When I mention to friends I've bought a Tudor, either one of two answers I'll get. "Love their new stuff that's been coming out. Great brand. I'll want a piece one day" ORRRRRR "Isn't that a poor man's Rolex?". It is painfully time consuming to point out Tudor's merit in recent years to the latter group. Normally I"ll just leave them be. But I find its great for the Tudor name to be an unpretentious well built time keeping device, made from a luxurious parent name. I'm assuming they're akin to how Bentley has moved away from Rolls Royce and built a reputable name themselves, with great product range. It takes time for stereotypical folks to learn this.
So back to the Tudor Pelagos piece in this review (I'm still unsure how to correctly pronounce its name. Is it "puh-La-gos" or "pay-La-gos" or "pel-la-gos"). Its my 1st pricey piece, compared to the many excellent micro brands and Japanese name sake. None of which are terrible, just that they've a smaller marketing budget than this. I'm still for the underdog guys. In a way, looking back, if I hadn't fiddle with a few micros I wouldn't have learnt what my tastes are in watches. This route is slower but more fun in my road to "watch-a-topia"!!!
[Box Packing]
Outer box is light brown fabric-like surface with only the brand's namesake stamped on its top piece. Nothing else. Removing its top cover reveals a layer of laminated PE foam for protection padding. With its inner box made of black smooth matte material, also with the brand stamp on it. Flip open the cover you'll find the watch, placed horizontally, alongside 3 rubber straps with Tudor insignia buckle wrapped in plastic bags (2 piece rubber & divers extension). Additional links, hang tag, warranty card, manual and service booklet completes this simple packaging ensemble.
[Case]
I think a few reviewers mentioned its a Grade 5 titanium, which is more scratch resistant than Grade 2 commonly found in many watches in the market. Unable to confirm this as of yet, probably in another 6 months update review to see how it holds up. Some titanium watches are so light, it feels like a toy watch. Tudor has a steel case back and this brings the overall weight to a good balance. Enough weightage to not feel light. Its entirely a gun metal grey finish and no shiny polished parts can be found, just brushed effect all around the case. When compared to a Submariner, the Pelagos is beefier to look at. Lug strap width is a 22mm non-proprietary design (unlike IWC), suitable for many after market strap.
A Helium Escape Valve is place on the left side of the case, a subtle hint that taking you 500M below sea is a piece of cake. Crown unwinds, turn and locks with good feel.
I couldn't photograph how the case has different brush strokes on the lugs to the crown. Even the edges are sharp from the very detail tooling and finishing work Tudor has done.
[Bezel]
Most ceramic bezels are shiny or has a reflective surface, however Pelagos decided to go the extra mile and made a matte ceramic bezel. This development knowledge helped Tudor create the mobobloc ceramic case for its Fastrider Black Shield model, of which I did contemplate to buy between these two. Turning bezel clicks firmly, not spongy or loose with sufficient tactile feedback. Its got a deeper notch and resistance when the triangle returns to 12 o'clock position. Like a Braille for divers when deep beneath the dark depths. And did I mention it glows brightly too, in BLUE!!! Which I find looks cooler than most of the green luminova.
[Dial]
"Rotor Self-Winding" was something I found to be a descriptive meaning to call what is essentially an automatic watch. But it's not tacky, nor irrelevant, quite creative actually. White square markers are applied and placed in a 3D "parking lot" bay, along the rehaut. When tilted at an angle, the dial looks like the Rome Coliseum with minute lines on the rehaut representing the spectator seating. Date text is black on white background, made to blend a balanced white 3 o'clock marker with 6 and 9 nicely. Snowflake (more like a square than 6 sided snowflake to me) hour and seconds hand complete the minute sword hands, which are longer, circling the circumference barely touching the "Coliseum spectators". The detail, if you look closely, works together to be legible, modern and very unique to a Tudor.
[Movement]
I'm not too OCD about accuracy on my watch; like they must be within chronometer specification or accurate to the atomic clock; otherwise I'll go berserk. As long as it doesn't lose time by a minute a day, I'm normally fine by it. But it seems the ETA 2824-2 used in Pelagos are top grade with modified parts done in-house to increase its shock protection system (This gets too technical for me). Well as long as its easily serviceable and a durable movement, I'm all good. Some disclaim that it should be an in-house movement like its older brother, for its asking price. But doesn't really bother me. And I know that as a Tudor piece, it must've been regulated well to keep time as precise as many others. Winding the titanium crown is smooth, even adjusting hour/minute hands are precise. Without much play or 'loose' feel.
[Bracelet]
Supplied strap options are a bracelet and rubber (with divers extension). However, I found the Tudor issued rubber strap to be rather disappointing (its thin, not flexible, has rubber smell). Very much because of the fact that I have been spoilt by ISOFRANE straps. I think Tudor should offer an ISOFRANE quality strap, as they're a wonderful divers pair. For those who've not tried or used an ISOFRANE, you won't know what you're missing. But if you would want a better and more matching rubber, ISOFRANE will not disappoint. Cheaper than a RubberB too. You may even get addicted to buying a few in different colours.
Bracelet on the other hand is a work of art. It is made of titanium except the clasp which is steel, which is easier to get desk dive scratches. Removing bracelet was a difficult part for me because they're not drilled lugs, and its much easier if you have a tweezer type tool. Also I was too nervous to get the case scratched. Once removed, you'll need to remove the 'connector' link (not sure what its called) so you can fit nato/Isofrane/zulu/leather straps easily.
What's pretty nifty is how the clasp functions and its flexibility for real divers to use. Its pretty difficult to describe, best to view it first hand at your AD and learn this amazingly well made piece of feature on a Pelagos. It doesn't disappoint enthusiast nor beginners. You can choose to set the sizing in one of 3 fits (its got a ceramic ball to do this job), or keep the sizing on a spring-loaded mechanism for The Hulk wrist expansion.
Matching the dull titanium case to a Nato, Zulu, leather or perlon strap you will not find it looking bizarre. Any colour, style and shape I found the Pelagos matching them effortlessly.
[Opposites]
I like how a Pelagos is like an opposite of a Submariner, such as Superman and Bizarro. Just worlds apart but same in essence. What Tudor did was change the dial from round markers into square ones, replicating that design to both hour and second hands giving the Mercedes hour into a snowflake hour (I can't grasp why its called a snowflake still). Creating a matte bezel against a shiny ceramic on Sub. Producing within its history a first titanium case, versus 904L stainless steel case. 42mm Pelagos to a 40mm Submariner (this isn't exactly opposite, but they're not the same either).
That's about all for now. It'll be my Chinese New Year piece for ushering in this Goat year of 2015. I believe I will enjoy it very much.
Will try to do a long term review a couple of months later and see how this piece holds up.
