Evaluate: Tudor Pelagos 39

This in-depth subject evaluate was created throughout a week-long mountaineering journey, with Tudor’s extremely engineered skilled dive watch, the Pelagos 39, on my wrist.

Vacation spot Temporary

Pelagos is a time period derived from the Greek phrase πέλαγος (pélagos), that means “sea” or “excessive seas.” In historical instances, Pelagos referred to an oak forest on the street from Mantineia to Tegea. Apparently, along with the well-known Aspen timber, Oak timber are additionally discovered throughout the Snowmass Wilderness White River Nationwide Forest, the place the Maroon Bells are positioned, serendipitously connecting with the title Pelagos.  

The Maroon Bells are a pair of bell-shaped peaks (Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak), each fourteeners, within the Elk Mountains close to Aspen, Colorado. They’re a distinguished function within the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, and some of the photographed websites in North America. 

Aspen timber are particular for not simply their beautiful leaf colours (lime inexperienced, yellow, and orange), but in addition as a result of their distinctive “quaking leaves” produce a whispering sound within the wind. “Aspens” are additionally identified for his or her white trunks and skill to breed by way of root sprouts, forming massive genetically similar clonal colonies. They play an important position in forest ecosystems as a result of they rapidly regenerate after fires, offering meals and habitat for wildlife. 

Journey Notes

Beginning in Denver, earlier this month, I drove roughly 3.5 hours to Aspen, throughout a time of 12 months when the climate is optimum. The mix of brilliant solar, crisp mountain air (pure air-con), and minimal site visitors (weekday) made the street journey as pleasurable because the vacation spot. With the long-lasting Aspen leaves in bloom — everywhere in the Rocky Mountain area, not simply Aspen — and sunny 60-70 diploma highs every day, I couldn’t have requested for higher climate. I visited many places on this journey, together with Aspen, Maroon Bells, Snowmass, Snowmass Nature Path, Beaver Creek, the Eagle River, the Colorado River, Lake Dillon, Clear Creek Canyon, Georgetown Overlook, Lookout Mountain, and ended again in Denver. The vast majority of the images proven have been taken at Maroon Bells in Aspen-Snowmass, Colorado. In complete, I spent roughly two weeks with the Pelagos 39 (Ref. M25407N-0001), each within the metropolis and within the mountains, earlier than returning the loaner unit to Tudor USA.

First Impressions

Tudor’s Pelagos assortment at present is available in three sizes, making it simpler to tailor-fit the look and ergonomics to totally different wrist shapes, sizes, and private preferences (like a correctly match swimsuit jacket). What stood out to me the second the Pelagos 39 arrived was how a lot the case dimension and proportions resemble a Rolex Submariner. The Submariner is a rugged but skinny sports activities watch — a refined dive watch — which makes the truth that they’re so shut in dimension an enormous advantage of the Pelagos 39 design. Upon first taking maintain of it, I immediately knew I had chosen the proper mannequin and that the (39 mm diameter case) was unquestionably the fitting dimension for my 7″ wrist. Tudor additionally makes 42 mm and 43 mm diameter Pelagos fashions.

Comparisons To Submariner

On a couple of event, I’ve heard Tudor known as the “poor man’s Rolex,” and that’s not totally inaccurate, particularly contemplating it’s Rolex’s better-priced youthful sibling. Nonetheless, crucially, not like a few of the blockier earlier era Pelagos fashions, the Pelagos 39 mm, which arrived in 2022, doesn’t look or really feel like a poor man’s something. I’d go as far as to say it’s maybe probably the most refined Tudor so far, and simply pretty much as good as a Submariner that’s been crafted from titanium, aside from the truth that the Submariner’s not supplied in titanium. The Yachtmaster is the closest factor you may get to a titanium Submariner with the Rolex title on the dial. In case you’re prepared to sacrifice a few of the status and inherent worth retention, Tudor’s Pelagos 39 gives 80% of what makes a Submariner nice (see our evaluate of the Submariner for reference), at about half the worth.

Bracelet and Strap

The Pelagos 39 comes with a 3-link Oyster-style grade 2 titanium bracelet that tapers from 21 mm on the case to 16 mm on the smallest hyperlinks, that includes a Tudor “T-fit” folding clasp that’s 18 mm vast, a security catch, and a diver’s extension. As well as, a black HBNR rubber strap (a fabric you possibly can study extra about right here) with a pin buckle and a diver’s extension is included. There aren’t any quick-release spring bars, so that you’re most suitable choice to alter that is with a tweezer-style spring bar removing device. Having a 21 mm lug width versus the extra commonplace 20 mm shouldn’t be splendid, however there are nonetheless straps accessible in that dimension, together with rubber straps molded to the precise form of the case. The light-weight grade 2 titanium bracelet is great. The T-Match clasp micro-adjustment can come free generally; nonetheless, total, it’s good to have the ability to manually modify backwards and forwards as your wrist dimension adjustments with ease. Keep in mind, this method does add thickness to the clasp, though I by no means discovered it cumbersome or an issue.

