What’s the difference between the Tudor Black Bay 58 and the Tudor Black Bay 54?

The first and most obvious difference to highlighting is the size which is given away by the names of them both. With the BB58 being a 39mm watch, the BB54 has a case diameter of 37mm. From a distance both watches look the same but, on the wrist and in your hand the 2mm difference is more noticeable. If you take a closer look at the dial you will notice one very subtle detail on the second hand. The BB58 features Tudor’s classic square towards the end of the seconds hand to pair nicely with the snowflake hour hand. However, on the Tudor BB54, it has a circular marker towards the end of the second hand, a small but subtle difference. 

Another difference you can spot by carefully looking at the watch would be on the bezel itself. The BB58 has the world famous 15 seconds each grooved into the bezel and a red triangle at the twelve o’clock position, by comparison the BB54 doesn’t. This can almost make the BB54 appear less busy and more minimalist due to its simplicity in design. However, both do feature a divers rotating bezel so there would be no issues in terms of practical use between the two of them.

Perhaps the most noticeable difference, especially when wearing them on the wrist, is the clasp. The BB58 has the classic shield stamped clasp with a clam-style second locking mechanism for added security. The clasp also has 3 micro pin holes so you can make finer adjustments but you would have to do this using a watch tool. The BB54 features Tudor's much loved glidelock clasp, one that is very similar to its cousin, the Rolex Submariner glidelock. But that's no bad thing either, Tudor’s glidelock offers 7 mm of on-the-go adjustment and it gives the BB54 a slightly more refined look with the smooth polished flanks instead of a few micro adjustment holes.

Looking at the internals, whilst not visible to anyone holding the watch without removing their case backs, the BB54 has arguably the better movement. The BB54 shares the exact same movement as the Tudor Pelagos 39mm, the MT5400 which is Tudor’s extreme tool watch line, so the BB54 definitely has a movement that can cope with any sporting activity. That said, the difference between its movement and that of the movement in the BB58, the MT5402, is very similar and you will never notice the differences. Related to the movement, in a small way, the crown on the BB54 sits much closer to the case of the watch, making it less likely to dig into your wrist. This has almost never been reported as an issue for the BB58 but on the other hand, because it sits further out in the BB58, you can argue it is more practical as it is easier to use compared to the smaller and closer sitting crown on the BB54.

Just like before, be careful not to overwind your manual Omega because it is possible to overwind these models and this would actually break the spring which would mean your watch no longer has a power source. With manual Omega watches it’s just like putting fuel in your car at the gas station, you feel a click to let you know it’s full, the same goes for your Omega. You should be able to feel a small click as you’re winding it and this click lets you know the power reserve is full so you should stop winding.  

The final difference is the amount of choice you have when looking at the model. The Tudor BB58 has quite a few options, you can have it in steel, bronze, silver and gold with black, blue and green dial available. The BB54 has only one option as of the beginning of 2024 but who knows what Tudor has got planned for that range over time. One thing is for sure though, you never have to worry about strap options when looking at the two ranges, because ZEALANDE offers their new 2.0 rubber strap for both the BB58 and 54. So, you can get the perfect sporty look and performance out of your Tudor with a high-quality rubber strap designed to fit your watch perfectly.