I tested every new Tudor at Watches and Wonders 2026 – my favourite isn't what you'd think

It's not often you get to celebrate a 100th birthday for anything, but that's exactly what Tudor did at Watches and Wonders 2026. The brand had a big milestone to honour, and did so with a range of new models and updates to its existing favourites.

I got hands on with everything the brand had to offer, including the all-new Tudor Monarch. But for me, the real star of the show lurked deeper in the catalogue – let's dive in and take a closer look.

Tudor Black Bay

While far from the largest upgrades in the 2026 collection, all three of the Black Bay 58, Black Bay 58 GMT and Black Bay 54 models received gentle updates this time out. For the two 58 models, that revolved around the addition of a five-link bracelet, which both looks and feels lovely, especially with the T-Fit clasp.

The Black Bay 54 saw a little more change, with a new blue hue. This is much more vibrant than other blue Tudor models, like the Pelagos. It's great in low light – such as Tudor's Watches and Wonders viewing booth – though some of the images I've seen in the light look more blinding.

Still, it's a decent enough start for the brand's signature model family.

Tudor Royal

The brand's most dressy range was given a well-needed boost this year, with a subtle overhaul which pulled it out of obscurity. Indeed, while the Tudor Royal has always looked like an attractive option, this revision ensures it should be top of most people's list.

Complete with a day indicator at 12 o'clock on the 40mm model, this feels like a proper budget-conscious alternative to pieces like the Rolex Day-Date. You'll also find a COSC-Certified movement inside, 100m of water resistance and around 70 hours of power reserve.

On the wrist, these pieces wear nicely. The curved case ends still look very unique, but it's not as pronounced as you might expect. Dial proportions are great for most people – I can see a new lease of popularity for this one.

Tudor Monarch

Up next is the real gem – the Tudor Monarch. This is the one which feels most closely tied to the 100th anniversary, with a classic look which is really well designed.

The dark-champagne coloured dial is inspired by ancient Egyptian papyrus, and looks worn-in and aged, while the 'error-proof' dial fuses Roman and Arabic numerals on differing halves of the dial. All of that sits inside an angular case, complete with a bracelet with an almost integrated appearance.

On the wrist, this one wears like a dream thanks to the 39mm case diameter and modest 11.9mm height. It really does wear like a vintage watch, albeit with the presence one might associate with something more modern. Either way, it deserves to be celebrated.

What's more exciting is that the team on the booth told me the plan is for the Monarch to be a full range in the brand's collection, meaning we should see more from this in the future. That is one heck of a tantalising prospect.

Tudor Black Bay Ceramic

Last, but not least, comes my favourite model from the 2026 Tudor catalogue. And I'll be honest, this one caught me by surprise.

Prior to seeing it in the flesh, I felt very flat about this particular piece. After all, ceramic is much more commonly used than it once was, as is the blacked-out design language employed here.

Fortunately, the images really don't do this justice. In person, the stealthy, all-black design is much more legible than the pictures online would suggest. It was described by one of the Tudor employees on the booth as "more fifty shades of grey than Batman," and I think it's an excellent summation.

More than just the legibility, though, I couldn't help but feel this model was really well thought-out. It would have been very easy for the brand to throw a T-Fit clasp on the bracelet and call it a day, but the use of a bi-folding butterfly clasp maintains the lines of the bracelet in a more pleasing way.

There's no denying it's a costly piece, either – £6,030 (approx. €6,950 / US$8,150 / AU$11,375) isn't cheap! – but I think it's worth it.