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Two Military-Issued Tudor Black Bay 58s for French Forces

Time+Tide reported two non-retail Tudor Black Bay 58 commissions for French forces: one for the DGSI and one marking the COS’s 30th anniversary.
Estimate3–4 min Catalogued SpecialistWatchRanker Team
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The two military-issued Tudors reported for French forces are special Black Bay 58 commissions: one associated with the DGSI, France’s domestic intelligence service, and one with the COS, the command responsible for French special operations forces. Specialist watch publication Time+Tide reported that neither edition was offered for public sale. The details below are attributed to that report; Tudor’s official history of its French military relationships provides context, but does not independently confirm these newer commissions.

What are the two military-issued Tudor watches?

Both are reported editions of Tudor’s Black Bay 58. The DGSI watch was reportedly created in 2020 and delivered in 2021. The COS edition was reported in 2022 to mark the command’s 30th anniversary. Their distinguishing details are the dial text and the recipient-specific casebacks.

Edition Recipient and timing Dial Caseback
DGSI Reportedly created in 2020 and delivered in 2021 for DGSI personnel French text reading “CHRONOMETRE OFFIVIELLEMENT CERTIFIE” and a metric-only “200m” depth marking DGSI emblem and production year; recipients could add a personal inscription of up to 15 characters
COS Reported 2022 edition for the COS’s 30th anniversary Three lines of text in blue, white and red Circled-crossbow emblem and “1992–2022” dates, with recipient-specific military trigram and commando insignia

These descriptions come from Time+Tide’s 2024 report. It says the COS watch otherwise matches the standard Black Bay 58. The DGSI version also appears close to the standard model at first glance, apart from its identifying details.

How the DGSI and COS editions differ

DGSI: French certification text and personalised caseback

The reported DGSI commission was restricted to DGSI personnel. In addition to the French dial wording and metric depth marking, its caseback identified the service and production year. Recipients could personalise the caseback with an inscription of up to 15 characters. An optional tricolour NATO strap was available at extra cost.

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Time+Tide says the exact production total is unknown and estimates fewer than 100 examples. That figure is the publication’s estimate, not a verified count.

COS: anniversary markings and unit details

The reported COS edition marked the command’s 30th anniversary. Its blue, white and red dial text and the “1992–2022” caseback dates distinguish it from the DGSI watch. The caseback also carried recipient-specific military trigram and commando insignia. Time+Tide does not establish how many were made.

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Can you buy either military-issued Tudor?

Time+Tide reports that neither the DGSI nor the COS-marked Black Bay 58 was made available for public sale. A standard-production Black Bay 58 is a different watch: its availability does not mean either military commission can be bought through ordinary retail channels.

How these commissions fit Tudor’s French military history

Tudor says its relationship with the French Navy began in 1956, when the Toulon-based G.E.R.S. received Oyster Prince Submariners for evaluation. Tudor’s account describes later French Navy Submariner use and the “M.N.” plus issue-year markings on casebacks. It also says those military buyers chose catalogue references rather than watches designed specifically for them: they “were just references listed in the catalogue, which these organisations chose.” (Tudor, “Military Divers’ Watches”.)

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  • Case Size: 39mm Steel Case with Polished and Satin Finish
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  • Movement Type: Manufacture Calibre MT5400-U; Self-winding Mechanical Movement with Bidirectional Rotor System

That long-running Navy supply relationship is separate from the DGSI and COS Black Bay 58 commissions reported by Time+Tide; it does not independently authenticate them. Tudor’s 2021 Pelagos FXD is another distinct project. The company says it was developed to specifications made with French Navy combat swimmers, Commando Hubert, and that “FXD” refers to fixed strap bars. It is not one of the two Black Bay 58s discussed here (Tudor Pelagos FXD).

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What is confirmed—and what remains uncertain

The DGSI and COS details are documented in the cited specialist report, rather than an official Tudor announcement. The available information does not establish an order document, recipient-confirmed account, or verified production total for either commission. The fewer-than-100 figure for the DGSI watch is expressly an estimate; the COS quantity is not stated.

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