TUDOR Pelagos FXD [Marine Nationale Edition]

After languishing for half a decade, a new PELAGOS reconfigured and optimized for the French Special Forces arises from the deep!

Tudor cements its long lasting association with the French military; one that spanned three decades from the ‘50s and their creation of one of the earliest modern professional divers' watches to the ‘80s, when they were regular suppliers to the French Navy.

This is the Pelagos FXD, co-developed for and by a specialist unit of the French Navy; 

it was designed for underwater navigation and is optimized for professional use with the addition of extra robust fixed strap bars, a Tudor military specification known as FXD.

Another feature specific to this model is the 120-notch rotating bezel. 

Bidirectional with retrograde graduation from 60 to 0, it does not correspond to the ISO 6425:2018 standard of divers' watches, but instead meets the specific needs of the method known as “underwater navigation”, one of the specialties of combat swimmers.

Underwater navigation consists of reaching a precise location by sea, without surfacing, by following a meticulously planned route. 

Divers carry out this underwater navigation in pairs, connected to one another by a strap known as a "life line", and complete a series of straight swims guided by a magnetic compass.

The new Pelagos FXD is a technical diver’s watch now meeting a unique set of specifications that was developed in conjunction with the French Navy's combat swimmers, the prestigious Commando Hubert; and like those fearless Special Forces chaps; you too can own an FXD designation Pelagos.

Tudor rejoined forces with the Marine Nationale (French Navy) brand this year, continuing a partnership that dates back to 1956. 

Back then, the Groupe d’Étude et de Recherches Sous-Marines (G.E.R.S.), a scientific body attached to the French Navy and based in Toulon, took delivery of some Oyster Prince Submariner watches in order to assess them in real-life situations.

Today, the most famous Tudor divers’ watch used by the French Navy is the reference 9401, with its iconic blue dial and bezel. 

Engraved on its case-back are the initials "M.N." followed by the year of issue, the watches were delivered in two configurations, "Snowflake" hands and hour markers and later, with triangular hour markers.

This model was launched in the mid-'70s and was supplied to the French Navy until the 1980s. 

It continued to be used into the 21st century, particularly at the French Navy's diving school, as well as by combat swimmers.

Although officially removed from the French Navy's supply stocks some twenty years ago, it can still be seen sometimes today on the wrists of reserve and retired sailors alike. 

The Pelagos FXD model is inspired by this emblematic reference.

In aesthetic terms, the Pelagos FXD model is inspired by those Tudor divers’ watches historically worn by the French Navy. 

It is navy blue in color and has the characteristic square hour markers and angular hands, known as Snowflake, introduced by Tudor in 1969 to increase the intensity of the luminescence of its watches in poor lighting conditions.

It bi-directional rotational bezel is with a sand-blasted ceramic inlay with luminescent material. 

Its 42 mm Titanium case is water-resistant to 200 meters and has been entirely satin-brushed to produce a matt effect in order to eliminate light reflections.

To signify the watch's official status, its case-back bears the logo of the Marine Nationale (French Navy) brand composed of an anchor topped with a sailor’s hat, as well as a historically inspired engraving of "M.N.21" for “Marine Nationale 2021".

Beneath the case-back, is a Manufacture Caliber MT5602 that drives the Pelagos FXD model displays the hours, minutes and seconds functions.

It has the finish typical of TUDOR Manufacture Calibres: its rotor in tungsten monobloc is openwork and satin-brushed with sand-blasted details, while its bridges and plate have alternate sand-blasted, polished surfaces and laser decorations. 

Finally the Pelagos FXD comes with a new, highly technical strap construction, developed by Tudor and Julien Faure, adapted here to the rugged nature of the French Navy divers' work.

Made up of a 22mm navy blue polyethylene woven ribbon with a silver central thread, a titanium "D" buckle and a self-gripping fastening system, it adapts to different wrist sizes and is very comfortable to wear. 

An additional one-piece rubber strap with an embossed motif and buckle, is also included with the Pelagos FXD. It is the first time that this very supple, comfortable strap has been offered by TUDOR. 

MSRP in Switzerland is 3’700CHF.

Thoughts? As a watch blogger of almost 15 years there are two watches that I am utterly tired of – the level of ennui is such that I could happily slit my wrists if I have to continue to feature iteration after bloody iteration – and those are the Oris Diver’s SIXTY-FIVE and the Tudor BLACK BAY. 

Don’t get me wrong they are pretty fantastic watches (though not necessarily tool watches ); popular modern-day icons that serve as windows onto the past; but just once in while you really need to move forward.

The Diver’s Sixty-Five models complement Oris’s modern diver’s family, the Aquis but Tudor they have been so focused on the Black Bay that they had all but forgotten their working diver’s model, the Pelagos which has been abandoned since it was released as the LHD five years ago.

Today the Pelagos has been given due recognition and properly celebrated in the Pelagos FXD; a diver’s watch that has graduated for official use by the French Special Forces; 

it is finally a Tudor diver’s watch to get excited about and one that actually / physically carries forward the brand’s military ties rather than in name alone. 

The actual FXD spec. itself will be a popular one but the bi-directional bezel won't appeal to all; nevertheless an interesting addition to the Pelagos family. 

But what do you think?