While much of the 21st century was dominated by colossal watches seemingly designed for men with wrists the size of tree trunks — like the IWC Big Pilot, Hublot Big Bang, and pretty much anything by Panerai — the past few years have seen the release of slightly smaller timepieces that nod to vintage aesthetics. Among them, the Oris Divers Sixty Five, Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222, and last year’s Rolex Explorer 1.
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Now, Swiss watchmaker Tudor has updated its dive watch offering. Stepping out of the shadow of older brother Rolex (as well as the ever-popular Tudor Black Bay), the Tudor Pelagos 39 is its own watch. Crafted from grade 2 titanium (the only watch in the Tudor or Rolex stable to utilise the material), the Tudor Pelagos 39 measures in at — you guessed it! — 39mm; 3mm smaller than the original.
The Tudor Pelagos bloodline began ten years ago, as a utilitarian tool watch that catered to highly specialised and niche dives. While functionality is still the focus, the Tudor Pelagos 39 aims wider than its predecessors, acting as a traditional mechanical divers’ watch. Unlike the 500m water resistance of the original Pelagos, the Pelagos 39 is resistant to 200m; still more than enough for the urban audience it’s designed for.
The titanium Tudor Pelagos 39 features a satin-brushed case, in line with the rest of the Pelagos family. Unlike the matte finishes of the rest of the Pelagos line, the dial of the Pelagos 39 has a sunray satin finish, complemented by the black ceramic bezel insert which also has a sun-brushed effect. Rather than wrapping around the markers, the rehaut of the Pelagos 39 Is gently sloped with sandblasted markings. The dial also deviates from the original by doing away with the date window – this might be a deal breaker for some, but it works to enhance the design purity of the timepiece by keeping things symmetrical (while letting it maintain thinner proportions).
The signature Tudor snowflake hands are coated in Super LumiNova, while the applied square hour markers are made from monobloc luminescent ceramic composite. Like the Rolex Submariner, the ‘Pelagos’ name appears in cherry red, standing out from the otherwise black and white dial. The Tudor Pelagos 39 is powered by the Calibre MT5400, a COSC-certified movement with a 70-hour power reserve.
Although all watches are ostensibly unisex, the larger proportions of most dive watches often preclude them from being worn by women (or smaller-wristed men for that matter). The Tudor Pelagos 39 not only caters to a wide array of wrist sizes but makes the Pelagos more accessible by doing away with some of the more specialised functions in favour of a watch that’s equally at home in the boardroom and at the beach.
Words by John Deckard
