Reviewing the Pelagos FXD and Modern Tudor

Most new watch releases make a splash but are quietly forgotten as the year moves on.  Tudor’s marketing department  is second to none when it comes to manufacturing hype in the short run, but the real test of a watch’s staying power is the public’s response.  Despite all of the new releases over the last few years, the Pelagos FXD is keeping itself in the public spotlight.  Just as importantly, it’s one of the watches that is coming to define modern Tudor as a brand.

Like so many others I was fascinated by the surprise release of the FXD in late 2021.  But it wasn’t until March of 2022 that I decided that I was in the market for a luxury tool watch (I know that this combination sounds oxymoronic, but that is the moment that we are living in.)  After looking at a number of options (everything from the Doxa Sub300 to the JLC Polaris), and consuming every bit of information I could find, I decided that the Pelagos FXD was going to be my next dive watch.

There was just one problem.

I had never seen this watch in the metal, and neither had the two Tudor ADs who lived within my driving radius.  It was clear that this was not going to be an easy piece to get.  Yet hope springs eternal, so I Ieft my name with both dealers and six months later, in October of 2022, I heard back from one. Another half a year later it is still getting more wrist time than any other watch in my collection.  And this seems like the perfect time to reflect on the pros and cons of this watch and Tudor’s current direction.

In our current nostalgia driven marketplace it seems that every watch must be built on a historical narrative before the first bridge or pinion is put into place.  In the case of the FXD that story starts with early collaborations between the French Navy and Tudor in the 1960s and 1970s that led to the development of the now iconic snowflake hand that graces most of the brand’s modern tool watches, and the square indices that have become the marker of the more modern and professional line of Pelagos dive watches. All of this was again pushed to the fore in 2021 when a joint collaboration between a specific unit of combat swimmers within the MN and Tudor created a revised military snowflake for the 21st century.

Does any modern military really need a mechanical watch?  One would have to guess that the answer is “no” as other tools can always be imagined that would do the job just as well.  But there is a long history of combat swimmers from several nations taking great pride in their watches. Subsequently these instruments, designed for a specific task, have become almost a badge of identity.  I think it would be foolish to dismiss that sort of function as meaningless in a modern military context simply because it’s symbolic.  People need symbols to motivate them and tell them who they are.

To their credit Tudor also took the technical aspects of their design brief quite seriously and created an impressive aid to underwater navigation which is entirely capable of serving its stated function in the modern world.  In that sense the creation and success of the FXD, in both the physical and the symbolic realms, points to the increasing relevance of mechanical watches in modern society.  Far from fading away, these objects are clawing their way back into the public consciousness.

Nevertheless, the practicalities of underwater navigation were far from my mind when I decided on the FXD.  While the narrative was fascinating, I was focused on three other considerations.  First, the fixed lugs meant that the watch would have to be worn on some sort of single pass or NATO style strap.  As someone who works at a desk I found this immensely practical.  I hate the damage that desks do to clasps and bracelets (especially titanium ones).  Nor are chunky dive bracelets the most comfortable things to wear when typing.  So while the fixed lug bars of this watch were initially intended to make it the perfect timepiece for underwater warriors, I found that they also made it the ideal desk diver.  Again, tastes will vary.  But given that I mostly wear my divers on some sort of strap anyway, having one that was purpose built for the task seemed like an obvious choice.

The second feature that I just loved about this watch in its initial press shots was the highly legible navy blue dial.  The contrast between the bright white markers and the slightly textured dial turns out to be just as impressive in real life as it is in the advertising material.  In the dark the fully numbered and lumed bi-directional countdown bezel lights up like a torch.  Incidentally I have found this particular bezel combination to be great for timing all sorts of tasks, from the kitchen to the gym.  It’s grippy and Tudor has some of the best clicks in the business.  The FXD is no slouch when it comes to legibility or bezel action.

Overall the build quality of this watch is impressive for the price point.  The dial shows no dust under the crystal or other visible imperfections.  I would have preferred something less than 4 lines of text above the 6 o’clock marker.  But admittedly it does help to fill what is otherwise a lot of negative space.  The brushing on the case top and flanks is nicely done and the polished bevel separating them is crisp, providing just a hint of shine on an otherwise understated finish.  The crown is easy to grip and the wind has the sort of purposeful crunch that you expect from a serious tool watch. With its 70 hour power reserve I don’t find myself winding this watch very often.  But when I do, the experience is enjoyable.  The quality of the time keeping varies with how it’s being worn and used, but it’s generally within a couple of seconds a day.

