The Perfect Tool Watch: The TUDOR Pelagos

Our TUDOR showrooms in Wilmslow and Guildford act as the perfect environments to explore the brand's unique heritage, their pioneering creativity and the exceptional models included in their collection. Here, we discover more about the TUDOR Pelagos collection.

Launched in 2012, the Pelagos pays homage to TUDOR’s long history of making cutting-edge and robust diving watches. TUDOR started its journey in 1926 as a physical manifestation of Hans Wilsdorf’s idea to create a high-quality wristwatch at a more modest price.

Taking inspiration from the Rolex Oyster, in 1952 TUDOR launched the groundbreaking Oyster Prince. This was the first TUDOR wristwatch to feature the revolutionary waterproof oyster case and housed a movement with a self-winding ‘perpetual’ rotor. Following the success of the Oyster prince, in 1954, the brand’s first divers’ watch was created in the shape of the TUDOR Oyster Prince Submariner (reference 7922). Designed to be in line with the brands core philosophy, the TUDOR Oyster Prince Submariner fulfilled the exceptional criteria of reliability, durability, waterproofness (up to 100 metres) and chronometric precision. This was offered at a moderate price, which made it an instrument of choice for professionals. 

The early generations of the TUDOR Submariners were numerous and saw regular advances in performance. A notable example is the reference 7924, a watch that in 1958, saw its maximum functional immersion depth double: from 100 metres to 200 metres. The addition of pointed crown guards the following year on the reference 7928, formed the classic silhouette that still inspires the watches of today. 

In 1969 the TUDOR Prince Oysterdate Submariner (reference 7021) was launched and it is from this reference that the TUDOR Pelagos draws most of its aesthetic characteristics. The dial featured square shaped, tritium hour markers and the hands boasted the now iconic “Snowflake” motif. The square shapes given to the hour markers and hands provided more surface for the luminescent material and thus, provided enhanced clarity to the wearer, especially when submerged. The watch also saw a change in calibre, when the calibre 390 was replaced by the ETA 2484. The Plexiglass crystal was no longer domed but flat, thick and prominent and also featured the Cyclops magnifying lens above the date aperture at 3 o’clock.

Fast forward to 2012 and TUDOR’s modern age tool watch was born in the form of the Pelagos ref. 25500TN.State of the art manufacturing techniques allowed TUDOR to push the boundaries again, increasing waterproofness substantially from 200 metres to an incredible 500 metres. In addition, TUDOR opted to construct much of the watch from grade two Titanium, a metal that is twice as light as steel but with similar strength and a high resistance to corrosion. The uni-directional rotatable bezel featured an insert formed from a cutting-edge ceramic material, which is highly scratch resistant and is permeated with a white luminescent material in its graduations. This reference was extremely well received due to its many great features, but it was in 2015 when the Pelagos reached the acclamation it truly deserved. 

In 2015, TUDOR began to develop and manufacture their own in-house movements. The MT5621 was used for the North Flag and the MT5612 for the Pelagos. The upgrade from its ETA movement to the newly developed in-house calibre propelled the TUDOR Pelagos to new heights and it started to be regarded as one of the best tool watches in the industry. As a result, the TUDOR Pelagos received the “Sports watch prize” at the 2015 prestigious Grand Prix D’Horlogerie de Geneve. 

The TUDOR Pelagos collection was created and developed in collaboration with a large panel of divers. This was to ensure that the manufacturing of TUDOR’s exceptional materials was put to the test, utilising real life scenarios, much like the methods Hans Wilsdorf himself used in the early days.

In its current form, the TUDOR Pelagos collection consists of three variations: 25600TN the very classic black dial and bezel, the 25600TB, with the blue dial and bezel, and the newest addition to the collection, the 25610TNL- a “left-handed” version of the watch.      

All variations feature a 42mm Titanium case, with a stainless-steel case back and a helium escape valve on the side of the case at 9 o’clock, an essential device for preserving the watch during “saturation” dives. The case has a beautiful satin finish and elegant bevelled edges, a statement that further proves the fact that TUDORs’ attention to detail is absolute. The Titanium bracelet has the same satin finish, giving the Pelagos the “tool-watch” look. It is issued with an additional rubber strap with buckle and an extra divers’ extension. To finish the ensemble, a patented auto-adjustable buckle completes the timepiece.

The in-house TUDOR movements, the calibres MT5612 and MT5612-LHD offer high-performance with superb precision and proven robustness. Beating at a frequency of 28,800 beats/hour, these calibres also offer a 70-hour power reserve and they are certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC).

If you would like to discover more about the TUDOR Pelagos or the entire TUDOR collection, you may contact our showrooms in Wilmslow or Guildford, where a dedicated member of our team will be able to discuss the TUDOR collection with you further.