The Best Straps for the Tudor Black Bay 54

At a Glance

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Tudor has made a lot of great watches over the decades, but the Black Bay 54 might be the most emotionally resonant thing they've ever produced. It's a love letter to the original 1954 Tudor Submariner ref. 7922 — the one that started it all — but executed with modern materials and a movement that puts plenty of Swiss watches twice the price to shame. At 37mm in stainless steel with that domed sapphire crystal, gilt dial, and snowflake hands, the BB54 (ref. M79000N-0001) has the kind of wrist presence that modern 41mm dive watches can only dream about.

Here's the thing about 37mm: it's not small. It's right. The Black Bay 54 wears bigger than its case diameter suggests, thanks to the relatively short lugs and the visual weight of the rotating bezel. But it also slips under a shirt cuff the way a 42mm diver never could. That combination — genuine dive-watch DNA in a size that doubles as a dress watch — is what makes strap pairing so rewarding on this piece. Strip away the steel bracelet and the BB54 transforms into something else entirely.

I've spent months testing straps on the BB54, and the 20mm lug width opens the door to a massive selection. But this watch has a personality that not every strap suits — it needs something that respects the vintage heritage without making it look like a costume. The gilt accents, the warm dial tone, the domed crystal — these details reward thoughtful strap choices. Here are my 8 picks, and why each one works.

Quick Specs

The 20mm lug width is one of the most common sizes in the watch world, so your options are wide open. At 11.2mm thick, the BB54 has real presence without being chunky — it sits well with both slim leather straps and slightly thicker rubber options. The 200m water resistance means this is a genuine tool watch, and the COSC-certified MT5400 movement with a 70-hour power reserve is serious horological hardware for the money.

Already know what you're looking for? Browse all Black Bay-compatible straps on the Strap Finder →

Best Overall — Black CTS Rubber (BB54-Specific)

If you're buying one strap for your Black Bay 54, this is it — and there's a reason it's not just any rubber strap.

The Black CTS Rubber for Tudor BB54 is designed specifically for this watch. Unlike generic CTS Rubber straps that use a straight-cut end, this version is molded to follow the exact contour of the BB54's case shape — the curved endpiece hugs the lugs and creates a seamless transition from case to strap that looks factory-intentional. It's the closest thing to an integrated rubber strap you can get on the BB54 without Tudor making one themselves.

The rubber itself is FKM fluoroelastomer — the same compound used in automotive and aerospace seals. It resists UV aging, chemicals, and temperature extremes. Unlike silicone, FKM doesn't attract dust or lint, so it stays looking clean. CTS stands for "Cut-To-Size" — you trim the strap to your exact wrist measurement, eliminating the excess tail and strap keepers entirely. The result is a clean, integrated look with no loose ends. It ships with a custom deployant clasp featuring micro-adjustment positions, so you can dial in the fit as your wrist expands and contracts throughout the day.

On the BB54, black rubber makes perfect sense. This is a dive watch at heart — 200m water resistance, rotating bezel, the whole package. The black CTS Rubber leans into that tool-watch identity while the BB54-specific case contour keeps everything looking refined. Wear it to the beach, wear it to dinner, wear it everywhere in between. This is the strap that makes the BB54 feel like the all-purpose watch it was designed to be.

Other BB54-specific CTS Rubber colours:

• Grey CTS Rubber (BB54) — softer contrast against the gilt dial; my second-favourite colour
• White CTS Rubber (BB54) — bold and striking; a conversation starter
• Gold CTS Rubber (BB54) — picks up the gilt accents on the dial beautifully

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Best Dressy — Navy Alligator Signature (Matte)

The Black Bay 54's compact 37mm case and vintage design cues give it something most modern dive watches lack entirely: the ability to dress up. No crown guards. Slim proportions. A domed crystal that catches light like a vintage piece. Put this watch on alligator and it transforms from a capable dive tool into something you'd wear without hesitation to a wedding or a boardroom dinner.

