This is an edition of the newsletter Box + Papers, Cam Wolf’s weekly deep dive into the world of watches. Sign up here.
One of the best perks of my job is the chance to test drive some of the watch world’s hottest new releases. Whenever I strap on one of these collector-approved grails, I always assume I’m about to be flooded with compliments. As it turns out, unless you care a lot about case sizes, movement upgrades, or archival inspirations, most of these timepieces are too understated to attract attention from strangers. Oh well. That changed this summer, however, when I got to spend an extended amount of time wearing one of Tudor’s biggest releases of 2025: the Black Bay Chrono in “Flamingo Blue.”
With the new BB Chrono on my wrist, suddenly I was like a boy band member at a meet-and-greet—people fawned and ogled and applauded. Finally! Everyone—from the barista at my local coffee shop to my watch-pilled buddies who actually own, rather than borrow, far more expensive pieces—was entranced by the Tudor’s showstopping blue dial.
Did I feel like I was using a cheat code? Sure. This particular Tiffany-inspired shade of turquoise is like the truffle oil of the watch world—spritzing it on anything is going to give it the appearance of something rich and luxurious. The Black Bay Chrono’s dial smacks you over the head, making it far easier to notice when you’re pouring a cappuccino. There are only so many people who will actually care or notice that your Omega Speedmaster has a dot over the “90” on its bezel. The Black Bay Chrono’s lack of subtlety makes it a tractor beam for attention.
So other people liked it—what about the guy wearing it? Truthfully, it’s hard to fathom a better wrist companion for the early days of summer. The watch’s blue dial imbued every one of my outfits with a fun-loving summer feel. (Arguably, it’s the most important season to have a watch like this because the heat makes wearing much beyond shorts, tee, and timepiece unbearable.)
