Among affordable brands, Swiss independent watchmaker Formex has a distinct advantage.
That’s because the brand’s owners, the Granito family, also own two other Swiss watchmaking companies: Dexel, which makes cases, bracelets and clasps, and Cadranor, which produces dials. Both companies make parts for brands that sell well above Formex’s price point — think Girard-Perregaux, Hublot, Ulysse Nardin … even Jacob & Co.
Because they’re all part of the same company, Formex can use Dexel and Cadranor as its in-house parts suppliers, allowing the brand to offer higher-quality cases, bracelets, clasps and dials than expected for the money (Formex’s watches are all currently priced below $5,000).
And never has Formex’s corporate advantage been more evident than on the brand’s latest offering, the Essence Ceramica Dark Matter.
Dark and mysterious
Earlier this year, Formex introduced the Essence Ceramica — a fully ceramic version of the brand’s flagship Essence sports watch. Even before it got the ceramic treatment, the original steel Essence was already a significant watch thanks to its patented Case Suspension System, which incorporates four springs between the top and bottom of the case that work to absorb shocks and help the watch conform better to the wrist.
The Case Suspension System is exclusive to Formex and the Essence, but the Ceramica added another feature you can’t get anywhere else. It introduced the industry’s first fully ceramic microadjustable clasp, allowing the wearer to adjust the fit of the bracelet on the fly without relying on any non-ceramic parts — an impressive achievement.