The Matte Navy Alligator Signature is handcrafted from alligator hide with a matte finish that has depth without being flashy. The construction takes 4 to 6 hours of handwork — saddle stitching with linen thread, multi-layered edge painting, and careful scale matching to ensure symmetry across both halves. Navy in matte is the sweet spot between formal and approachable: it reads as refined in low light and reveals rich tonal variation under natural sunlight. The Signature padding (4.5mm tapering to 2.2mm) gives the strap body and visual weight that complements the BB54's bezel and case perfectly.

The contrast between the warm gilt dial and cool navy leather is particularly striking on the BB54. It creates a vintage-meets-dress-watch aesthetic that's hard to achieve with any other material. And because alligator is naturally supple, there's virtually no break-in — it moulds to your wrist within a day.

Alternatives for dressing up:

• Matte Dark Brown Alligator Signature — the warmest formal option; pairs beautifully with the gilt dial accents
• Matte Black Alligator Signature — maximum formality; disappears against the black dial for an all-dark look

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Best Everyday — Chestnut Buttero Slim

Your daily driver strap needs to handle the morning commute, an afternoon meeting, and a weekend walk without you thinking about it. It needs comfort from day one, a colour that works with most outfits, and a leather that gets better with age rather than looking beaten up. The Chestnut Buttero Slim checks every box.

Buttero is a full-grain vegetable-tanned calfskin from Conceria Walpier in Italy. It has a smooth, slightly waxy surface that develops a rich patina over time — the kind of aging where the leather actually gets more beautiful the longer you wear it. Oils from your skin, sunlight, and daily handling all contribute to a lived-in character that's unique to your strap. Unlike coated leathers that crack when they age, Buttero wears in gracefully. The chestnut colour starts warm and even, then deepens and develops tonal variation over weeks and months of wear.

At 2.2mm throughout, the Slim profile is a natural fit for the BB54's compact 37mm case. This watch doesn't need a thick, padded strap to look substantial — its bezel and domed crystal provide all the visual weight it needs. The slim profile keeps things lightweight and comfortable, letting the watch sit closer to your wrist. Chestnut is a warm mid-brown that picks up the gold tones in the BB54's gilt dial without competing for attention. It's the kind of colour that belongs in your rotation permanently.

Other great everyday options:

• Taupe Buttero Slim — cooler and more neutral; works especially well under darker outfits
• Natural Buttero Slim — starts pale and develops the most dramatic patina in the range

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Best Minimalist — Black Saffiano Stitchless

The Black Bay 54 is already a watch that strips things back to essentials — time, date-free, no unnecessary complications. So why not pair it with a strap that follows the same philosophy?

The Black Saffiano Stitchless has no visible stitching at the lug area — just leather and edge paint. The stitchless construction means there's nothing to distract from the watch itself. Saffiano leather features a distinctive cross-hatch grain embossing pressed onto wax-coated calfskin, creating a surface that's highly scratch-resistant and essentially water-repellent. At 2.2mm, it sits flat against the wrist and keeps the BB54's profile lean.

Black on black might sound obvious, but on the BB54 it creates something special. The black leather merges with the black dial and dark bezel insert, creating a monochromatic look that lets the gilt accents — the hands, the indices, the minute markers — absolutely sing. It's stealth-luxury: understated at a distance, rewarding up close. The Saffiano grain adds just enough visual texture to prevent the strap from looking plain, and the stitchless construction reinforces that clean, nothing-superfluous aesthetic.

If you want the same minimal design in a different colour:

• Navy Saffiano Stitchless — adds a hint of colour while keeping the clean lines
• Taupe Saffiano Stitchless — warmer, more neutral; pairs well with the gilt dial

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Best Sporty — Grey CTS Rubber (BB54-Specific)

If the black BB54 CTS Rubber is the all-rounder, the grey version is the one with personality.

