The Best Tudor Watch You Haven’t Bought Yet: The Tudor Pelagos
So you’ve decided you want a Tudor, but you don’t know which one to invest in. You like the commanding silhouette of the Pelagos, but it’s hard to resist a watch as versatile as the Tudor BB58. Allow us to offer an argument in favor of the Pelagos, a hard-hitting tool watch that’s been overshadowed by the beloved Black Bay lines.
Both the Tudor Black Bay and the Tudor Pelagos were both released in 2012, two years after Tudor’s revitalization. They’re two sides of a well-designed coin. The Pelagos is a no-holds-barred dive watch, and the BB58 is a modified Sub-style watch with seriously good looks.
In fact, the BB58 is so good looking that it’s attracted some serious attention. Collectors have made it a must-add to their arsenal, and the Tudor Pelagos often gets left behind in its shadow. Here are a few reasons the Tudor Pelagos is the best watch you haven’t bought yet.
That Titanium Case
The Tudor Pelagos came out the same year David Guetta’s song “Titanium” was released, and we like to think it’s not a coincidence. “You shoot me down, but I won’t fall/I am titanium” Sia intones. She was probably talking about the ultralight 42mm titanium case and bracelet on the Tudor Pelagos, right? It’s the first watch in the Rolex family made in titanium, which is notable in its own right. It’s true that the lightweight metal does make it slightly more prone to scratches. However, the all-titanium construction and brushed matte finish means those scratches are more easily and effectively buffed out than scratches on stainless steel. The positives of a titanium case far outweigh the negatives, in our view. This 500-meter diver doesn’t weigh down the wrist like an anchor, making it a great choice for everyday wear. If you do take it diving, the extra ounces off the arm are a boon for navigating easily.
Tudor’s In-House Movement
When the Tudor Pelagos was released, it had an ETA 2824 under the hood. That’s a respectable, workhorse movement, but in 2015 Tudor upgraded the Pelagos with Tudor’s proprietary movement, the MT5612. Tudor’s in-house movement offers an upgrade to a 70-hour power reserve (from the ETA 2824’s 38-hour). It retains the 4Hz balance and adds another bearing to bring the total to the nice round number of 26 jewels. All of this for under five grand makes this watch extremely desirable and relatively attainable.
Classic Dive Watch Details
Sorry, BB58. The Tudor Pelagos got all the best bells and whistles, and that includes a blindingly bright Chromalite blue lume. The super bright, long-lasting lume has gained some ardent fans, who also love that the bezel itself is lumed. The unidirectional bezel is unexpectedly and delightfully beveled and operates with grippy, solid clicks. The crown has pointed guards, and Tudor even shows some love for left-handed collectors by offering an optional left-side crown placement. The dial on the Pelagos is a thing of beauty, with solid square indices, signature snowflake hands, and a subtle unmagnified date window that even a no-date fan can’t object to.
A Deep Dive Watch That Deserves Deep Appreciation
The name Pelagos is a homage to the Greek word for deep sea, and still waters definitely run deep on the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight’s fraternal twin. Although BB58’s retro styling will always have our hearts, it’s worth paying closer attention to the quiet confidence of the Tudor Pelagos.
Written by Meghan Clark
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