Introducing: The Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono “Pink” — Pretty In Pink With A Cycling Twist
What’s the best cycling stage race in the world? Don’t say it’s the Tour de France because, I’m sorry, that’s wrong. The correct answer is the Giro d’Italia, or “the world’s most beautiful bike race.” Never was a nickname so accurate. It all started in 1909, and the coming weekend sees the start of the 108th edition. Tudor is the official timekeeper of the three-week race. Since the watchmaker is also the proud name-giving sponsor of a participating team, releasing a Giro d’Italia-themed watch seems appropriate. And that’s why the brand is introducing the Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono “Pink,” a run of 300 watches in black carbon and showing pink details.
Frequent Fratello readers might know the Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono “Cycling Edition” has a special place in my heart. I wore it during the challenging Chasing Cancellara race from Bern to Zermatt, and unlike me, the 43mm carbon-cased chronograph performed flawlessly. The combination of black and red works incredibly well because of the subtle use of the contrasting hue. The Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono “Pink” proves that having pink color details on the dial is even cooler.
Last year’s winner’s watch
Introducing the Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono “Pink” — Tadej wore it first!
I could have known the cycling-oriented Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono would look even better with a twist of pink instead of red. Last year, cycling phenomenon Tadej Pogačar won the Giro d’Italia, and on the podium in Rome, Tudor presented him with a special version of the Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono. The watch was announced as a “one of one” pink edition specifically made to honor the Slovenian’s achievement. Well, now there are 300 more — or maybe 301 because Tudor might gift the race’s eventual winner a watch.
Michael Storer, the winner of this year’s Tour of the Alps stage race, not wearing a Tudor watch
Tadej won’t bag a second watch because he’s not participating this year, but one of the shadow favorites to win is Tudor Pro Cycling’s Michael Storer. The Australian has shown great form and could upset outright favorites, such as Primož Roglič and Juan Ayuso.
Pretty in pink
The Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono “Pink” (ref. M25827KNRS) is essentially a Pelagos FXD Chrono “Cycling Edition” but with pink details instead of red and a black strap with a pink stripe instead of a full-black one-piece fabric strap. What didn’t change is the 43 × 53 × 13.2mm carbon case that holds the automatic caliber MT5813. Based on Breitling’s famous B01, this movement is a COSC-certified chronometer with a 70-hour power reserve.
I know the changes are minute, but the matte black dial with pink accents appeals to me. I like the color pink, especially when it’s associated with cycling. For example, I own two bikes with pink color details. That’s why I also get excited about what some might call a very lazy design exercise. I don’t care about the laziness if the result is so handsome. A look at the new iteration also reminds me how nicely the tachymeter scale “wraps” around the dial in a spiral. I will never use it to measure my average speed, but it looks good and is a nice touch. So is its cycling-specific layout.
Just like the watch that kept ticking despite the atrocious weather conditions and remained easy to read during the late, gloomy hours of the afternoon thanks to the large Snowflake hands filled with Grade X1 Super-LumiNova, the new Pelagos FXD Chrono “Pink” is a lightweight and rugged tool watch that can withstand three weeks of intense cycling at the highest level. Just like the standard version, the price of the 300-piece Pelagos FXD Chrono “Pink” is €5,550.
Please let me know the following: who’s going to win this year’s Giro, and what do you think of Tudor’s pink-accented cycling chrono?
