Cantina » Tudor Black Bay 39 S&G 79673-0006 Replica Watch

Tudor Pelagos FXD Ref.25707B

The brand is the evolution of versatile divers performing modern missions for the nation's Marine Corps.

After months of speculation and numerous leaks, Tudor has officially announced the launch of the Pelagos FXD – a watch born of Tudor’s reconnected relationship with the country’s Marine Corps. The FXD is a more specific and specialized version of the Pelagos format, its design inspired by direct input from National Marine Corps swimmer Commando Hubert, who wanted to fine-tune Tudor's popular titanium diver's watch to suit their needs. Underwater demand navigation. The result is a rigorous evolution of Pelagos that includes some small tweaks and some big changes. I'm sorry to do this...but let's dig a little deeper.

First, I want to clarify something. To me, especially if you want to take it diving, the Pelagos is the best dive watch in the world. It's modern, over-built, over-spec, and so thoughtfully designed that the end product has a casual wrist look that belies its professional level of functionality. It’s amazing how well it works like a piece of diving gear when you’re underwater, and turns into a really nice watch when you’re on the surface. A large part of this broad capability is the generalist "checks all the boxes" nature of its design.

But, since we're all friends here, I'm going to give you a shortcut to help you understand what you think of FXD. It's not a generalist - heck, it's not even ISO 6425 compliant for warm water. Those with a basic understanding of evolution (yes, I also read Jurassic Park) know that evolution is not a purely additive process, as most evolution comes at a cost. Think about it, when was the last time you saw gills and legs at the same party?

FXD caters to MN's needs by swapping out some of the standard Pelagos' broad charms for more specific and focused skills. Your personal taste and (I hope) practical use cases will determine which one might be better for you, but let’s take a look at the breakdown of the new Pelagos FXD.

The case is still made of titanium and is still 42mm wide, but the thickness has dropped from 14.3mm in the current standard gauge to 12.75mm in the FXD. We also see the omission of the HeV (Helium Escape Valve, not required by the National Marine Corps) and a reduction in water resistance from 500m to 200m, again to suit the actual diving conditions of the MN. Also, I want to give a huge shout out to Tudor because I think Tudor is probably the first major brand to include lug to lug in their new watch specs, the FXD is 52mm long (2mm more than a regular watch) . Standard Pelagos).

Next, the more obvious is the fully scaled bezel with countdown scale and more toothed grip, which is achieved by rotating in both directions to aid underwater navigation, especially when fingers and hands are cold, and accuracy It can be difficult to improve (especially if you miss the mark by a minute and have to spin again). Unidirectional bezels have been the calling card of dive watches for most of their existence, but if you're not worried about bumping the bezel or really don't use the bezel to measure time underwater (as is the case with the MN), then this format is great for timekeeping More forgiving for frequent underwater use when navigating.

Since I'm just an amateur recreational diver and haven't done much in the way of timed underwater navigation other than the fin kick squares required for advanced open water certification, I won't repeat the press release any more, I'll just Let Tudor describe how the Pelagos FXD helps Commando Hubert move as a team underwater.

"Underwater navigation involves following a carefully planned route to a precise location at sea without surfacing. Divers navigate underwater in pairs, connected to each other by a band called a lifeline, and guided by a magnetic compass Complete a series of straight swims.

They swim each section at a constant speed for a set time, completing as many sections as possible while timing each section accurately. Of course, this kind of navigation requires restarting the countdown every time you change course. This model’s bezel features a counter-clockwise scale and luminous design, making it easy to set and monitor each countdown simply by aligning the time setting on the covered portion of the bezel with the minute hand.

When the minute hand reaches the opposite side of the triangle, the team changes course and the diver responsible for timing begins the next countdown. This model also features a large bezel with a diameter that exceeds the diameter of the case, allowing for optimal grip even when wearing neoprene gloves and hands numb from long dives in cold water. "

The bezels are now wider, easier to use, and feature 120 click actions. The fully luminous ceramic inserts remain, while the bezel and dial are now both a slightly darker (navy) blue than the more saturated color used on the standard Pelagos Blue. And, while visually very similar to begin with, there are a number of changes to the dial, including less text (no longer “Rotor Automatic”), a new makeover that no longer surrounds the markings, and, the most obvious change, no date .

The undated execution suggests that Tudor used a different movement, and here we see the FXD using the COSC-certified MT5602. The 5602 is a self-winding 4Hz movement with a 70-hour power reserve that was released in 2016 and has also appeared in yet Among the Black Bay models released, such as the 41mm Black Bay Dark.

Since there's no choice of a fancy strap or a rubber strap on the standard Pelagos, the Commando Hubert spec option is one of two included one-piece straps, a rubber strap, and a fabric strap with hook-and-loop fastening. The fabric strap is reminiscent of the handcrafted elastic straps featured on MN’s past Tudor MN models.

For this modern version, the new FXD fabric strap, still made by the wonderful old-school Julien Faure, is 22mm wide and tightened with a signature titanium D-ring. The single piece blue rubber strap that comes with it is brand new and uses a tang buckle for size and closure.

Now that we’ve gone through the specs, you might be wondering – how does it fit? Similar to Pelagos, but different. The visual effect of the long lugs does not equate to how it feels on the wrist, as the shape of the lugs and the low-set integrated lug bars allow the strap to sit very flat on the wrist, reducing "feeding" with the strap. The difference you see when you mount a NATO on a watch with traditional lugs. The strap doesn't fight the spring bar and stays on your wrist, so everything lies flat for great comfort.

Having said that, while the Pelagos FXD may feel a bit larger than traditional Pelagos, it feels and looks thinner, which is a big plus in my book, with the total weight of the rubber being just 89 grams (yes, I took my kitchen scale to Rolex headquarters). Of the two straps, I prefer the fabric one, but you better believe I wore a UTE gray NATO to my meeting with Tudor - did you expect anything less? Both stock stands are great, but the fabric is the most comfortable and I prefer the blue/silver.

For context, the 58 gives the Black Bay series broader appeal, and the FXD is definitely a more niche expression of Tudor’s all-around diver’s watch. It's not as niche as the P01, but it's also definitely not the Pelagos 58 (or GMT) that some have been hoping for.

As a watch made with input from modern combat dive gear like the Hubert Commando, I get it and I think they've succeeded in making a legitimate commercially viable dive watch, despite the brief design very professional.

As someone who has been on the fence about buying Pelagos for a long time, I sincerely think the FXD is a really cool evolution of the form, but it doesn't help me get any closer to deciding which one I want for my wrist. I think its main competition will come from its three closest siblings.

I like the bracelet on the standard model, but don't like the thickness. I like the FXD's thinness and lack of hybrids, but conversely, I do wish it had a slightly shorter lug-to-lug distance. As with any evolution, the new line may not have all the elements you liked in the past, but the FXD is still a compelling piece for dive watch fans, especially those with a military bent.