Case #681 — Tudor Black Shield Ref. 42000CR

Case #681 — Tudor Black Shield Ref. 42000CR

Status: Available
Condition: Very Good Pre-Owned
Scope: Box, Papers, and Cards

Case Notes

This is not the Tudor most people expect.

Long before black ceramic became commonplace across luxury sports watches, Tudor built the Fastrider Black Shield around a 42 mm monobloc ceramic case, black dial, red accents, and a motorsport-inspired chronograph layout.

The result is one of the most unconventional watches in Tudor’s modern catalog.

The ceramic case gives the Black Shield an almost completely matte appearance, while the red hour markers and chronograph details cut sharply through the otherwise monochrome design. It is aggressive, technical, and visually about as far removed from a Black Bay as Tudor gets.

Inside is an automatic chronograph movement based on the proven ETA/Valjoux 7753 architecture, with approximately 46 hours of power reserve.

This example dates from 2018 and presents in Very Good Pre-Owned condition. It includes its Box, Papers, and Cards and will accommodate approximately an 8-inch wrist.

The Black Shield has since been discontinued. It was not a numbered limited edition, but the ceramic 42000CR is encountered far less frequently than Tudor’s mainstream sports models and has developed a distinct following among collectors looking for the stranger corners of the Tudor catalog.

The Evidence

Reference: 42000CR
Model: Fastrider Black Shield
Year: 2018
Case: Black Ceramic
Case Diameter: 42 mm
Lug Width: 24 mm
Dial: Black with Red Accents
Crystal: Sapphire
Bezel: Black Ceramic with Tachymeter Scale
Crown: Screw-Down
Movement: Automatic Chronograph, Valjoux 7753 Architecture
Frequency: 28,800 VPH
Jewels: 27
Power Reserve: Approximately 46 Hours
Functions: Hours, Minutes, Small Seconds, Chronograph, Date, Tachymeter
Water Resistance: 150 meters / 500 feet
Strap: Black Rubber
Clasp: Folding Clasp
Fit: Up to Approximately 8-inch Wrist
Condition: Very Good Pre-Owned
Included: Box, Papers, and Cards

Collector Provenance

The Fastrider occupies a completely different branch of Tudor history from the dive watches that dominate the brand today.

The collection was built around motorsport rather than diving or military exploration, and the Black Shield pushed that identity further with a monobloc ceramic case and an unapologetically modern design.

That matters today because Tudor largely moved away from this aesthetic.

The current Tudor catalog is defined by Black Bays, Pelagos models, Rangers, and heritage-driven steel sports watches. The Fastrider Black Shield came from a period when Tudor was experimenting much more aggressively with materials, color, and contemporary design.

The 42000CR is therefore a genuine outlier.

It was never formally limited, so we would not make a production-rarity claim. But it is discontinued, significantly less commonly encountered than the brand’s mainstream references, and currently represented by only a small number of exact-reference examples on the secondary market.

Design Provenance

Black ceramic and red were not chosen quietly.

The case absorbs light rather than reflecting it, allowing the red hour markers, chronograph indications, and dial details to become the focal points.

The tachymeter bezel reinforces the motorsport connection while the large pushers and crown give the watch a mechanical, purposeful appearance.

At 42 mm, the case has substantial presence, but ceramic changes the visual weight considerably. The all-black architecture makes the watch appear more compact than a polished steel chronograph of similar dimensions.

It is one of those watches that looks unmistakably Tudor once you study the details, but almost nothing like the Tudors sitting next to it.

Technical Provenance

The Black Shield uses a 7753-family automatic chronograph movement.

It runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour, uses 27 jewels, and provides approximately 46 hours of power reserve.

The movement architecture is well established and widely understood by professional watchmakers, which gives the Black Shield straightforward serviceability despite the unusual exterior.

The case adds real sports-watch capability as well, with sapphire crystal, screw-down crown, ceramic construction, and 150 meters of water resistance.

From the Case File

This is a Tudor for someone who already knows what a Black Bay looks like and wants something completely different.

The ceramic case gives it a distinctive feel on the wrist, while the red-and-black execution is immediately recognizable even from a distance.

Case 681 presents in Very Good Pre-Owned condition, dates from 2018, and includes its Box, Papers, and Cards.

It will accommodate approximately an 8-inch wrist.

The combination of a ceramic chronograph case, discontinued status, full-set presentation, and genuinely low secondary-market visibility makes it one of the more unusual Tudor pieces we have had through Baker Street.

BST Verdict

Rare in the practical sense, undeniably cool, and completely outside the normal Tudor playbook.

The Black Shield combines a 42 mm monobloc ceramic case, red-accented chronograph dial, tachymeter bezel, automatic 7753-family movement, and 150-meter capability in a design Tudor simply does not make anymore.

It was never a numbered limited edition, but that may actually be part of the appeal: this is an uncommon discontinued Tudor hiding in plain sight.

Case 681 adds a 2018 date, Very Good condition, BPC, and generous wrist sizing to one of the strangest and most distinctive watches from Tudor’s modern era.

Every case deserves a closer look.