Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Tudor Pelagos FXD And Pelagos FXD Chrono “Alinghi Red Bull Racing Edition”
To celebrate its partnership with Alinghi Red Bull Racing, Tudor presents two new takes on the Pelagos FXD concept.
In 2022, watchmaker Tudor unveiled its partnership with Alinghi Red Bull Racing, a contender in the most competitive yacht race in history, the America’s Cup. This was the first time Tudor ventured into the world of competitive yacht racing. But as you know, the brand doesn’t just form partnerships for the sake of advertising. There are, very often, some watches involved. And the result of the collaboration between Tudor and Alinghi is launched today, with a pair of new Pelagos FXD models, including – for the first time – a chronograph fitted into a fixed strap-bars case. Combining a high-tech carbon composite with titanium and stainless steel, just like on an AC75 (America’s Cup 75) hydrofoil racing yacht, let’s have a closer look at the new Tudor Pelagos FXD And Pelagos FXD Chrono “Alinghi Red Bull Racing Edition”.
The Tudor Pelagos FXD is a rather special watch in the brand’s collection. It was first unveiled in late 2021 and built to answer the needs of combat divers of the Marine Nationale or French Navy. But now, this military-specified model enters new territories. Still focused on answering the needs of highly trained people, the new FXD models, a time-only version and a new chronograph, have been developed for crew members of Alinghi Red Bull Racing and designed according to the specifications of their impressive, cutting-edge boat.
Just like the Alinghi Red Bull Racing AC75 boat, representing the very best in cutting-edge maritime engineering, the new Tudor Pelagos FXD Alinghi watches are on the modern side of watchmaking. Following the construction of the boat, their cases utilise a blend of carbon, titanium and stainless steel. To be precise, these Pelagos FXD models combine a high-tech carbon composite for the case and bezel insert, with titanium for the bezel, crown and direct-action pushers and 316L stainless steel for the caseback and movement container. Just like the watch made for the French Navy, these Pelagos FXD And Pelagos FXD Chrono “Alinghi Red Bull Racing Edition” are characterized by fixed strap bars, a 200m water-resistance (more than enough for sailing) and a bidirectional 120-notch rotatable bezel, instead of the classic unidirectional bezel found on most dive watches.
As a specificity of regatta watches, the bezels use a reversed scale, graduated from 60 to 0, to allow for easy tracking of countdowns, a key moment before the start of a regatta. The scale on the bezels is also coated with Super-LumiNova Grade X1, a luminous material showing a performance increase of up to 60% after two hours compared to standard grades. The matte blue dials are framed by a 45° flange on which an “Alinghi Red Bull Racing” mention is printed.
Both the Tudor Pelagos FXD And Pelagos FXD Chrono are worn on a new 22mm single-piece fabric strap. Made of “Team Blue” jacquard-woven ribbon with red accents, it is closed by a titanium D-shaped buckle with a self-gripping fastening system.
The Tudor Pelagos FXD Alinghi
As said, two models comprise this Alinghi-inspired collection. First is the classic time-only Pelagos FXD. This first model is housed in a 42mm case and is basically an evolution (colours and materials) of the watch made for the Marine Nationale. Its carbon composite case, with a height of 12.7mm, features a solid screwed steel back with the Alinghi Red Bull Racing logo engraved, and the top of the watch is protected by a sapphire crystal with AR coating. Combined with a titanium screw-down crown, this guarantees 200m water resistance. The colours are, however, different from the classic FXD. First of all, the bezel is black due to the carbon composite material. Second, the dial has a new matte blue colour, with luminescent ceramic composite monobloc applied hour markers and Snowflake hands, but also red accents on the seconds hand and the name of the watch.
This 3-hand model is powered by the manufacture calibre MT5602, with all the usual features of Tudor – 70h power reserve, transversal balance bridge, anti-magnetic silicon hairspring, variable inertia balance, and a chronometer certification by the COSC. It is able to function beyond the specification of that standard, that is, within a tolerance range of 6 seconds (-2/+4) per day, tested on fully assembled watches.
