Formex Introduces New Dial Options in the Essence Ceramica Collection
One of the most exciting releases of the year that has weirdly gone a little under the radar is the Formex Essence Ceramica Skeleton, which debuted in March just ahead of Watches & Wonders craziness. The timing of that release, in retrospect, may have somewhat dampened the response – it’s just an insanely competitive time on the novelties calendar. But I imagine anyone who has had a chance to handle these watches in person, at a Windup Watch Fair or elsewhere, comes away with a similar positive reaction. It’s just incredibly impressive that Formex is able to offer a watch with a full ceramic case and bracelet at the price point that these watches sit at (around $5,000 at today’s exchange rate). If there was a single loud objection to that initial batch of watches, it was likely centered around the skeletonized dial, which is just a bridge too far for some. It was only a matter of time before Formex announced non-skeletonized versions of the Essence Ceramica, and lucky for ceramic watch loving enthusiasts, that time is now.
The new Essence Ceramica references arrive with the same full ceramic construction as their predecessors. The 41mm case still features the Formex Case Suspension System (a feature that allows the case to “flex” with your wrist for comfort and to mitigate shock) along with a screw down crown and that fantastic ceramic bracelet with micro-adjust on the clasp. The ceramic material is lightweight (30% lighter than steel) and much harder, so it’s virtually impossible to scratch. It also has a very different feeling on the wrist that is tough to describe. Formex, thanks to owning their own manufacturing, has the ability to finish ceramic in a premium way that makes it look like a metal, which makes for an almost ethereal experience when you wear one of these watches.
For these releases, Formex offers four dial options: blue, gamaret (a deep, wine-toned shade of red), and dégradé and arctic white options. All variants have the horizontal groove pattern that the Essence line has become synonymous with, as well as a date window with a beveled frame.
In addition to the new dials, this release also sports a new caliber, the Soprod Newton P092. The skeletonized Ceramica watches used a COSC certified Sellita movement. According to the Formex, the debut of the Soprod in these watches is the result of a co-design and development period that lasted for three years, resulting in an automatic movement that has been built to Formex’s specifications (it has 44 hours of power reserve, a skeletonized rotor, and in addition to being COSC certified, this movement is also certified by Chronofiable testing at Laboratoire Dubois in La Chaux-de-Fonds. This is effectively an additional METAS-like series of tests that exposes movements to extreme temperature variations, shocks, and “accelerated aging” over a 15 day period.
With the less intricate dials and (we assume) more cost effective movement solution, the new Ceramicas have an even lower retail price than their skeletonized counterparts. The new watches come in at CHF 2,990 on the bracelet. It’s a cliche, probably, to write something like “that’s a lot of watch for the money,” but it really rings true here. The ultra contemporary Formex design language might not appeal to every enthusiast, but if it does, these watches are pretty compelling.
Pre-orders for the new Essence Ceramica watches are open now, with deliveries expected to begin in late October. Formex
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