Sailing and watchmaking may seem like distant and unrelated worlds to some, yet this is far from the first crossover episode between the two worlds. Dating back to the 1960s, Regatta Timer functions began appearing from a range of smaller watch brands, providing wrist-worn timers for the start of sailing races. These days, timing and other metrics for races such as the America’s Cup are handled by on-board electronics, however there’s still value in teams like Alinghi Red Bull Racing sporting their own wristwatches. That in mind, TUDOR became the timekeeping sponsor position of the team in 2022, and brought to life a pair of dedicated watches to celebrate the partnership the following year.
The TUDOR Pelagos FXD Alinghi Red Bull Racing Editions — a time-only reference and a chronograph — take advantage of the resilient structure of the fixed-lug FXD case developed by TUDOR a few years earlier. By using this case construction and a pass-through strap design, the risk of the watch breaking free on account of impact (say, from falling into the water and/or striking part of the boat when falling) is all but eliminated. Impressive as it is, it isn’t the only feature that makes these editions special.
Considering the watches are meant to be worn by the top-tier athletes driving the Alinghi Red Bull Racing AC75 race boat, TUDOR turned to the team for further inspiration. These high performance boats are built using a proprietary blend of carbon, titanium and stainless steel to give shape to its hull that leaps out of the water at speed.
Those same materials are used to craft the cases of the Pelagos FXD models, which similarly combine a high-tech carbon composite for the case and bezel insert, with titanium for the bezel, crown, and chronograph pushers. 316L stainless steel is then used for the case back and movement holder. This change in materials — the standard Pelagos is entirely made of titanium — makes the new Pelagos FXD editions lighter than their standard counterparts. Though this is a sport where every last bit of advantage matters, we can assume the material difference in these watches isn’t enough to impact the speed of the boat. Despite this fact, it’s still impressive to see TUDOR introducing more new materials into its repertoire.
In a similar vein, TUDOR looks back to it’s rich watchmaking history for the internal performance of these watches. Both are fitted with in-house manufacture calibres produced at TUDOR’s new facility that opened three years ago in Le Locle, Switzerland. The MT6302 (for the 3-hand) and MT5813 (for the chronograph) are hard-working modern calibres with 70-hour power reserves, and both of which bear certification by COSC — the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute — for guaranteed accuracy.
With these two references, TUDOR continues to double down on its commitment to sport and competition on the global scene. Much like its partnerships in pro cycling and Formula 1, these Alinghi Red Bull editions create a special connection between watchmaking and the world of America’s Cup sailing races. Whether you’re a sailing fan or not, the two watches are impressive additions to the core collection Pelagos FXD models.
Learn more about the TUDOR Pelagos FXD Alinghi Red Bull Racing Editions here.
The post Ready, Set, Sail: Meet The TUDOR Pelagos FXD Alinghi Red Bull Racing Editions appeared first on Sharp Magazine.