Quick facts: 42mm black carbon composite case – 60-minute bidirectional bezel in titanium with matte black carbon composite insert – titanium screw-down crown – sapphire crystal – steel caseback – 200m water-resistant – matte blue dial – calibre MT5602, COSC-certified, automatic, 4Hz, 70h power reserve – single-piece blue fabric strap – CHF 3,500 or EUR 3,650 (both incl. taxes)
The Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono Alinghi
The Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono is the first time a chronograph movement finds its way into the Pelagos collection. Slightly larger than its 3-hand counterpart, it measures 43mm in diameter. The case also uses a blend of carbon composite, titanium and steel. Water-resistance is identical, rated at 200m. Contrary to many chronographs from the brand, the pushers are so-called direct-action, meaning that they don’t have a screwed architecture – which will make them far easier to use when in the middle of a race. It features the same matte blue dial with red accents, however, punctuated by two chronograph counters at 3 and 9 o’clock, with a date at 6 o’clock.
Inside the case is the chronometer-certified calibre MT5813, derived from the calibre Breitling 01 chronograph. This modern, integrated automatic movement features a column-wheel and vertical-clutch architecture. It has its own specifications, which include a variable inertia balance and an anti-magnetic silicon hairspring. Running at 4Hz and boasting 70h of power reserve, it is also regulated to -2/+4 seconds/day.
Quick facts: 43mm black carbon composite case – 60-minute bidirectional bezel in titanium with matte black carbon composite insert – titanium screw-down crown and direct-action pushers – sapphire crystal – steel caseback – 200m water-resistant – matte blue dial – calibre MT5813, COSC-certified, automatic chronograph, 4Hz, 70h power reserve – single-piece blue fabric strap – CHF 4,850 or EUR 5,070 (both incl. taxes)
For more details, please visit tudorwatch.com.
6 responses
What is the reason behind the 45-minute counter? Also, what is the benefit of using a carbon composite?
Well you can see the clear advantage of carbon composite in the latest high end sub called “Titan”…
The reason behind the 45-minute counter is probably legibility?
Carbon composite is probably for:
1. Mainly the tie-in with the yacht which is also made out of carbon composite
2. Lighter watch
3. More modern and trendy, differentiates this from so many other steel and titanium watches, carbon is still more rare than metals as a case material
Overall I think Tudor jumped the shark here. The initial Pelagos models (black, blue, lefty, with date) were unique and purpose driven. Then came the FXD as something more experimental adding to that. It should have stopped there, merely iterating those existing concepts later on. The 39mm model was already a questionable business decision to milk some other line which must not have “black bay” in its name. Its bezel and dial design did not attract the same following of the bigger models. So all in all not a big success.
Now those two additional ones are too much, eventually. If Tudor wanted to play with a new material, they should have come up with a new line altogether. This would have allowed them to expand it even further and more freely. How much more can you expand the Pelagos line before it becomes another Black Bay vendor’s tray. The Pelagos always needs to remain a diver, with solid water resistance, 200 m is the lower limit, it needs to have a rotating bezel, it needs to have a bigger size (thus, 39mm is breaking up the idea of the line). The dial needs to remain monochrome, edged, simple, no numerals. This limits what a new yacht/sea sport driven line could be and become. And such a line would not need to follow the corresponding Rolex design language. It could have been more fun, more expanded, more creative, more colorful. Think about Doxa here or also Zodiac.
Going away from the product line aspect. Tastes are different, but I never understood the black and blue combination as something appealing or enticing. Countless times I tried to convince myself, for instance to (finally) get a real classic, the Heuer Monaco Calibre 11 (even though I find 4Hz Chronos half-ass, all chronos should be 5Hz to evenly divide a second in tenths) but the blue and red in the end always turns me off.
People will buy it, it is Tudor, it is a new case material, it is particular. But it does not speak to me at all.
sorry, I meant red and blue above in my post speaking about the dial.
@TickingTimeBaum I mean, why not 30 minutes? Generally, 30 and 45 minutes aren’t really different in practice. What is the specific reason for using 45 minutes apart from the obvious one that 45 minutes is longer than 30 minutes?