Tudor Pelagos FXD GMT Review - Function First, Everything Else Follows

While I’m no expert on military-specification watches or military timing instruments in general, I know instantly whether I like a watch or not. Press images don’t always do a watch justice, and that was precisely the case with the Tudor Pelagos FXD GMT. On paper, it seemed great, but it looked a little underwhelming at first – until I tried it on. And slowly, everything started to make sense. So, I decided to break down what made me change my mind, in the hope of shedding a clearer light on this tool watch.

Tudor Pelagos FXD GMT: Military-Inspired Design & Purpose

Naming conventions aside, the Pelagos FXD GMT is, at its core, a purpose-built tool watch –designed to be used in both training and real combat scenarios.

That means it needs to be reliable, robust, and legible.

Tudor Pelagos FXD GMT: Case Size, Wearability & On-Wrist Comfort

It has a largish 42mm-wide titanium case, and the finish is understated, as expected from a tool watch. That said, Tudor's craftsmanship remains impressive, with everything feeling rock-solid. The titanium bezel, slightly wider than the case at 42.7mm, is fitted with a matte black ceramic insert featuring beige-coloured 24-hour numerals. In contrast to the hands and markers, the numerals and markers on the bezel glow green at night.

The fixed lugs of the case extend its lug-to-lug measurement to a substantial 51.2mm. Naturally, dimensions and proportions can be perceived differently depending on the watch’s construction and shape, and the Pelagos FXD GMT doesn’t necessarily wear like a watch over 50mm long. That said, it did feel larger than anticipated, though not overwhelmingly so. The flexible textile strap does a commendable job of enhancing its wearability, but there’s no getting around the fact that this is a sizeable timepiece.

Tudor Pelagos FXD GMT: MT5652-U Movement, COSC & METAS Certification

The solid titanium caseback is engraved with the emblem of the Aéronautique Navale and conceals the MT5652-U manufacture movement.

As part of Tudor’s continued commitment to precision, the movement carries both COSC Chronometer and METAS Master Chronometer certifications.

Tudor Pelagos FXD GMT Review: Final Verdict

Admittedly, I was quite sceptical when I first saw the press images of the Pelagos FXD GMT. However, after spending about a week with it on my wrist, my opinion shifted for the better. It is a very well-executed, solidly built watch with strong real-world usability.

Is it flawless? No, it isn’t. I think that it sits a bit high on the wrist, partly due to its overall thickness and the added bulk from the strap looping underneath the case, which adds another mm to the overall height. That said, if you're looking for a robust, highly legible titanium GMT watch, the Pelagos FXD GMT is, quite simply very good.

So, have I switched sides from my personal Black Bay GMT to the Pelagos FXD GMT? Well, no. But it’s refreshing to have my preferences challenged, and I have to admit that it was a close call. But, if I were in the market today for a new GMT, it would be a very close contest between the Black Bay GMT and the Pelagos GMT and that says a lot about how good the Pelagos GMT really is.