Introducing Tudor Releases A Limited Black Bay 58 For Football Team Inter Milan's 20th Title, And You Can Buy It

Sometimes, in football (soccer for us yanks), the season is over before all the games are played. In April, Italian soccer league Serie A team Inter Milan pulled off that feat and – with five matches still to be played at that point – became Italian Champions with a commanding season performance. Not only that, but it was their 20th title, and in Italy, for every 10 titles won, you get to put a star on your jersey. This time, Inter Milan isn't just celebrating with a star on the jersey but a limited edition Black Bay 58 with two stars as well.

The new Inter Milan Black Bay 58 is, for most specifications, like most other steel Black Bay 58s, with a bezel similar to the original model. The dial, however, is much more bold. It features a blue ombré finish with a gilt Inter Milan logo and two stars – one for every ten titles. The watch follows in the footsteps of other sports-related collaborations from Tudor in the past few months and years, with Visa Cash App RB Formula 1 watches, a chronograph for the Swiss National Championship hockey team, and even a black ceramic Black Bay with the Alinghi Red Bull logo on the dial. But while those watches aren't publicly available, fans of Inter Milan (or just this specific aesthetic) can pick up the watch – that is, as long as you can get to Italy in time. The watch is limited to 1908 pieces (for the year of the club's founding) and available at the Tudor Boutiques in Milan, Rome, and every other Tudor retailer in Italy. If you're not in Italy, this limited edition can be special ordered via any Tudor retailer worldwide (while supplies last). The price in US dollars is $4,250. 

Tudor has certainly been on a sports tear lately, and with it, it seems like they're having a lot of fun opening up to a new design freedom that comes with it. If you had told me a year or two ago that Tudor would release a pink-dialed chronograph (that one also a tie-in with a soccer team, Inter Miami), a blue "Stella"-style dial in a black case, and a black carbon FXD chronograph, I would have called you crazy. But they keep cranking them out, and this may be my favorite sports-themed Tudor yet.

Italy has been a strong market for Tudor over the years, so it makes sense to bring a collaboration there as a tribute, and a kind of thank you to the fans. That said, football fans – Italian or otherwise – have strong allegiances. The handful of Italian collectors I reached out to were actually fans of different clubs, so they weren't necessarily keen on rocking an Inter watch but at least one was going to buy it just for the sake of having something Italian. I don't have a dog in the fight one way or the other between Inter, AC, Juventus, Bologna, or the rest. But I have to say, the blue ombré dial paired with the gilt writing (toned down from the bright yellow often used for their logo) is a great combination. It's also maybe the most creative approach to a dial of all past releases. 

I've been musing to myself privately for the last few months if we're going to see Tudor pull further away from heritage-specific releases. The FXD chronographs and Daniel Ricciardo's blue-dialed ceramic watch seem to represent a second, more modern group of watches than what we've gotten used to over the past few years – one that could be a new direction for the brand. I think this Black Bay 58 shows they can still have fun with something heritage-minded without keeping it too stuffy. But the best part? Giving passionate fans a chance to order one.

Brand: Tudor
Model: Black Bay 58 "Inter Milan"
Reference Number: M79030N-0025

Diameter: 39mm
Thickness: 11.9mm
Case Material: Stainless steel
Dial Color: Blue ombré
Indexes: Applied
Lume: Yes, with a cream hue
Water Resistance: 200m
Strap/Bracelet: Stainless steel bracelet or black and blue NATO

Caliber: MT5402
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds
Power Reserve: 70 hours
Winding: Automatic
Chronometer Certified: COSC
Additional Details: Engraved and numbered caseback

Price: $4,250
Availability: Now, in-store at various Italian locations or as a special order model via Tudor retailers.
Limited Edition: Yes, 1908 pieces

For more, click here.