Watch reference library
Tudor Black Bay 79230N
In production 2016 to present.
Specifications
- Case size
- 41mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Bezel
- Unidirectional rotating, matte black aluminum insert with a red accent at 12 o'clock
- Dial
- Black, with rose-gold-toned hands and hour markers
- Movement
- Tudor manufacture caliber MT5602, automatic, COSC-certified
- Power reserve
- About 70 hours
- Water resistance
- 200 meters
- Crystal
- Domed sapphire
- Bracelet
- Steel, riveted-style links, or leather/fabric strap options
The story
The Black Bay line began in 2012 with the ref. 79220, a 41mm steel dive watch built around an ETA 2824 movement and offered with blue, black, or burgundy bezel inserts. At Baselworld in 2016, Tudor retired the 79220 family and replaced it with the ref. 79230 series, which kept the same case size and overall look but introduced Tudor's first in-house automatic movement, the caliber MT5602. The 79230N is the black-bezel version within that 2016 update, sold alongside the burgundy-bezel 79230R and the blue-bezel 79230B. Beyond the movement change, the 2016 generation also brought a reworked steel bracelet inspired by Tudor's riveted bracelets from the 1950s and 1960s. The 79230N remains part of Tudor's Black Bay 41mm lineup, sitting alongside newer additions to the collection such as the smaller Black Bay Fifty-Eight and the Black Bay GMT, both of which share the same manufacture movement family that debuted with this reference.
What to check before you buy
Buyers should not confuse the in-house 79230N with the earlier ETA-powered 79220N, since the two look similar at a glance but differ in movement, bracelet design, and caseback engraving; checking the reference number on the case is the reliable way to tell them apart. The domed sapphire crystal and gilt-toned hands and markers are specific to the N version, so a mismatch between a black bezel and silver-toned hands suggests parts have been swapped from another Black Bay variant. Tudor's MT5602 is COSC-certified and generally considered robust, but buyers should still ask for service history.
Buying or selling a 79230N?
Moda is always buying. Text photos to (605) 521-2821 for a fast offer, or start on the Moda Watches page. For any deal with a stranger, Moda's middleman service inspects the watch before money changes hands.
Common questions
What movement does the Tudor Black Bay 79230N use?
It uses Tudor's manufacture Caliber MT5602, a self-winding, COSC-certified movement with about 70 hours of power reserve, introduced with this reference in 2016.
How is the 79230N different from the earlier 79220N?
The 79220N used an ETA 2824 movement, while the 79230N introduced Tudor's own in-house MT5602 caliber along with a redesigned steel bracelet.
What does the N in 79230N mean?
The letter denotes the bezel and dial color combination within the Black Bay family; N corresponds to the black bezel version.
Is the Black Bay 79230N a dive watch?
Yes, it is rated to 200 meters of water resistance and has a unidirectional rotating dive bezel, though many owners wear it as a daily watch rather than for diving.
Does the 79230N come on a bracelet or a strap?
It is offered on Tudor's riveted-style steel bracelet as well as leather and fabric strap options, depending on the specific configuration purchased.