For the twenty fifth anniversary of Formex, the Swiss firm has determined to launch its first full-ceramic watch. This timepiece is named the Formex Essence Ceramica 41mm. It is available in a number of types, and it’s actually fairly beautiful to put on on the wrist. Because the title of the watch implies, the Ceramica is predicated on Formex’s Essence line, which has been produced in steel and carbon variants thus far. The Essence case can be produced in a number of sizes, with the Ceramica being launched at 41mm huge. The Essence (Formex’s hottest product household) additionally has a 39mm and 43mm huge case dimension accessible.
When Formex began round 1999, the Essence assortment didn’t exist, and the model was underneath totally different management. With a brand new brand and a distinct product focus route, the Formex of at the moment is simply loosely associated to the unique firm. One of many issues that has remained an essential a part of the model’s DNA is using shock-resistant circumstances in most of its merchandise. The Essence case is designed with a center part that’s mounted on shock-absorbing springs that Formex calls its case “suspension system.” For those who press the again of the case, you may see that it lifts up a bit, after which bounces again. That is designed to scale back the impact of shock and vibration on the case, which might both injury or trigger timing errors to a mechanical motion. I believed it was very cool that Formex made positive to take care of this core aspect, even on its new ceramic Essence circumstances.
Till now, ceramic has been primarily used as a bezel insert materials for Formex. With its scratch-resistant qualities, ceramic bezels are a preferred alternative, and ceramic colours additionally don’t put on or fade. One downside with ceramic is that it may well break (whereas steel will normally simply deform), however that’s really fairly uncommon. Nevertheless, you will need to point out within the context of a watch that boasts shock-resistant qualities. I’m not saying that the Essence Ceramica will break for those who drop it, however I wouldn’t spend an excessive amount of time testing that kind of “shock resistance” in a ceramic case and bracelet timepiece corresponding to this.
I’ve been a fan of all-ceramic watches for a very long time. Whereas firms like Rado actually launched ceramic as a case materials, it was different firms that helped popularize ceramic in fashionable instances. Chanel actually began the fashionable pattern when it launched the J12 (across the identical time Formex was simply beginning out). The Chanel J12 was initially designed as a males’s watch (see my aBlogtoWatch overview of the 42mm huge Chanel J12 matte black ceramic watch), however gained most of its recognition as a product for girls. Since then, ceramic has change into a very fashionable materials in watches for each women and men, and at practically all worth factors. Even main luxurious merchandise just like the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, IWC Ingenieur, and Louis Vuitton Tambour now have full ceramic choices accessible. What actually makes a ceramic watch spectacular nowadays isn’t simply using ceramic, however how it’s used, and the way properly every ceramic half is reduce, machined, and polished.
The Essence Ceramica 41mm enters the market as an costly Formex, however a reasonable fashionable all-ceramic wristwatch with loads of good options. Each bit of ceramic on the case and bracelet is given a particular sharpening therapy, and the general design of the Ceramica is meant to mix the wonder and sturdiness of zirconium dioxide ceramic with the favored form and persona of the Essence. This specific model of the Formex Essence Ceramica 41mm is named the Essence Ceramica Skeleton COSC “GT” 41mm. All 4 of the debut Essence Ceramica watches have skeleton dials, with the colours of the arms and hour markers being totally different for every fashion. They’re beautiful, however I additionally really feel that the Essence Ceramica assortment ought to have conventional closed dial choices sooner or later.
The Essence Ceramica case is 41mm huge, 11.2mm thick, and has a 46.4mm lengthy lug-to-lug distance. The case is water-resistant to 100 meters (first rate for a ceramic case, although the caseback is definitely black-colored titanium) with a screwdown crown. Over the dial is an AR-coated flat sapphire crystal. The matching black ceramic bracelet seems to be wonderful and in addition tapers a bit. The tip-links begin out at 22mm huge, and taper down a bit to 20mm in width. Formex makes use of quick-release spring bars so that you could swap out the bracelet with a strap for those who want. With that mentioned, I believe this watch wants to remain on the matching bracelet, and different watches needs to be used for extra sporting actions. The Essence Ceramica might need the center of a sports activities watch, nevertheless it actually needs to be a social watch. That’s why you go for an attention grabbing skeletonized dial, and a ceramic bracelet whose flat polished sections eagerly play with and bounce mild.
