The Tudor Pelagos Ultra, The Brand’s Most Technical Diver

Although it has lived within the shadows of the Black Bay vary, the Tudor Pelagos is a vital one. First, it was one of many very first fashions launched for the model’s rebirth in 2012, the identical 12 months because the BB was offered. Through the years, it has developed however has saved its extremely technical edge, both designed for saturation diving or the French Navy’s fight swimmers and aviators. This 12 months marked the introduction of a brand new member of the family, the Tudor Pelagos Extremely, with a 1,000m depth score. However as anticipated, that is simply one of many a number of updates to the basic instrument divers of the model. 

The Pelagos Household

Whereas the Black Bay vary could be seen as Tudor’s tribute to its classic dive watches, the Pelagos is just not right here to provide the feeling of journey. It’s an instrument meant to go deep underwater, a no-nonsense watch with out frills. It’s barely chilly, technical-looking and doesn’t include fancy adornments. It’s a instrument look ahead to motion… Although most will hardly see greater than a splash of water. However that’s one other debate.

The Tudor Pelagos was unveiled in 2012, alongside the Black Bay vary, and was positioned as Tudor’s tackle the deep saturation dive watch, identical to the Sea-Dweller is the Submariner‘s larger, extra superior brother. The primary Pelagos was already a full titanium dive watch with HEV, an all-matte look and a 500m water-resistance. Again in 2012, it was nonetheless geared up with an ETA motion, earlier than it moved to a manufacture (Kenissi-made) calibre in 2015, along with a brand new blue model. Quickly after, Tudor introduced one other model, targeted on left-handed homeowners and with a slight classic edge, the Pelagos LHD. And in 2022, it was time for one thing smaller, barely extra usable and fewer hardcore, the Pelagos 39.

That is for the usual Pelagos vary. However there’s additionally the FXD collection (FXD stands for fastened, because of the fastened lugs). The primary mannequin, the Pelagos FXD Marine Nationale, was developed together with the French Navy’s fight swimmers (marking the return of the historic partnership and military-issued watches), which later got here in a black model. Just lately, Tudor developed one other milspec watch, this time for the French Naval Aviation, the Pelagos FXD GMT. And let’s not neglect particular editions for Alinghi Crimson Bull Racing and the Tudor Professional Biking Staff – each accessible with a chronograph motion.

The Tudor Pelagos Extremely

Extremely… the identify says all of it. What we’re taking a look at might be, a minimum of at first sight, a beefier version of the basic Pelagos, to interchange the usual 500m mannequin. Properly, sure and no. Sure, the brand new Pelagos Extremely is an much more succesful tackle the saturation dive watch. No, it’s not simply an evolution of the depth charge, and this Extremely model ought to be thought-about a brand new technology of Pelagos, because it packs way more updates than only a extra resistant case. No, it doesn’t substitute the 500m mannequin, which continues to be accessible within the assortment (in black, blue and LHD variations). It comes along with all current Pelagos watches because the range-topping model.

That being stated, the Tudor Pelagos Extremely continues to be a familiar-looking watch that has all of the traits you count on from a Pelagos. It’s technical, chilly, matte and appears and feels extra like a bit of substances than a luxurious watch – this doesn’t imply that the match and end isn’t superb, however don’t count on something right here to make you shine on the seashore celebration. And this low-key, tool-like, no-nonsense type is strictly what makes the Pelagos Extremely (and different Pelagos watches) cool in their very own means. No frills, simply what’s wanted to dive deep.

Apart from the apparent water-resistance improve, now rated at 1,000m or 3,280ft, there are quite a few evolutions to report. It’s all incremental and discreet however falls in the identical technique as what Tudor has made with the basic Black Bay 41 (burgundy or black), and just lately with the Black Bay 58. Upgrades in all places, to the purpose that nearly no components are shared anymore. So with the Pelagos Extremely, now we have a basic fully-brushed, all-matte case, retaining the good-looking bevels on the aspect of the lugs – presumably the one adornment to be discovered. The case is all titanium – grade 2 for the center case, bezel and crown, and grade 5 for the caseback. This ends in a watch with stable anti-reflective capacities and a barely darker look than basic metal.

In comparison with a typical 500m Pelagos, the brand new Extremely 1,000m is barely bigger. The diameter has moved from 42mm to now 43mm, the thickness is 14.5mm versus 14.3mm (principally imperceptible) and the lug-to-lug is roughly 52mm, or 1.5mm greater than earlier than. Does it really feel on the wrist? Not notably. The Pelagos wasn’t the smallest of dive watches, however the improve feels affordable contemplating the doubled water-resistance. And as you possibly can see from the photographs taken on my small 16.5cm wrist, the Extremely doesn’t really feel overly giant. It’s decently sized contemplating what we’re speaking about – for example, I discover it rather more snug than a Rolex Sea-Dweller, which can be 43mm however made in metal and thus a lot heavier.