Titanium Case

Machined from light-weight Grade 2 titanium, the Pelagos 39 mm case measures 39 mm in diameter, because the title suggests; nonetheless, with the bezel protruding over the sting, it successfully wears prefer it’s 40 mm in diameter. From lug to lug, the gap is 47 mm. Thickness is acknowledged at 11.8 mm; nonetheless, we measured, and it’s truly 12 mm, which suggests Tudor probably subtracted the thickness of the flat sapphire crystal, which protrudes about 0.2 mm above the aircraft of the bezel. Both approach, that is the thinnest Pelagos.

Grade 2 titanium is a commercially pure unalloyed materials that’s barely darker than Grade 5 titanium or stainless-steel. It has a satin-like oxide layer, and in sure gentle it appears like stainless-steel, whereas in different gentle it appears prefer it has a smoked grey look.

In comparison with grade 5 titanium, which is alloyed and has a silver-gray look and is more durable, Grade 2 is softer and extra liable to scratching, though it doesn’t appear to be problematic on this regard, and it’s value noting that every one watches will achieve scratches over time.

In comparison with 316L stainless-steel, grade 2 titanium is usually costlier, and even in comparison with Rolex’s 904L stainless-steel, grade 2 titanium prices extra. That makes the Tudor Pelagos distinctive.

Along with being light-weight and darker than 316L or 904L  stainless-steel, grade 2 titanium has a hotter really feel in opposition to the pores and skin as a result of it has considerably decrease thermal conductivity. Decrease thermal conductivity implies that titanium transfers warmth away out of your pores and skin at a a lot slower fee. Stainless metal has the next thermal conductivity and thus is a greater conductor of warmth; it pulls the heat out of your pores and skin extra rapidly whenever you first contact it, making a colder sensation. This distinction is why titanium is usually most well-liked for medical implants and watches, because it feels extra snug in opposition to the pores and skin. Over time, each metals will finally attain equilibrium along with your physique temperature. Nonetheless, the preliminary distinction in how rapidly they switch warmth is what creates the distinct sensation.

One other advantage of titanium is that it’s extra hypoallergenic than metal as a result of it doesn’t comprise nickel, a typical irritant, and varieties a protecting oxide layer that stops reactions with pores and skin. Titanium is a biocompatible materials, that means it’s well-tolerated by the human physique. 

Tudor gave the Pelagos a stable Grade 2 titanium screw-down crown that measures 7 mm in diameter, and that has ridged edges which can be straightforward to grip. On the finish of the crown is the Tudor defend emblem, raised in reduction. Whenever you unlock the crown and pull it out to wind the mainspring manually or set the time, you will note one of many black gaskets that assist hold water out. Pulling out the crown stops the seconds and lets you set the time with “to the second” precision. As an attention-grabbing design element, Tudor gave the Pelagos 39 pointed crown guards, making it much less probably that you’d inadvertently unlock it, and additional tying it to the Submariner, and offering another reason to like the design.

In-Home Motion

The Pelagos 39 includes a 4Hz in-house Tudor/Kenessi (caliber MT5400) automated 27-jewel motion that’s a COSC-certified chronometer, not the newer METAS-certified Grasp Chronometer. This issues, however not that a lot, contemplating it nonetheless gives unbelievable chronometer precision and a 70-hour energy reserve, which may be recharged by winding the crown manually, or by the bidirectional rotor that robotically winds the mainspring in each instructions. Regardless of COSC-certified chronometers being required to run at -4/+6 seconds per day, Tudor states that this motion is regulated to a extra exact -2/+4 seconds per day, and it’s performed absolutely cased up, no much less. After carrying the Pelagos 39 for 2 weeks, I discovered the timing to be lifeless correct every single day, and even after I set it down for some time, the facility reserve by no means ran out. A traversing steadiness bridge, which is much extra strong than a single arm bridge, helps the steadiness wheel, which has variable inertia weights, permitting watchmakers to exactly regulate the timekeeping. A silicon steadiness spring resists magnetic interference, including to timekeeping stability. This can be a rock-solid motion, which, so far as I can inform, is pretty much as good as any Omega or Rolex, and that’s saying quite a bit.

Subject Notes

This skilled dive watch is rugged and designed for nearly any setting you throw at it, like a subject watch, together with functioning as a compass, aided by the rotating bezel. To make use of an analog watch as a compass, you level the hour hand on the solar, after which discover the midpoint between the hour hand and the 12 o’clock place on the dial. Within the Northern Hemisphere, the midpoint signifies south, whereas within the Southern Hemisphere, it signifies north. A rotating bezel lets you mark the north or south bearing, to higher hold observe of your route.

