We knew some big moments would come as Tudor notches its impressive 100th anniversary as a brand this year, and this is one of them: the revival of the North Flag. The aptly named collection has come to serve as the north star for Tudor’s modern offerings and set the tone for the brand in the past decade. When the model first debuted in 2015, it marked the first Tudor watch to house an in-house movement coupled with an exhibition caseback to show it off.
The COSC-certified Caliber MT5621 that powered the original was just the jumping off point for Tudor to upgrade models across its catalog with manufacture movements and chronometer certification. Now, in the newly revived North Flag line, we get even greater attention on technical capabilities with METAS certification, giving it Master Chronometer status, as well as the addition of a GMT complication.
Despite the advancements we’ve seen throughout the North Flag collection and in the newest edition today, the model remains deeply rooted in Tudor’s history and makes for a fitting addition to its 100th anniversary offerings. The Ranger II from 1973 has served as the historic touchpoint for the collection since its inception.
There are several key design codes that create a throughline from the Ranger II to the original North Flag and now the latest edition. These include the black dial with large Arabic numeral hour markers, the arrow-shaped 24-hour and hours hands coupled with an angular seconds hand and a baton-shaped minutes hand (a combination deemed “Northflag” hands), and lastly, the integrated bracelet. Within these core elements, Tudor has made subtle improvements, like rendering the hour markers in monobloc luminous ceramic and pairing them with a rehaut sporting a 24-hour graduation angled at 45 degrees. The handset also gets a luminescent treatment with Grade A Swiss Super-LumiNova, and the two-link bracelet is now fitted with Tudor’s T-fit rapid adjustment clasp.
With the new edition of the North Flag, Tudor highlights the nuances and level of detail that can go into an integrated bracelet design. Here, the case and bracelet must appear to work together in perfect harmony. To achieve the visually continuous effect between the bracelet and case, matching design details have been conceived for the case, starting with the finish, featuring various types of satin brushes depending on the part of the case. Mirroring the bracelet execution, polished chamfers highlight the top of the lugs and bezel respectively. The subtly cone-shaped winding crown also is rendered in a matte finish with a combination of satin-brushing and bead-blasting.
Inside the 40mm stainless steel case of the new North Flag, you’ll find the Manufacture Caliber MT5652-U displaying hours, minutes, seconds, the date, and GMT functions. The movement boasts both COSC and METAS certification and offers a “weekend proof” power reserve of 65 hours. The model brings Tudor one step closer to its goal of its entire catalog being Master Chronometer certified.
Altogether, the next evolution of the North Flag presents some subtle yet impactful updates in both form and function while retaining its essence. Most notably, the absence of the power reserve indicator at 9 o’clock makes for a cleaner dial layout while the addition of the GMT complication only makes a minor impact on aesthetics and legibility while packing a punch in terms of upgraded technical capabilities. The new model is modern and improved yet still classic and feels like a welcome re-edition to the brand’s catalog. The North Flag is priced at $5,525. For more information, head over directly to Tudor.