The Grey CTS Rubber for Tudor BB54 shares the same BB54-specific molded endpiece as the black — that curved case-hugging fit that makes generic rubber straps look amateur by comparison. Same FKM fluoroelastomer, same cut-to-size design, same deployant clasp with micro-adjustment. The difference is purely visual, and it's a significant one.

Grey softens the overall look of the BB54 in a way that's hard to explain until you see it on your wrist. Against the black dial and warm gilt accents, grey rubber creates a tonal contrast that reads as intentional and contemporary — less tool-watch, more modern sport-casual. It's the kind of combination that looks equally at home on a sailboat as it does at a weekend brunch. Where black rubber reinforces the dive-watch identity, grey slightly subverts it, giving the BB54 a more relaxed, approachable character.

I find myself reaching for the grey version on weekends and travel days — situations where I want something sporty but not aggressive. The 200m water resistance means you can swim, shower, and sweat in it without a second thought, and the FKM compound won't degrade or discolour in saltwater or chlorine.

Also in the BB54-specific range:

• Black CTS Rubber (BB54) — the default; the safest sporty option for any situation
• Olive Green CTS Rubber (BB54) — military-inspired; adds a vintage field-watch vibe

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Best Casual — Natural Pueblo Slim

Weekends call for something that feels relaxed and unpretentious — and that's exactly what Pueblo delivers.

The Natural Pueblo Slim is made from a vegetable-tanned calfskin from Badalassi Carlo in Italy. The leather has a distinctive rough, slightly textured surface with a matte finish that looks and feels inherently casual. What makes Pueblo special is its patina — this leather changes more dramatically than almost anything else in the lineup. The natural colour starts as a light, warm tan and gradually deepens into a rich honey-amber over months of wear. Scuffs and marks don't ruin it; they blend into the surface and add character.

On the BB54, the natural Pueblo tone creates a beautiful contrast with the black dial while harmonizing with the warm gilt accents. It gives the watch a vintage, lived-in quality that suits the 1954-inspired design perfectly. The Slim profile at 2.2mm keeps things lightweight and comfortable — exactly what you want for jeans, rolled-up sleeves, and days when you're not checking the time so much as enjoying it. This is the strap that makes the BB54 feel less like a collector's piece and more like your favourite daily companion.

Other Pueblo colours for a different mood:

• Cognac Pueblo Slim — richer and deeper from day one; a warmer take on the rugged aesthetic
• Dark Brown Pueblo Slim — the most grounded option; earthy and versatile
• Navy Pueblo Slim — a casual alternative to polished navy leathers; textured and unpretentious

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The Wildcard — Olive Green CTS Rubber (BB54-Specific)

Once you've covered the classics — black rubber, dressy alligator, everyday leather — sometimes you want something that turns heads. Enter the olive green.

The Olive Green CTS Rubber for Tudor BB54 takes the same BB54-specific molded endpiece and wraps it in a colour that transforms the watch's personality entirely. Olive green on a dive watch triggers something primal — think military field watches, vintage NATO straps, the kind of gear that was designed for function first and ended up looking impossibly cool by accident. On the BB54, that association is amplified by the vintage design cues: the gilt dial, the domed crystal, the 37mm proportions that recall an era when dive watches were actually worn by divers.

The colour itself is muted and earthy — closer to an army surplus tone than a bright green. Against the BB54's black dial, it creates a subtle contrast that's interesting without being loud. And because this is the same FKM fluoroelastomer with cut-to-size design and deployant clasp, you get all the practical advantages of rubber in a colour that makes people look twice.

I like this one for travel — it's the kind of strap that signals "I'm not here to work" while still looking considered enough for a nice restaurant. The BB54-specific case contour keeps it refined, even in this unconventional colour.

If you want something equally unexpected:

• White CTS Rubber (BB54) — the boldest option in the range; high-contrast and summery
• Gold CTS Rubber (BB54) — picks up the gilt dial accents for a surprisingly cohesive look

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Best Fabric — Olive Green Delcro Strap

Tudor actually offers the BB54 on a fabric strap from the factory — so there's genuine heritage behind putting this watch on something woven rather than stitched.