On the wrist, the Pelagos 39 match completely and felt as if it have been barely there. The T-Match clasp does add thickness to the underside, however not in a approach that felt cumbersome. It additionally appears to steadiness out the bracelet look and provides the watch extra presence.

Studying the dial at a look in each situation, from brilliant solar to complete darkness, was easy, due to the massive arms, indices, and nice luminescence.

For good measure, I briefly examined the Black Bay “Monochrome” to check it with the Pelagos 39 at Tudor Denver, which is run by The 1916 Firm, earlier than occurring my journey. At $4,800, it’s $200 lower than the Pelagos, and appears fairly good, with a extra showy look and extra heft and wrist presence. Comparatively, the Pelagos is barely smaller and far lighter, due to being crafted from grade 2 titanium versus 316L stainless-steel. The Black Bay Monochrome, which measures 41 mm in diameter, and Pelagos 39, which is 39 mm (40 mm with the bezel), are the 2 Tudors I discover to suit my wrist and look the perfect. And each clearly resemble the legendary Rolex Submariner; nonetheless, for me, the Pelagos 39 will get the slight nod due to its device watch look and really feel, and premium light-weight titanium building. Total, the Pelagos 39 case and bracelet look most like a Submariner, regardless of the Black Bay having the Rolex-style steel surrounds and arms.

Execs

• Appears extremely near a Rolex Submariner
• Exudes high quality in each element
• Refined luxurious with no polished elements retains this beneath the radar
• Combination of brushed, sandblasted, sunburst, and satin finishes
• Comes with each a grade 2 titanium bracelet and an built-in rubber strap
• Case materials is hotter to the contact than stainless-steel
• Grade 2 titanium has a barely darker hue than stainless-steel
• The light-weight grade 2 titanium appears like nothing in your wrist
• Ergonomic design makes carrying this a pleasure
• T-Match clasp is straightforward to micro-adjust in 4 x 2 mm increments
• Diver extension is nice for these truly utilizing it for wetsuit base diving
• Grade 2 titanium screw-down crown is straightforward to regulate
• 60-click bezel has grippy notches and a very good mechanism that’s a pleasure to function
• Monobloc ceramic luminescent materials glows extremely brilliant

Cons

• The manufacturing facility bracelet and strap would not have quick-release spring bars
• A 21 mm interlug width makes aftermarket straps more durable to seek out
• COSC-certified however not a METAS-certified Grasp Chronometer
• T-Match clasp can inadvertently modify, particularly when taking it on/off
• T-Match clasp provides bulk to the underside
• Diver’s extension can open inadvertently when taking it on and off
• Titanium can scratch extra simply than stainless-steel or grade 5 titanium
• Monobloc ceramic luminescent materials could not final so long as conventional supplies
• No polished surfaces lead to a much less showy look
• Retail at launch in 2022 was $4,400; it has gone up $600 (13.64%)

Verdict

As I discussed above, the Pelagos 39 is the closest factor to a titanium Submariner, at round half the worth. No, it’s not a Rolex and won’t retain worth the way in which a Rolex does. But, it was created by the makers of Rolex, and I do suppose their refined Kaizen — steady enchancment by way of small adjustments — strategy to watchmaking and advertising will lead to increased worth retention over time.

Sure, I did nitpick fairly a number of issues as a result of that’s me being honest and neutral, and offering you with correct intel. But I can guarantee you, nothing I discovered is a dealbreaker, and I give the Pelagos 39 my highest suggestion. It’s actually improbable.

The Tudor Pelagos 39 (Ref. M25407N-0001) retails for $5,000.

Be taught extra at Tudor.

 

SPECIFICATIONS:

Tudor Pelagas 39

Reference: M25407N-0001

Yr: 2025 (launched 2022)

Complete Weight:  110.78  grams

Case Materials: grade 2 titanium (pure unalloyed)

Case Diameter:  40 mm, together with 1 mm bezel overhang (39 mm acknowledged)

Case Thickness: 12 mm (11.8 mm acknowledged)

Lug-to-lug:  47 mm

Crown Diameter: 7 mm (screw-down)

Glass: flat sapphire crystal

Motion: caliber MT5400 (discover accuracy score), bi-directional winding automated, 4Hz, 27 jewels, 70-hour energy reserve, (COSC)

Depth Score: 200 meters

Bracelet: grade 2 titanium (pure unalloyed) 21 mm at lugs, 18 mm clasp width, 16 mm hyperlink width. Contains a security catch, a diver’s extensions, and a T-Match micro-adjustment of the clasp with no device, with about 8 mm of motion

Strap: features a manufacturing facility HBNR black rubber strap with a titanium deployant clasp and finish hyperlinks

 

Score: Collector Grade

(Grades: Funding, Collector, Fanatic, Ungraded)