Third, I wanted to add a titanium watch to my regular rotation.  The grey titanium case matches the darker blue dial perfectly.  Befitting a tool watch of military origins, there is nothing about this piece that would attract undue attention.  The watch is very comfortable on my 8 inch wrist, but I think that the light weight and relatively compact nature of nature of the fixed lug design make this watch wearable for lots of people who might otherwise shy away from a heavier steel 42mm diver.

The watch is also relatively svelte compared to the original Pelagos offerings.  True, this came at the cost of a helium escape valve and 300 meters of water resistance.  But let’s be real here.  How many of us really do saturation diving on a regular basis? And now let’s compare that to the number of people who would prefer a slimmer case?  This is not to say that I dislike the original Pelegos.  In fact, I was going to get the left hand drive model if the FXD proved impossible to source at retail.  I really like that watch.  But no matter how amazing the clasp on its bracelet is, I don’t enjoy the feel of that much coarsely brushed titanium on the skin.  Being both lighter and slimmer, the wearing experience of the FXD is far superior.

The woven velcro strap that comes standard with the FXD is surprisingly nice and very comfortable. I love the idea of always being able to get the perfect fit.  Unfortunately the stock length is just a little short for me so I have ordered the longer version of the same strap from Tudor.  That was six months ago, and my AD is still waiting for it to arrive. That little fact tells you so much about dealing with this company. 

The blue rubber strap that also comes with the watch is more polarizing. Some people love it, and others hate the way it rides high over the fixed lugs or its overly grippy textured feel.  I thought the rubber strap was OK.  But ultimately I decided to order a set of Erika’s Original MN straps for my daily wear.  One of these is in two tone grey and the other in blue and grey.  I am convinced that this is the perfect combination for daily wear as the watch literally disappears on the wrist. I wear my FXD jogging every day and these bands have stood up to some impressive abuse over the last six months.

I have been really happy with this purchase.  At less than four thousand dollars, the FXD offers a lot of watch for the money.  Its “in house” movement, power reserve, build quality, heritage, practicality and narrative make it a truly compelling option for certain buyers.

Is it for everyone?  Absolutely not.  And unlike the new Pelagos 39 it doesn’t seem to be designed to be all things to all people.  If you are a bracelet person or the thought of a 42mm dive watch scares you, this may not be the right watch for you.  If you actually are a commercial diver or you like the feeling of more weight and presence on your wrist, the original Pelagos will be the better pick.  The strength of this piece comes from the fact that it doesn’t make many compromises.

The FXD is also one of those watches that signals a brand’s current direction.  With its release Tudor broadcast its intention to remain a moderately priced tool watch alternative, at least for the time being.  It’s clear they are intent on backfilling the void that Rolex left with its ascent into the higher reaches of the market. This really is the milsub for the current era.

In terms of design and engineering this watch is punching above its weight and undercutting a lot of the competition in the market segment that Tudor inhabits.  And the watch’s renewed military connections signaled the ongoing importance of true professional capabilities to a brand that was increasingly been identified with the more fashion forward BB58. If you flip open the printed version of the current Tudor catalog, the very first family of watches listed is the Pelagos line.  That is not a coincidence. It is central to Tudor’s identity, and both the FXD and the 39 have helped to revive and shape this family.

Yet availability issues continue to plague this watch more than a year after its original release. I may be naive, but I honestly did not expect that. This might suggest that Tudor has learned some of Rolex’s other lessons all too well.  My older brother in LA has been on the wait list for an FXD for more than a year now and his number still has not come up.  These are nice watches, but there is nothing overly complicated about the cases or movements.  And it’s not worth paying much over list to get them. Given the number of other divers Tudor is delivering to its ADs, it’s hard to believe that they could not adjust their production figures if they truly wanted to. 

What should be a moderately priced and very solid (GPHG award winning) tool watch with an interesting story has become a minor hype piece. This also seems to be a core component of Tudor’s modern identity. That is sad as a watch this practical, economical and comfortable should be seen on lots of wrists and not only instagram feeds.