Tudor has announced the new Pelagos FXD GMT "ZULU TIME" to meet the needs of the French Naval Aviation Corps. The Pelagos FXD was developed in collaboration with the French Navy Special Forces, and this model, based on that, has been adapted to meet the requirements of the French Naval Aviation Corps by adding a GMT display and achieving Master Chronometer certification. Like the previous Pelagos FXD, the strap attachment is fixed (hence the name) and is paired with an olive-colored strap to match the color of the French Naval Aviation Corps' flight suits.
Tudor's partnership with the French Navy
Tudor began supplying diver's watches to the French Navy in 1956, and became an official supplier in 1961. Among the models supplied was the famous Reference 9401, supplied from the mid-1970s to the 1980s, featuring the iconic blue dial and bezel, as well as the "snowflake" hands that are now the icon of the Black Bay. To commemorate this historic partnership, the Pelagos FXD was announced in 2021 as a model for underwater navigation, developed in collaboration with the French Navy's combat divers.
Automatic movement (Cal. MT5652-U). 28 jewels. 28,800 vph. Power reserve approximately 65 hours. Ti case (diameter 42mm, thickness 12.7mm). Water resistant to 200m. Price: 689,700 yen (tax included).
Zulu time can be displayed as the reference time for missions.
The latest model announced is the Pelagos FXD GMT "ZULU TIME," developed in collaboration with the French Naval Aviation Corps. Crafted from grade 2 titanium with a diameter of 42mm and a thickness of 12.7mm, it features a bidirectional rotating bezel with a 24-hour scale and an added GMT display function. In the military, particularly in aviation, GMT (more precisely, Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)) is often used as the standard rather than local time, and this is also the case with the French Naval Aviation Corps. This standard time is known as Zulu time in military terms, from which the name of this watch is derived.
The bidirectional rotating bezel is set so that "24" is at the 12 o'clock position, and the red GMT hand with a triangular pointer at its tip is aligned with the bezel's indication to display Zulu time. The hour and minute hands are set to local time, displaying two time zones. From here, by rotating the rotating bezel to set the third time zone's gain or loss relative to Zulu time, it is possible to check the time in three different regions simultaneously. The hour, minute, and second hands and the indexes on the dial are painted with blue luminous paint, while the tips of the 24-hour display and GMT hand on the bezel are painted with green luminous paint, making them easy to identify at a glance, even in the dark.
Highly practical, certified Master Chronometer
To ensure accuracy and reliability even in a cockpit filled with time-sensing devices, this model is equipped with high magnetic resistance and has been certified as a Master Chronometer, which has been verified through testing to ensure accuracy within a certain range even in high magnetic fields and other harsh conditions. It also features a long power reserve of approximately 65 hours, making it "weekend proof," making it extremely practical.
Comfortable fit and iconic fixed strap bar
The grade 2 titanium case makes it lightweight, and its 42mm diameter and 12.7mm thickness ensure sufficient strength and water resistance to 200m, while still being compact enough to make it comfortable to wear.
As the name FXD suggests, the strap bar is fixed, with loops at the lugs, as is typical. This is where the olive-colored strap is threaded, reminiscent of the flight suits worn by pilots of the French Naval Aviation. In the past, Tudor delivered watches to the French Navy without a bracelet or strap, and the crew would attach their own custom straps, including handmade ones. The strap on this model pays homage to this history.
The strap fabric is made on 19th-century looms by Julien Fert, a family-run company in Saint-Étienne, France, for over 150 years, and the pin buckle and keepers are crafted from the same grade 2 titanium as the case.
