The ceremony was held last night in Geneva, and we’d like to take this opportunity to highlight some key facts and figures about the award-winning Pelagos FXD.
1. 42 mm satin-brushed titanium case with fixed strap bars, machined from a single block, and case back engraved with the Marine nationale (French Navy) logo and the inscription "M.N.21" (Marine nationale 2021), inspired by the original engravings of the 1970s and '80s
2. Bidirectional rotatable bezel in titanium with ceramic insert and grade X1 Swiss Super-LumiNova® luminescent material filled 60-minute retrograde graduation
3. Navy blue matt dial with applied hour markers filled with grade X1 Swiss Super-LumiNova® luminescent material
4. Manufacture Calibre MT5602, certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) with a silicon balance spring and a 70-hour power reserve
5. “Snowflake” hands, one of the hallmarks of the TUDOR divers’ watches introduced in 1969, with grade X1 Swiss Super-LumiNova® luminescent material filling
6. One-piece fabric strap with self-gripping fastening system, navy blue with grey central thread and additional one-piece rubber strap with embossed fabric motif
The Pelagos FXD was created in collaboration with a specialist unit of the French Navy for underwater navigation and is optimised for professional use. Tudor’s relationship with the French Navy dates back to 1956 when the Groupe d’Étude et de Recherches Sous-Marines (G.E.R.S.), a scientific body attached to the French Navy and based in Toulon, took delivery of Oyster Prince Submariner watches in order to assess their technical capabilities in the field.
These watches were deemed "perfect" and their performance "entirely correct" by the G.E.R.S. commanding officer at the time. Persuaded by the potential of the instruments offered by the Genevan brand, he quickly placed more orders, enabling TUDOR to attain the status of "official supplier to the French Navy" in 1961.
TUDOR divers' watches continued to be developed and the French Navy would use many of the brand's timepieces over the following decades.
Today, the most famous TUDOR divers’ watch used by the French Navy is the reference 9401, with its iconic blue dial and bezel. Engraved on the case back with the initials "M.N." followed by the year of issue, the watches were delivered in two configurations, "Snowflake" hands and hour markers and later, with triangular hour markers.
This model was launched in the mid-'70s and was supplied to the French Navy until the 1980s. It continued to be used into the 21st century, particularly at the French Navy's diving school, as well as by combat swimmers. Although officially removed from the French Navy's supply stocks some twenty years ago, it can still be seen today on the wrists of reserve and retired sailors alike. The Pelagos FXD model is inspired by this emblematic reference.
This prize represents the eighth distinction won by TUDOR in 10 years of participation in the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève.
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