Wanting on the particulars of the case, you’ll see that there’s extra than simply an extra millimetre and extra water-resistance. All the case has been barely redesigned and comes with upgrades. For example, the crown guards are curved to comply with the form of the bezel, but in addition a bit longer. The crown has modified and gained a greater grip with deeper notches – it nonetheless retains the fashionable Tudor protect emblem – and the identical has been utilized to bezel’s body, once more with deeper, extra pronounced notches. The helium escape valve continues to be positioned within the caseband at 9 o’clock.

Across the anti-reflective domed sapphire crystal is a unidirectional (in contrast to an FXD Marine Nationale) with a matte black ceramic insert and seamlessly built-in white 60-minute scale that’s solely luminous. All markers are glowing with a blue emission, besides the dot contained in the zero-marking triangle, which glows in inexperienced, in relation to the minute hand, the one component of the dial with a inexperienced emission, the remainder being blue – once more, displaying the eye to element and to divers’ wants.

Shifting to the dial, one of many key design components of the basic Pelagos has disappeared. Certainly, the notched interior flange that framed the utilized markers has been changed with a extra basic angled réhaut, according to the design used on the Pelagos 39. The resemblance with this smaller version doesn’t finish there, because the Pelagos Extremely additionally integrates now the identical luminescent ceramic composite monobloc 3D utilized hour markers, on a matte black base, nevertheless. All the weather of the dial have been scaled as much as maximise legibility, because the palms are thicker and the markers are larger. That stated, the basic Swonflake handset continues to be current, together with the square-shaped luminous component of the seconds hand – the latter is slowly disappearing from many of the Black Bay fashions.

Contained in the case is the Calibre MT5612-U – the basic Pelagos 500m has the identical motion, however with out the U on the finish… And that adjustments all the pieces. Whereas the structure is identical, which means a calibre made by Kenissi (which is the motion maker of Tudor, sitting in a constructing in entrance of Tudor’s manufacture… so not in-house however next-house), the large deal issues the certification. Certainly, this Tudor Pelagos Extremely is now Grasp Chronometer licensed by METAS and Chronometer licensed by COSC. As such, it isn’t solely extremely exact (Tudor claims -2/+4 seconds per day) but in addition immune to robust magnetic fields – as much as 15,000 gauss. The motion beats at 4Hz, is supplied with a silicon hairspring and shops an authorized energy reserve of a minimal of 65 hours.

The ultimate contact is the bracelet and its clasp, which is alone an illustration of over-engineering. The bracelet is a basic 3-link building with a 22mm lug width, and is absolutely satin-brushed. However what issues is the clasp, which might be one of the vital superior we’ve seen just lately. First, it comes with a security catch to keep away from unintentional openings. Second, it comes with a complicated T-Match system, for fast and tool-free size changes. The latter, with 4 positions, additionally contains a luminous visible indicator on the outside of the clasp to simply discern what setting the bracelet is at. Look contained in the clasp, and there’s a pair of springs that may permit the bracelet to increase or retract as you descend or ascend, adjusting completely to the scale of your wetsuit. Lastly, there’s a protracted, flipping component appearing as a diver’s extension. As I stated on this article about bracelets, somebody may need harm Tudor’s emotions just lately…

And there’s extra, because the Tudor Pelagos Extremely is delivered as customary with an extra black rubber strap, with a titanium pin buckle, that attaches to the case with titanium finish hyperlinks. Additionally included is a rubber extension piece that makes it attainable to elongate the strap even additional, by as much as 110 millimetres. And whereas I can solely applaud the thought to incorporate an extra strap, it doesn’t include a quick-change system and would require regular palms and instruments to swap between the titanium bracelet and the rubber strap.

Availability & Value

The Tudor Pelagos Extremely is launched as a brand new member of the Pelagos household, and is the range-topping model, not a substitute for current references. As such, it’s priced accordingly, at EUR 5,960 (versus EUR 5,230 for a Pelagos 500m). Removed from me the thought to name the Extremely an accessible watch, however contemplating the competitors and all the pieces Tudor has packed on this watch, it feels justified. It’s now accessible as a part of the everlasting assortment.

For extra particulars, please go to tudorwatch.com.