BaselWorld 2012: Tudor Pelagos

 

Deep Sea Diver. The Tudor Heritage Black Ray will probably wind as my favorite watch announced at BaselWorld 2012, though the red bezel throws me off a bit. The watch looks like a vintage Rolex. Those looking for a more contemporary, and distinctively Tudor design may prefer the Tudor Pelagos. The Tudor Pelagos still follows the classic divers watch design, but with a Titanium case, 500 meter water resistance rating and helium gas escape valve it incorporates the features found in a modern day mechanical divers watch.

Tudor Pelagos. The Tudor Pelagos has a distinctively Tudor snowflake dial, with the square hour markers. The dial displays the date at the three o'clock position. The case is 42 mm in diameter and is made from titanium. The watch also has a helium escape valve.  

Helium Gas Release Valve. In order to carry out their work, COMEX divers spent prolonged periods in diving bells under pressure breathing a gas mix that contains helium. Helium molecules are the second smallest found in nature an thus works its way even water resistant watches. When a diver resurfaces, the helium which built up inside the watch starts to expand quicker than it can escape, leading to an increase in pressure inside the watch. The pressure in the watch would blow the crystal straight out of the case.

In collaboration with COMEX, Rolex developed a helium gas release valve. This would allow the built up helium gases to escape. The first watch Rolex developed for COMEX was a Submariner Ref. 5513 outfitted with a helium gas release valve. In 1972, Rolex built the Ref. 5514 exclusively for COMEX.

Inside the titanium case is a self-winding ETA 2824 movement which produces 28,800 vibrations per hour and has a 38 hour power reserve. 

The Tudor Pelagos is supplied with a steel bracelet and and a rubber strap. 

 

Tudor. Tudor is the second brand of Rolex. Both brands, Rolex and Tudor, were fathered by Hans Wilsdorf. Rolex was founded in 1905 while Tudor was established in in 1946. In the 1990's a decision was made to allow Tudor to develop its own brand identity and Tudor watches today are distinctively different in appearance from their Rolex counterparts.