I actually benefit from the 41mm huge case dimension right here. The 39mm huge Essence all the time felt a bit too small on my wrists for day by day put on (with out sleeves), and the 43mm huge mannequin works greatest for bigger wrists or within the lighter-weight carbon materials. The 41mm huge dimension is an ideal medium dimension, and works greatest on my 6.75-inch wrist. The Formex Essence can be an especially comfy watch to put on, and those self same ergonomics exist within the Essence Ceramica. My greatest praise is simply how straightforward these are to put on, particularly as a ceramic watch. Chanel, for instance, needed to around the J12 hyperlinks and case so as to forestall them from being too sharp. Different “sharper” ceramic watches look cool, however are uncomfortable to put on. Formex appears to mix a “sharp” case with one which doesn’t really feel sharp to the contact. This was completed utilizing loads of intelligent beveled edges and different manufacturing methods.
One of many new components is a ceramic folding deployant clasp, which, in line with Formex, is the primary with a micro-adjust system. Formex really produces numerous deployants and clasp techniques for different firms (not simply its personal watches), so it’s a specialist on this area. The Essence Ceramica’s folding push-button deployant additionally has a micro-adjust system, which you’ll function even when the watch is being worn. That is completed through the small sliding lever on the underside of the deployant. The system is well-engineered, and helps make a snug watch much more nice to put on. For the cash, this isn’t the most affordable ceramic watch in the marketplace, nevertheless it does really feel like essentially the most inexpensive ceramic case + bracelet in the marketplace with this stage of detailing and options.
Contained in the Formex Essence Ceramica watch is a Sellita Swiss Made automated caliber SW200-1 SC automated motion. That is among the many extra enticing high-production skeletonized mechanical actions on the market, primarily based on the very succesful SW200 platform. The motion operates at 4 Hz with 38 hours of energy reserve. For this watch, the motion can be given a COSC Chronometer certification, which we see with most of the higher-end Formex merchandise. You’ll be able to view the motion by means of the dial and caseback because of the inherent open-work of the motion itself.
I’m personally not an enormous fan of skeletonized watch dials a lot of the time. They’re very fashionable proper now, and I perceive why Formex wished to debut the Ceramica with such a showy face. My major concern with skeletonized dials is that the temporary moments of “cool, take a look at the mechanism working,” are overshadowed by emotions of “why is it so arduous to learn the time?” The excellent news is that regardless of the openworked dial, Formex designed the Essence Ceramica with very legible hour markers and arms. Not solely are the hour markers utilized and the arms about as massive/lengthy as they are often, however Formex additionally makes the arms and hour markers a distinct shade than the bottom dial. This “GT” dial with gold-toned arms and hour markers has extra conventional luminant, which provides nice legibility at midnight. Observe that another dial colorways of the Essence Ceramica (corresponding to these with purple or blue luminant) will most likely not be fairly as legible (particularly at midnight). Additionally word that given the design of the dial, there is no such thing as a model brand on the watch face. The one textual content is “Chronometer” and “Swiss Made.” Whereas sterile dials with out branding are unusual, they exist and will be enjoyable, offered one can establish the watch through its general profile and form.
I actually like what Formex did with the Essence Ceramica Skeleton 41mm watch. Anniversary piece or not, the product is an effective combination of sport and society — it’s comfy, handy, and provides loads of look ahead to the cash. The issue for Formex is that a lot of its neighborhood can’t afford a $4,000+ watch even when they need it. I perceive that Formex wanted to alter the worth given the supplies and engineering necessities of a largely ceramic mannequin, however the shopper nonetheless must merge what they need with what they need to spend. By comparability, the metal 43mm huge Essence with a Chronometer motion presently prices $1,650 USD. The Essence Ceramica is greater than 2.5 instances the worth. Which means Formex is promoting the Essence Ceramica to a largely totally different group of individuals than those that purchase the metal Essence mannequin. Will the patrons be people who find themselves reaching up from lower-priced watches? Or, will they be people who find themselves reaching down from costlier watches to get a Formex? In both state of affairs, Formex might want to flex appreciable advertising and communication prowess to persuade patrons to attempt one thing new that’s probably out of their consolation zone.
From a design, tech specs, and ergonomics perspective, the Formex Essence Ceramica Skeleton 41mm is a good timepiece. From a advertising perspective, nevertheless, it will likely be attention-grabbing to see the relative energy of the Formex model with those that spend extra money on timepieces. It’s going to even be attention-grabbing to be taught extra concerning the latent desirability of ceramic watches on matching ceramic bracelets, general. In all probability, Formex might want to push the ceramic watch case materials story nicely past the celebration of its twenty fifth anniversary. I need to see extra variations on this watch, together with strong dial choices. I’ve a sense they’ll come. Worth for the Formex Essence Ceramica Skeleton COSC “GT” 41mm watch is $4,390 USD. Study extra on the Formex web site.
