David Beckham Sports the Underdog of Luxury Watches

In his heyday, David Beckham was the most recognizable athlete on the planet. In his retirement, he…still might be the most recognizable athlete on the planet. The soccer legend seems to be everywhere — in commercials for brands like Stella Artois, Boss and Adidas, but also pitchside, soaking in the sights and sounds of sport. Or, rather, courtside.

The 51-year-old was spotted at a global sporting event on Monday, but not the one you’d expect. Instead of the ongoing stateside World Cup, the Brit was sighted at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London for the first day of Wimbledon.

In keeping with the sartorial atmosphere of the tournament — and his longstanding commitment to dressing up for the occasion — Beckham suited up in some smart, Savile Row-leaning tailoring for the day, a grey double-breasted jacket from Boss, paired with a latte-colored tie. True to his ambassadorial status, Beckham also strapped on a shining Tudor, an especially on-theme gilt-dial Black Bay 58.

Much like Beckham, Tudor’s Black Bay 58 needs little introduction. First released in 2018, the stainless steel icon — and the watchmaker’s flagship timepiece going on a decade — quickly won over the hearts and wrists of collectors with its 39mm case, semi-affordable price tag and gilt-dial finish.

The Black Bay in question isn’t just any old reference, though. (It is David Beckham, after all.) The model is actually the newly rebooted version of the Black Bay 58, which launched earlier this year and is already making waves as a promising contender for watch of the year.

Slimmer than the original version — Tudor managed to chop the width down from 11.9mm to 11.7mm, an impressive feat for a hulking dive watch — and refreshed with the METAS Master Chronometer-certified MT5400-U automatic movement and an overhauled, screw-down crown, the new Black Bay 58 offers a refined experience, enhanced by slimmed-down hands and a matte dial finish.

In essence, the perfect watch for a buttoned-up affair like Wimbledon.

Meet your guide

Paolo Sandoval

Paolo Sandoval is Style Editor at InsideHook, having previously contributed to Valet Mag. An expert when it comes to vintage denim, soccer kits and tailoring, Paolo reports on style, grooming, wellness, menswear trends, celebrity, media and other pursuits tangential to looking and feeling like a million bucks, and is the voice behind the InsideHook fashion newsletter, The Stitch. You can reach him at [email protected].

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