I am very excited. This is my first-ever solo hands on watch review filmed in my new Time+Tide New York City Studio, and I am psyched because this will allow us to bring you even more on the channel. Your first is always special, so I wanted to run through a watch I suspect many of you would really like a closer look at and were probably excited about upon its debut in late October: the Tudor Pelagos FXD GMT Zulu Time.Some quick context: the FXD line entered the Tudor catalogue in 2021 – an exciting turning point for the brand in which we saw a shift away from it being the Black Bay brand to a rebellious child of Wilsdorf, willing to do things Rolex is much less quick to adopt or never have. Materials like titanium, bronze, ceramic, and precious metal came into the catalogue, and Tudor’s (Kenissi) manufacture calibres uplifted offerings beyond the limitations of your more stock-standard Sellita and ETA. FXD is shorthand for “fixed”, in reference to the fixed bars found on the case – a nod to the military configurations where there was no concern of spring bars popping off the case and, in turn, no fears of the watch accidentally coming off your wrist. The collection has since expanded, with most of the novelties aligned with the French Marine Nationale – this GMT in particular with French Naval Aviation. That’s enough of a history lesson, let’s dive into the specs.The Pelagos FXD GMT Zulu Time is encased in titanium, as we have seen previously, and is once again 42mm in diameter. This is, however, the first FXD with a GMT complication, which would presumably make the watch thicker. Actually, it’s quite slender for a diver’s GMT watch at 12.7mm, though it does carry an intimidating, at least for me, 52mm?lug-to-lug measurement – but more on that later. It’s also notably the first Master Chronometer-certified FXD, driven by the automatic MT5652-U Kenissi-made movement. Tudor reference geeks may recognise the designation as the same calibre that is listed inside of the 41mm Tudor Black Bay GMT, minus the U.What I find interesting though is that the Black Bay GMT is 14.6mm thick, versus the 12.7mm thickness of the FXD GMT, and the Black Bay GMT is listed as having 70 hours of power reserve, whereas the MT5652-U is listed to have 65 hours. I am not complaining about the loss of the five hours, and I certainly prefer a thinner watch. I’m more curious as to what exactly was changed in the calibre’s Master Chronometer-certified evolution.The no-frills matte black dial is livened up by creamy accents found in the luminous hands and bi-directional ceramic 24-hour bezel, another fitting first for the FXD, considering it is a GMT watch. Many associate this creamy makeover with the left-handed LHD Pelagos, as well as with vintage patination. Some may have wished for a crisp white in its place, but I just like what the cream brings to the dial. It does not evoke fauxtina romanticism as much for me as it simply just looks nice. The orange GMT hand, which feels like a bit of a cheeky shot across the bow to the Rolex Explorer II, suits the aesthetic and functionality of the watch – pairing nicely with the creamy lume and very legible against the black dial.A key element I want to shout out is that previous FXD watches have all been affixed to fabric straps fastened by velcro-style closures (with the exception of one FXD Chrono). This is not something I particularly loved, as with my smaller wrist, I had to really pull the strap in and have a fair bit of fabric hanging off. With the GMT, you have a monotone green strap that is fastened to the wrist with a case-matching pin buckle – which, with my 6.5-inch or so wrist, I find myself at either the second to last or third to last hole of the strap. However, with the bullseye branded catcher, I am able to keep the remaining fabric held perfectly, and it is not extending to a point where it would look like I am giving the case bangs.My concern with the FXD has always been its 52mm lug-to-lug span. But I have to say, for the category of the watch, I think I can pull it off, and at least in the third perspective, the clearance on my wrist (meaning that the lugs are not hanging over) is totally fine. If it was a dress watch, it would look silly, but with this military GMT it looks appropriate. In the week or so I had the watch, the movement is living up to its certification, gaining around 3 seconds per day, which is fantastic.At the end of the day, anyone still concerned about the size of the Tudor Pelagos FXD GMT Zulu Time still has the Black Bay 58 GMT as a very viable option. But my biggest takeaway, having had a chance to wear this watch for some time, is that it is not as intimidating in profile as you may rightfully expect. On a bracelet, which I usually prefer, it may have been a different story, but Tudor nailed with this fabric strap, and its fabric straps are best in class – super comfortable on the wrist. With its price of US$4,625, considering its titanium case, METAS movement, and distinguished military FXD appeal, the FXD GMT is not an alternative to the Explorer II, in my opinion. It is an equal competitor – perhaps better – and available for a fraction of the price.Tudor Pelagos FXD GMT Zulu Time pricing and availabilityThe Tudor Pelagos FXD GMT Zulu Time is available from all Tudor retailers and authorised dealers now. Price: US$4,625BrandTudorModelPelagos FXD GMT Zulu TimeCase Dimensions42mm (D) x 12.7mm (T) x 52mm (LTL)Case MaterialGrade 2 titanium case, grade 5 titanium case backWater Resistance200 metres, screw-down crownCrystal(s)Sapphire frontDialMatte blackStrapGreen fabric strap, pin buckle closureMovementMT5652-U, Kenissi-made, automatic, METASPower Reserve65 hoursFunctionsHours, minutes, seconds, date, GMTAvailabilityNowPriceUS$4,625
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