The matte black dial characterizes a vintage-style chapter ring, while the bezel insert is meaningless anodized aluminum. While this could be considered a notch below Rolex's Cerachrom, only the aluminum will fade and develop a charming patina with age, giving the Black Bay a hint of backstory. Here, the colors are slightly understated, with Tudor taking the red and blue hues from its diver's collection and combining them on the watch's 24-hour bezel. It's still an aluminum Pepsi bezel, but it's a softer version than what you'll see on the older replica Rolex Pepsi GMT watches.
For all its aesthetic merits, the movement is probably the most impressive element. Not because of its functionality, but because of the fact that it is an internal mechanism. In the past, the main reason why a Tudor watch was so much less expensive was that it used a third-party movement. Not having to spend money on expensive R&D to build its own engine was a huge cost-cutter, but since Tudor returned in 2009, it has been on a mission to develop an in-house movement.
It is a typically reliable and precise workhorse, and it even has an anti-magnetic silicon balance spring. This development of an in-house movement has largely brought Tudor out of the shadow of fake Rolex, and the brand is now no longer seen as just a more affordable option. Actually, the Pepsi GMT watches from Rolex and Tudor are now virtually indistinguishable in every way - except for the price.
The difference in quality between the two is completely disproportionate to the difference in price, and it shows. The Tudor is a great replica watch, beautifully made and steeped in enough period detail to satisfy the most ardent purist. Moreover, the final piece of the puzzle, the domestic movement, is present and correct. Best of all, you can buy a Tudor Black Bay GMT for about the same price as the normal retail price.
However, Rolex is the real icon, the one that everyone wants - not only now, but in the future. This means that if you decide to sell it at any point in the future, it will retain its value much better. On top of that, it has advantages in terms of technology and brand image. At the end of the day, it's a matter of personal taste. But in the age-old debate between Rolex and Tudor, the gap has never been smaller.