Tudor Black Bay 58 · Reference 79030N
Tudor Black Bay 58 79030N
Known as Black Bay 58, BB58
The 79030N is the watch that fixed the one complaint people had about the Black Bay: size. When Tudor launched the original Black Bay in 41mm, it wore big, and a lot of collectors with 6.5 to 7 inch wrists wanted the dive-watch look without the dive-watch heft. In 2018 Tudor answered with the Black Bay Fifty-Eight, a 39mm case named for 1958, the year Tudor's first 200m diver, the reference 7924 Big Crown, appeared. The 79030N is the founding member of that line: black domed dial, gilt (gold-toned) print and indices, matching gilt Snowflake handset, and a black aluminum bezel insert with a gilt triangle. It is the reference that pulled a whole generation of buyers into Tudor, and it remains the one most people picture when they hear "BB58." We buy and sell this watch nearly every week at the counter on 47th Street, so we know exactly how it wears, how it holds value, and what a clean one is worth.
Produced: Introduced at Baselworld 2018, in stores from mid-2018. Superseded in the current Tudor lineup by the updated Black Bay 58 generation with the T-fit adjustable clasp, so the 79030N is now a discontinued reference that trades exclusively on the pre-owned market.
Specifications
- Reference
- 79030N (full modern reference M79030N, sub-references M79030N-0001 steel bracelet, M79030N-0002 brown leather strap, M79030N-0003 black fabric strap with gilt center band)
- Case Material
- Stainless steel, satin brushed and polished
- Case Diameter
- 39mm
- Case Thickness
- 11.9mm
- Lug Width
- 20mm
- Crystal
- Domed sapphire
- Bezel
- Unidirectional rotating dive bezel, black anodized aluminum insert with gilt 60-minute scale and triangle
- Dial
- Matte black domed dial, gilt printing and applied indices, gilt Snowflake handset, Tudor rose logo
- Crown
- Screw-down, satin-brushed steel, Tudor rose engraved
- Water Resistance
- 200 meters (660 feet)
- Movement
- Tudor manufacture calibre MT5402, automatic
- Movement Specs
- COSC-certified chronometer, bidirectional self-winding rotor, silicon balance spring, 27 jewels, 4Hz (28,800 vph)
- Power Reserve
- Approximately 70 hours
- Bracelet
- Three-link steel bracelet with polished center links (M79030N-0001), also offered on brown aged leather or black fabric strap with a gilt center stripe woven on 19th-century French Jacquard looms
- Clasp
- Folding steel clasp with safety catch (no on-the-fly micro-adjust on this generation)
Market & Value
This is one of the most liquid steel sports watches under four thousand dollars, and the numbers show it. Pre-owned 79030N examples with box and papers generally trade in roughly the $2,800 to $4,000 range depending on condition, sub-reference, and how complete the set is, with WatchCharts data through mid-2026 putting the median a touch under $2,900. Original UK launch price was around GBP 2,600, and steel-bracelet examples still list new-old-stock north of $3,800 at some dealers. The market has cooled off its speculative 2021 to 2022 peak: prices are down roughly 20% over five years, but up close to 8% over the last twelve months, which tells you the correction is over and buyers are back. What we watch on the buy side is completeness and condition. A full set (box, warranty card, all links, hang tags) on the M79030N-0001 steel bracelet is the easiest to move and commands the strongest number. Strap-only versions (0002 leather, 0003 fabric) run a little softer because most buyers want the bracelet. Median time to sell sits around two weeks, which is fast, so a clean one is close to cash.
What to Know Before You Buy
Three things separate a strong 79030N from a weak one. First, generation: the 79030N is the folding-clasp era, before Tudor added the T-fit micro-adjust clasp to the newer BB58. If someone is quoting you a 79030N price on a watch with the adjustable clasp, it is the newer reference, not this one. Second, the gilt dial: the gold-toned print and Snowflake hands are what make this a Black Bay Fifty-Eight and not the blue or bronze variants. Check that the lume plots are even and the dial print is crisp; these are matte gilt dials and they photograph beautifully but should be inspected in person. Third, the movement: the MT5402 is COSC-certified with a 70-hour power reserve, so it should run to chronometer spec. On the wrist the 39mm case, 11.9mm thickness, and 20mm lugs make this the sweet-spot Black Bay for most wrists, and the 20mm lug width opens up the entire aftermarket strap world. Common wear points to check: bezel action should be firm and unidirectional with no backplay, the crown should thread cleanly, and the polished center links on the bracelet scratch easily, so light swirls there are normal and not a red flag. Because so many were sold, condition and completeness are what drive price, not rarity.
Tudor Tudor Black Bay 58 Guide: 79030N Specs, MT5402, Prices | Ultimate Watch Encyclopedia
Read the full guide →Buying or selling a Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight 79030N?
Ultimate Watch buys and sells the Black Bay Fifty-Eight 79030N every week at our counter at 19 West 47th Street in New York. We have handled this reference in every configuration: the 0001 on the steel bracelet, the 0002 on brown leather, and the 0003 on the gilt-striped fabric strap. If you own one, bring it in or send us photos of the watch, the caseback, and your box and papers, and we will make you a real cash offer the same day, no chart-quoting, no runaround. If you are buying, we vet every 79030N in person for authenticity, movement accuracy, and condition before it goes in the case, and we can source specific sub-references on request. Call us, stop by 47th Street, or request an offer online to get started.