The Olive Green Delcro Strap takes the fabric concept in a different direction. Instead of a traditional NATO pass-through, the Delcro uses a hook-and-loop closure system that provides infinite adjustability without the bulk of a second layer of material under the watch. It lies flat, adjusts instantly, and requires zero break-in. At $50, it's the most accessible strap in this lineup by a significant margin.

The olive green colour ties back to the BB54's military-adjacent aesthetic — the original Tudor Submariners were famously issued to the French Marine Nationale on fabric straps. Putting the BB54 on an olive fabric strap is a direct nod to that heritage, and it looks the part. The colour plays well against the warm gilt dial accents and creates a field-watch vibe that's immediately appealing.

Practically speaking, the Delcro is ideal for hot weather, active days, and situations where leather or rubber would feel too structured. It dries fast, weighs almost nothing, and adjusts on the fly — exactly what you want from a strap when the emphasis is on doing things rather than looking at your watch.

Other Delcro colours worth considering:

• Green Delcro — a brighter, more saturated green for a bolder statement
• Black Delcro — the stealthiest option; blends into anything

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A Note on Buckle Colour

Quick but important: always match your buckle to your case. The BB54's stainless steel case calls for a silver (brushed or polished) buckle — no exceptions. Mismatched hardware is one of those small details that can throw off the entire look. All Delugs leather straps ship with a pin buckle and can be upgraded to a Spring Deployant Clasp for added security and convenience. If you're coming from the BB54's steel bracelet and miss that clasp-style closure, the deployant is the way to go.

How to Change the Strap on Your Tudor Black Bay 54

Swapping straps on the BB54 is one of the easiest upgrades you can make — and with Delugs straps, you don't even need a tool for the strap itself.

All Delugs straps come with quick-release spring bars already pre-installed, so changing straps is completely tool-free. Here's how:

1. Remove the OEM bracelet or strap. If your BB54 came on the steel bracelet, you'll need to remove the fixed spring bars first. The easiest and safest way to do this at home is with a Bracelet Removal Tool, which lets you compress the spring bars without risking scratches to the lugs or caseback. If your BB54 came on the factory fabric strap, the process is the same — use a spring bar tool to release the fixed bars.
2. Prepare your workspace. Lay the watch face-down on a soft cloth or microfiber pad to protect the caseback and polished surfaces from scratches.
3. Insert the new strap. Pull the lever on the quick-release spring bar knob, guide the entire spring bar into the opposite lug hole, and then release the knob. You should hear a small click when the spring bar extends and seats into the lug hole.

The entire process takes under a minute once you get the hang of it. The BB54 uses a standard 20mm lug width, and all Delugs straps in 20mm will fit perfectly.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What lug width is the Tudor Black Bay 54?

The Tudor Black Bay 54 (ref. M79000N-0001) has a 20mm lug width — one of the most common sizes in the industry. This means most aftermarket straps in 20mm will fit. Note that other Black Bay models have different lug widths: the Black Bay 58 uses 20mm (same), while the full-size Black Bay 41 uses 22mm. Always check your specific reference number before ordering.

Can you put a leather strap on a Tudor Black Bay 54?

Absolutely — and it's one of the best things you can do with this watch. The BB54's compact 37mm case, vintage design cues, and polished elements make it a natural fit for leather. Unlike larger modern dive watches, the BB54 transitions seamlessly between a steel bracelet and a leather or rubber strap. Start with a slim strap like the Chestnut Buttero Slim to keep the proportions balanced, or go with the Navy Alligator Signature if you want to dress it up.

What makes the BB54-specific CTS Rubber different from generic CTS Rubber?

The BB54-specific CTS Rubber straps have a curved endpiece that is molded to match the exact contour of the Black Bay 54's case shape. Generic CTS Rubber straps use a straight-cut end that fits any watch with the right lug width but doesn't integrate with the case visually. The BB54 version creates a seamless, almost factory-integrated look — the kind of fit you'd expect from a brand's own rubber strap option. The BB54 CTS Rubber is $185 compared to $145 for generic CTS Rubber.

