Tudor Heritage Black Bay Black 79220N 'Smiley'

The Tudor Heritage Black Bay Black Ref. 79220N “Smiley” is one of the most collectible early Black Bay references, distinguished by its extremely short production period and vintage-inspired details. Introduced in late 2015 and replaced when Tudor transitioned the Black Bay to its manufacture movement in 2016, the black-bezel 79220N was produced for only around six months, making it considerably less common than the earlier red and blue ETA-powered versions. Its 41mm stainless steel case surrounds a matte black dial with gilt printing, Tudor’s historic Rose logo at 12 o’clock, Snowflake hands, and the distinctive curved “SELF-WINDING” text at 6 o’clock that gives the watch its “Smiley” nickname. A black aluminum unidirectional bezel with a red triangle at 12, domed sapphire crystal, oversized screw-down crown, and 200 meters of water resistance complete a design heavily influenced by Tudor’s historic Submariners.

Inside is the Tudor-modified ETA 2824 automatic movement, a 25-jewel workhorse operating at 28,800 vibrations per hour and providing approximately 38 hours of power reserve. The ETA movement is an important part of the 79220N’s appeal, as the following 79230N introduced Tudor’s manufacture caliber along with a redesigned dial featuring the Shield logo and straight lines of text in place of the Rose and characteristic “Smiley.” This makes the 79220N a fascinating transitional reference: it combines the vintage-inspired aesthetics and slimmer profile of the original Black Bay generation with the rare black bezel configuration that appeared immediately before Tudor entered its modern manufacture-movement era. Its short production run, Rose dial, gilt detailing, aluminum bezel, and ETA movement have made the Black Bay Black 79220N “Smiley” one of the standout collector references from Tudor’s modern revival.

Reference: 79220N

Dated: 2016

Bracelet: Stainless Steel Bracelet and Tudor Nylon Strap

Case: 41mm - Stainless Steel

Lug Width: 22mm

Movement: ETA 2824 - Automatic

Functions: HMS

Box and Papers: Inner/outer boxes, and warranty card

Crystal: Sapphire

Bracelet size: 7.65”

Case has minimal light wear. Bracelet has no wear with stickers. Dial, hands, and crystal have no wear. Running within spec.