A New Adventure With A Familiar Name: The New Tudor Northflag GMT - Fratello Watches

Tudor just unveiled its new Northflag watch. The name isn’t new, though, as the brand initially launched this explorer’s model in 2015, just before Baselworld. I clearly recall that launch, which featured Tudor bringing Land Rover Defenders into a dark Swiss forest (ensuring safety) to reveal the watches inside an adventurous tipi tent setup.

The new Tudor Northflag next to the Ranger II

Just like in 2015, Tudor emphasizes that the Northflag is based on the 1973 Ranger II. Back in 2015, it was quite a surprise when Tudor introduced its first in-house-developed movement. As I clearly recall, nobody expected Tudor to break Wilsdorf’s promise not to use in-house movements for this brand.

The new Northflag next to the previous model

Tudor had been teasing us on Instagram, so we definitely had expected something new! I don’t think many had expected a new Northflag, but here it is! The new 40mm Northflag is a flyer-style GMT watch powered by a Master Chronometer-certified MT5652-U movement. Let’s have a closer look.

At first glance, the new Tudor Northflag looks more like the 2015 model than the 1973 Ranger II. If we look more closely, however, we see that the hour markers at 12 and 6 o’clock are very prominent, just as they were on the Ranger II. We also see that the hands on the Northflag have a similar shape to those on the 1973 Tudor reference 9111/0.

The watch has a 40mm stainless steel case with a 12.7mm thickness and a 48.8mm lug-to-lug. Tudor combines satin-brushed and polished surfaces with a fixed stainless steel bezel and an integrated H-link bracelet.

The black dial has a sunburst finish and features large luminous ceramic hour markers, a 24-hour rehaut, and a date display at 3 o’clock. The upper three central hands indicate the hours, minutes, and seconds, while a separate 24-hour hand provides the GMT indication. Both the central seconds hand and the GMT hand are bright yellow, matching some of the design elements on the 2015 Northflag.

A screw-down crown and screw-in case back ensure the watch’s 100m water resistance. The case back includes a domed sapphire crystal to reveal the movement.

Inside is Tudor’s in-house-developed caliber MT5652-U, an automatic GMT movement ticking at 4 Hz (28,800 vph) and providing a 65-hour power reserve. It uses a variable-inertia balance and a silicon balance spring. The caliber also carries both COSC and METAS certifications, with the latter specifying an accuracy tolerance of 0/+5 seconds per day and resistance to magnetic fields up to 15,000 gauss.

Just like the case, the bracelet has satin-brushed and polished surfaces.

The integrated bracelet uses Tudor’s T-fit clasp, which provides five adjustment positions across an 8mm range without tools.

Back in 2015, I didn’t find the Northflag particularly convincing, and I must admit I haven’t seen many in person since then. However, my appreciation for this model grew over the years, and I noticed I wasn’t alone. Some of you expressed a wish for the Northflag’s comeback.

This new version could definitely cater to watch enthusiasts who love a GADA (Go Anywhere, Do Anything) watch. The dial of this new Tudor Northflag appears more balanced than the one in the 2015 model, especially without the power reserve indicator. A GMT function, 100m water resistance, and a Master Chronometer-certified movement make this watch a solid everyday companion for any adventure. The movement is nicely decorated, making the watch worthy of a display case back!

The retail price of this new Tudor Northflag ref. M9140G1A0U-0001 is €5,100 (including 21% VAT). This watch will be exclusively available at Tudor boutiques worldwide. Visit Tudor online for more information.