Does changing the strap void my Tudor warranty?

No. Changing the strap on your Tudor does not void the manufacturer's warranty. The warranty covers the movement and case — not the bracelet or strap. As long as you're careful not to scratch the lugs when changing straps (use a spring bar tool or quick-release spring bars), you're fine. All Delugs straps ship with quick-release spring bars to make the process completely tool-free.

How do I remove the steel bracelet from my Tudor BB54?

The BB54's steel bracelet uses fixed spring bars — you can't simply pull a quick-release lever. The easiest and safest way to remove it at home is with a Bracelet Removal Tool, which lets you compress the spring bars without risking scratches to the lugs or caseback. Once the bracelet is off, you can slide your new Delugs strap straight in — our straps come with quick-release spring bars pre-installed, so reattaching is tool-free.

Is the Tudor Black Bay 54 too small for a strap?

Not at all. At 37mm, the BB54 is actually the perfect size for strap-wearing. Smaller watches sit flatter on the wrist, which means straps — especially slim profiles like the 2.2mm Buttero or Pueblo — drape naturally and comfortably. The compact case also means you don't need a thick, padded strap to achieve visual balance. The BB54 looks proportionally right on everything from a thin Slim strap to a BB54-specific CTS Rubber.

What is the reference number of the Tudor Black Bay 54?

The current Tudor Black Bay 54 carries the reference number M79000N-0001 (commonly shortened to 79000N). This is the stainless steel version with a black gilt dial, anodized aluminum bezel insert, and 37mm case diameter. It's powered by the COSC-certified Tudor Calibre MT5400 with a 70-hour power reserve.

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Finding Your Strap

The beauty of the Black Bay 54 is that it refuses to be pigeonholed. It's a dive watch that dresses up. A heritage piece that wears modern. A 37mm case that punches above its weight on the wrist. Every strap unlocks a different facet of this watch's personality — rubber for active days, Pueblo for weekends, alligator when you need to look sharp, and Delcro for when you just want to throw it on and go.

If you're just getting started, the Black CTS Rubber (BB54-specific) is the safest first purchase — it covers the widest range of occasions and the molded endpiece makes the watch look like it was born on rubber. If you're building a rotation, add a Chestnut Buttero for leather days and a Navy Alligator for formal events. The BB54 rewards a small rotation more than most watches because its vintage character shifts so dramatically depending on what you put it on.

Use the Tudor Black Bay Strap Finder to see every compatible strap in one place, filtered to your exact reference.

Not sure which strap is right for your Black Bay 54? Our team is available 24/7 via live chat — drop us a message and we'll help you find the perfect match for your watch, wrist size, and style. All Delugs straps come with quick-release spring bars pre-installed, so you can start swapping the moment your strap arrives.

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About Delugs

Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Singapore, Delugs is dedicated to elevating the experience of watch ownership through the simple yet powerful act of strap changing. We believe that straps are integral to how a timepiece is worn, perceived, and enjoyed. Our mission is to make strap changing a lifestyle — an everyday act of self-expression and versatility.

Delugs is an independent brand with a global community of clients, with a strong online presence and growing physical retail footprint. Our direct-to-consumer focus keeps us closely connected with the watch enthusiast community — fostering conversations, hosting events, and helping shape a more inclusive and expressive culture around watch collecting. We also work closely with watch brands to craft straps that complement their timepieces, bridging the gap between brand and collector, form and function.

Our catalogue spans leather, rubber, and fabric straps, with options for every watch and every occasion. We are committed to craftsmanship and quality, product design and innovation, and outstanding customer service. We offer watch owners the freedom to change straps as easily as changing outfits, and the opportunity to engage more deeply with the watches they love.

Visit our flagship boutique at Raffles Hotel, Singapore →

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— Marcus