Back in 2015, fresh off the success of its relaunch, Tudor debuted the North Flag. The watch looked like it could represent Tudor’s future: not only did the bright, quirky design seem to depart from the vintage-inspired models the brand often looked to, but it was also the first powered by an in-house movement. While the watch didn’t catch on with collectors during its first run and was discontinued in 2021, Tudor believes enthusiasts are ready to love its funkiest watch.
Meet the new Northflag, now equipped with a GMT complication in place of the original’s power reserve display. Whereas the original—which was based loosely on the Ranger II from 1973—might’ve been a bit ahead of the luxury-sport-watch craze back in 2015, the new version is right on target: everyone and their mother—or sister, in the case of Rolex with its Land-Dweller—is now releasing a watch with an integrated bracelet, and vacation-ready GMT complications are all the rage.
Why “Northflag,” you might ask? Back in 1952, Tudor equipped 25 members of the British North Greenland Expedition—a scientific mission that lasted for two years—with Oyster Prince watches. This seminal expedition has since served as inspiration for both the North Flag/Northflag model and the reintroduction of the Ranger. The watches, one of which resides in Tudor’s archive, performed beautifully despite the adverse conditions and the mission serves as a foundational event in Tudor lore. While the visual inspiration for the Northflag is the Ranger II from 1973, the spiritual inspiration is the Oyster Prince ref. 7909.
As for the new model, it features a 40mm satin-brushed and polished stainless steel case with a fixed smooth bezel, a signed crown with no crown guards, and a sapphire crystal. Paired directly to a matching two-link integrated bracelet with the brand’s fan-favorite “T-fit” rapid-adjustment clasp. The black dial is now more symmetrical than that of the original North Flag: an outer 24-hour rehaut track in white flanks applied rectangular and Arabic indices filled with Grade A Super-LumiNova, while a date window at 3 o’clock and luminous “Northflag” hands with a yellow GMT hand and yellow central-seconds hand provide a familiar pop of yellow.
