed aluminium or ceramic, each with its own practical use case and visual appeal.

A dubious Rolex prototype which would inspire Tudor’s P01 (image credit: Antiquorum)

One watch that immediately comes to mind when I think of a stainless steel bezel insert is Tudor’s earliest modern reference to feature one: the Prince Date Submariner ref. 79190. It’s a quintessential dive watch, built with a 39mm Submariner-style case, an Oyster-style bracelet, and a classic black dial. Yet, it stands apart from its more famous sibling, the Rolex Submariner, thanks to its polished stainless steel insert, as opposed to a black one. On the second-hand market, many of these bezels show a fine patina of small scratches, quietly attesting to a life of regular, reliable use.

Tudor Prince Date Submariner ref. 79190 (image credit: Bulang & Sons)

Tudor revisited the stainless steel bezel in 2017 with the release of the Black Bay Steel, a variant of their standard 41mm Black Bay, now featuring an orbitally-brushed stainless steel bezel. The result is a bold, slab-sided diver with a uniform, monochrome aesthetic, thanks to the matching case and bezel material. It’s a subtle tweak that transforms the watch’s presence, giving it a more industrial and cohesive look.

Tudor Black Bay Steel (image credit: Tudor)

A few years later, Tudor reaffirmed the tool-watch aesthetic of the stainless steel insert with the release of the P01 - a modern reimagining of a 1968 Rolex bezel mechanism patent. Originally developed during a period of U.S. military experimentation, the patent aimed to prevent the bezel from being accidentally moved during active service, which could compromise the critical timing or GMT functionality. As a physical manifestation of that military-era design, the P01 is a tool watch with a capital “T”, and its radially-brushed stainless steel insert perfectly complements its unconventional, utilitarian appearance.

Tudor P01 and the a prototype who inspired it (image credit: HODINKEE)

The most recent addition to Tudor’s tradition of stainless steel bezel inserts arrived earlier this year with the Black Bay 54 “Lagoon Blue”. This unexpected release builds on the unisex appeal of the 37mm Black Bay 54, pairing a vibrant sky/ice blue dial with a polished steel bezel. It may be subtly marketed toward the women’s market, but I’d wear one in a heartbeat. The result is undeniably more blingy compared to the tool-focused models mentioned earlier, yet it still nods to the ref. 79190 in an if-you-know-you-know kind of way, which I love. The polished stainless steel bezel simplifies the overall look, allowing the dial to stand out in a way it otherwise wouldn’t.

Tudor Black Bay 54 Blue Lagoon (image credit: Tudor)

In championing the stainless steel bezel insert across several decades and designs, Tudor has managed to turn an overlooked detail into a subtle signature. It may not garner too much attention, but it speaks to a deeper appreciation of purpose-driven design for those who notice.