Although Rolex launched its affordable offshoot in 1946, Tudor didn’t really come into its own until about a decade ago. That’s when it debuted its Heritage Black Bay and vintage-inspired Pelagos lines — two divers that could go toe-to-toe with the more well-known legacy options out there. While the Black Bay has certainly been the golden child since 2012, it wasn’t until Tudor released the Pelagos 39 that it started making its own waves. This led to the purpose-built FXD version that came out in 2021 — the most impressive Pelagos thus far — which is now getting a stealthy black variant.
Designed in partnership with Marine Nationale (the French Navy) thanks to input from its combat swimmers, the original Pelagos FXD took the thickness of the standard Pelagos down from 14.3mm to 12.7mm, removed the helium escape valve, and reduced the water resistance from 500m to 200m to be a more practical option for real-world diving situations. It kept the 42mm diameter and titanium case material of a standard Pelagos but added a toothier, bi-directional bezel with a fully graduated countdown scale. The new black version, however, opts for a unidirectional bezel.
Despite using the MN-designed FXD as its base, the new black variant nods to Tudor’s history with the United States Navy. From the mid-’50s, Tudor dive watches were tested and evaluated by the Navy and officially adopted as an official timepiece by ‘58. Powered by the caliber MT5602 automatic movement, the latest model is close in design to the brand’s ref. 7016 from the ‘60s, where the snowflake hour hand really became its hallmark. To up the military aesthetic, the watchmaker has equipped the latest FXD in two strap options: a black rubber strap and forest green NATO band with a red stripe.
Head over to Tudor’s website to get yourself the new black Pelagos FXD, which is priced at $4,150.
