Tudor Black Bay 36 — Three Years of Daily Wear

Not a first-week review. This is what happens after 1,000+ days on the wrist.

Most watch reviews are written after a few days. This one was written after three years of wearing the Tudor Black Bay 36 every day — through swimming, cycling, sleeping, and everything in between. Every scratch earned.

The Tudor Black Bay 36 is a 36mm steel watch with a black dial. It's small by modern standards — and that's exactly why it works. After three years, the case has earned its scratches. The bracelet has developed a patina. The movement keeps time within seconds per day.

What three years teach you that three days can't: the 36mm size disappears on the wrist. You forget you're wearing it — under a wetsuit, under a jacket, in bed. A larger watch would announce itself. This one just tells time.

The self-winding movement never needed servicing. The screw-down crown kept water out during hundreds of swims. The only maintenance: occasional strap changes and a wipe with a cloth.

From Willem's broader collection of watch and horology writing.