British superspy James Bond may wear Omega watches in the films, but real-life bodyguards for the British Royal family are more likely to wear Tudor watches, apparently. Well, maybe not all of them, but at least 75 members of the Royalty and Specialist Protection Unit (RaSP) were issued special edition Tudor Black Bay watches, complete with the RaSP unit rose insignia on the dial and an engraving on the caseback. It seems a fitting choice given that the Tudor name is taken from the famous royal family, and the watchmaker has also been known to use the Tudor rose (sometimes called the Union rose) on its watches.
Keep on reading to learn all the details about this special edition Tudor Black Bay Royalty and Specialist Protection watch, limited to only 75 pieces.
Tudor Black Bay Royalty and Specialist Protection
Black Bay RaSP Features:
- Year of Production: 2018
- Reference Number: 79220
- Case Size: 41mm
- Materials: Stainless Steel
- Functions: Time w/ Running Seconds, 60-Minute Rotating Timing Bezel
- Dial: Black w/ Luminous Hour Markers
- Hands: Snowflake Style, Luminous
- Luminous Material: Super-LumiNova
- Bezel: Unidirectional, Black Aluminum Insert w/ 60-Minute Scale
- Crystal: Sapphire (Domed)
- Movement: Caliber 2824 Self-Winding
- Water Resistance: 200 Meters / 660 Feet
- Strap/Bracelet: Black strap
- Special Features: Dial with the insignia of the RaSP Unit; caseback engraved with “Royalty Specialist Protection”; Limited to 75 pieces
Click here to read our full Tudor Black Bay ultimate buying guide.
About Special Order Tudor Watches
Tudor’s famous sibling, Rolex, has had a long history of making special order dials for corporate clients, jewelers, royal families, military forces, and government branches. Some famous examples include Rolex Domino’s watches, Rolex Tiffany & Co. watches, Rolex Khanjar watches for the Sultan of Oman, Rolex watches for the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, and many others. Rolex used to advertise this part of the business quite actively, which is probably why for certain generations, a gold Rolex watch stamped with your company’s logo was the iconic retirement gift.
While Rolex doesn’t actively make or advertise these special-order dials anymore, it seems Tudor has gladly taken over the opportunity. We’ve spotted some pretty cool collaborative and custom-made Tudor watches in recent years including the Ed Sheeran Divided Tour edition, the Harrod’s edition, the Undefeated edition (worn by John Mayer), and the Air France edition.
And now, we’ll add this awesome bespoke Tudor watch made for the Royalty and Specialist Protection unit to the list.
Royalty and Specialist Protection Unit
Established in 2015, the Royalty and Specialist Protection unit is a branch of the London Metropolitan Police Service that serves to protect royalty and government officials. Their services include providing armed bodyguards for members of the British Royal Family, Ministerial VIPs – including the Prime Minister – and heads of state and foreign dignitaries visiting the United Kingdom.
Think of them as the British equivalent of the American Secret Service. King Charles and other high-profile members of The Firm are always escorted by protection officers from the RaSP.
Aside from assigning bodyguards to protect people, the unit is also in charge of deploying armed security to London Palaces, Windsor Castle, and various Scottish royal residences. In short, the RaSP is one of the most prestigious and highly skilled police teams in the U.K.
Black Bay for the RaSP
In 2008, Tudor created special Black Bay watches for the RaSP. According to avid Tudor collector and scholar, Ross Povey, the project was organized and delivered by Watches of Switzerland, in Regent Street, London.
This particular model is the Black Bay ref. 79220, which is part of the first generation of the Heritage Black Bay diver that debuted in 2012 and took the watch world by storm. The watch features a 41mm steel case topped with a unidirectional rotating bezel in blue. The blue aluminum insert is marked to 60 minutes for divers to keep track of immersion times. What’s more, since the ref. 79220 draws inspiration from the vintage Tudor Oyster Prince Submariner ref. 7922, the watch also boasts an oversized winding crown.
While a regular production Black Bay Heritage 79220 houses a dial that’s marked with the so-called “Smiley” text above six o’clock (characterized by the “ROTOR” and upward-turning “SELF-WINDING” inscriptions), this special edition RaSP is a little different. Replacing that text is the unit’s insignia, comprised of the Tudor rose (the traditional floral heraldic emblem of England, not the watchmaker’s emblem) topped with a crown.
Apparently, the unofficial saying of the special police unit is “The Shield that protects the Crown,” which is added fun for watch folks since the shield is Tudor’s (the watchmaker) logo and the crown is Rolex’s.
Aside from the RaSP logo, all the other dial elements remain standard, which is to say luminous angular Snowflake hands and luminous geometric-shaped hour markers. Protecting the dial is a sapphire crystal, which leans into its vintage watch inspiration thanks to its domed shape.
Powering the Black Bay 79220 is the ETA 2824 self-winding movement with a 42-hour power reserve.
The solid caseback of this Black Bay watch is engraved with the “ROYALTY & SPECIALIST PROTECTION” inscription, as well as the watch’s individual number (out of 75). The RaSP ordered 75 of these special edition Tudor Black Bays to issue to its members.
It’s rare to see one of these custom Tudors for the RaSP out in the wild and even rarer to have the opportunity to buy one. Like we always say, it’s the stories behind the watches that make them extra special – and this one has a unique tale to tell.
