A new Pelagos? David Beckham’s IG story might be an indicator

Instagram watchspotter @nicoloy quickly pointed out to online magazine DMARGE that David Beckham’s Instagram Story may have shown a yet-to-be-released version of the Tudor Pelagos. The screen grab shows a no-date dial with hash marks around the entirety of the bezel insert. The dial and bezel appear to be a darker navy color as opposed the brighter blue on the current blue Pelagos.

In addition Beckham’s watch has just four lines of text on the bottom half of the dial instead of the five lines of text on the current in-house version of the Pelagos. Personally, I’d be very excited to see a new version of the Pelagos along these lines. For me a no-date Pelagos in a darker blue would likely put by Black Bay 58 navy in jeopardy. I don’t have a titanium watch in my current collection and I was a past happy owner of the ETA Pelagos, so I know how it feels on the wrist already. It’s rock solid and I happen to like relatively bigger watches if they are in the dive genre.

Photo by @gla3rd

I’m not sure about the hash marks going all the way around the bezel insert. When Rolex does it with dots, as opposed to the lines seen in Beckham’s IG Story, I think it looks very cool as seen on the Sea-Dweller 4000. I think I’d prefer a cleaner look with the traditional has marks only extending to the 15-minute mark on the bezel. But I’ll reserve judgement and wait to see it in person (if Beckham’s model makes it into production).

The darker blue is certainly more versatile but I am drawn to the electric blue of the current Pelagos too. Overall, I’m a big fan of navy in general and it will go well with the matte grey titanium finish of the case and bracelet. Time + Tide Watches observed: “while a pixelated image it appears to be clear that the hour indices are not recessed within framed stepped borders. The indices also appear to be fully printed versus being applied to the dial.” A fully printed dial would be a nice look but the Pelagos is known for its multidimensional applied markers.

Photo by Bulang & Sons

The article also noted that Beckham’s watch has a thinner bezel and rehaut, perhaps a sign that a new Pelagos would also come with a smaller case size. Many in the watch collector community have been expressing their desire for a smaller Pelagos and Black Bay GMT. The current 42mm case works well because the Pelagos offers one of the most technically impressive packages, including 500m of water resistance, amazing bezel action and a clasp that is spring loaded. 

Ultimately, I am simply excited that Tudor may be unveiling new product soon. The brand has grown tremendously since its North American rebirth in 2013 and each year they’ve been able to captivate the watch enthusiast community. The Pelagos line may be on the brand’s most distinct designs and its continued evolution is intriguing to see unfold.