Introducing Tudor Revives The Northflag With Dual Time (Live Pics)

Overnight, Tudor announced the return of a deep cut in the catalogue, and one that few folks think of when they hear the watchmaker's name: the Northflag. The original North Flag (two words, not the single word of this latest reference) made its debut in 2015 as something of a turning point for the brand, marking the beginning of in-house movements at Tudor before they were gradually rolled out across the collection. 

For context, this was one of the most significant moves made by former Marketing, Design & Product Development VP Davide Cerrato, taking place not long after the arrival of the Heritage Black Bay in 2012 (and a year before Tudor began its global expansion in earnest), which proved to form the backbone of much of the brand's current dive watch line-up. The original North Flag retired in 2021 as the Black Bay collection continued to pick up steam, but it remains a favourite of collectors with a taste for underappreciated references with a genuine link to the history of adventure. 

Now, the Northflag is back, and instead of its eye-catching yellow power reserve indicator at 9 o'clock, we've got a  cleaner dial design and a GMT hand for tracking multiple time zones. Perfect for any frequent flyer. 

As far as specs, the entire package has been significantly refined since 2015. Yes, it's got the same 40mm stainless steel case as the original, but it's been slimmed down to 12.7mm (the original was 13.3mm thick), the lug-to-lug has been trimmed ever so slightly by 0.2mm, the angular case shape has been somewhat softened, and the crown appears a touch smaller too. It's not a massive reduction in proportions, and it's got the same exhibition caseback and 100m of water resistance, but the details have clearly been thought through to appeal to a wider audience than the original. 

With fresh functionality comes an updated movement, and the new Northflag is powered by the METAS-certified, Master Chronometer-rated MT5652-U automatic, ticking away at 4Hz and offering up to 65 hours of power reserve. The MT5652-U has already proven itself in the Pelagos FXD GMT and allows owners to set the time, date, and GMT function via the crown, with the second time zone being set by progressing the hour hand to your new time zone (while the GMT hand is designed to track home time).

There was a certain appealing symmetry to the dial of the original North Flag (thanks to the date window at 3 o'clock being balanced by the power reserve at 9), but it's fair to say the dial of the new Northflag takes a cleaner approach. The date window remains, and we have the same two lines of text at 6 o'clock, but the power reserve is gone, and the other significant change is the 24-hour scale framing the dial on the rehaut. For anyone worried about legibility, both the hour markers and hands (all four of them) are filled with Grade A Super-LumiNova.

Arriving at the integrated bracelet, and much like the case, the vertically brushed design has been refined to be less angular than its predecessor. One important update is the arrival of Tudor's T-Fit micro-adjustment system in the clasp, allowing for up to 8mm of adjustment over five positions.

There's only one reference of the Tudor Northflag that will be available at launch, and if you're keen on getting your hands on one, it's only available from Tudor boutiques. It arrives with a local RRP of A$7,780. 

I was lucky enough to get hands-on with the new Tudor Northflag quite early, and my first impressions were very positive. While I appreciated what the original North Flag represented in the brand's recent history, I wasn't gripped by its angular form, and I always found the difference in texture between the power reserve indicator and the rest of the dial a touch jarring. The people I knew who owned one always raved about it, but it never quite did it for me.

The new Northflag is a different story. The GMT is one of my favourite complications in watchmaking, and for a watch steeped in the history of adventure (the original North Flag got its name from the Tudor Oyster Prince watches worn in the 1950s by a British expedition to North Greenland), the ability to track a second time zone makes perfect sense. It's also a complication that likely has broader appeal than a power reserve indicator, which, while undeniably practical, is probably less useful than tracking a second time zone (who doesn't enjoy hitting the tarmac and setting the local time on a GMT?)

Beyond the updated functionality, the case sits on the wrist nicely, the softer lines feel more contemporary, and I've never handled a watch that a micro-adjust clasp hasn't improved. Plus, it's also got the same unmistakable DNA as the original North Flag, which is a win for everyone who loved the original version as one of the most distinctive Tudor references of the last decade-and-a-bit. 

Brand: Tudor
Model: Northflag
Reference Number: 9140G1A0U

Diameter: 40mm
Thickness: 12.7mm
Lug to lug: 48.8mm
Case Material: 316L Stainless steel
Dial Colour: Black
Indexes: Applied
Lume: Yes, hands and markers, Super-LumiNova
Water Resistance: 100m
Strap/Bracelet: Integrated steel two-link bracelet with T-Fit-enabled clasp

Calibre: Tudor MT5652-U
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, second time zone, 24-hour hand
Diameter: 31.8mm
Thickness: 7.5mm
Power Reserve: 65 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 2,8,800 vph
Jewels: 32
Chronometer Certified: Yes, METAS certified to 0 to +5 seconds a day and COSC-certified
Additional Details: Hacking seconds

Price: A$7,780
Availability: Now via Tudor boutiques worldwide  
Limited Edition: No, but boutique exclusive

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