As the home model for a Swiss manufacturing firm that produces parts for a wide range of prestigious names throughout the trade, Formex advantages from direct entry to supplies and applied sciences that different watch manufacturers would usually should supply, license, or in any other case pay to amass. For essentially the most half, Formex produces every thing besides the palms and actions on its watches, and among the many assets accessible to the model is a devoted dial manufacturing workshop that enables Formex to provide all of its dials in-house. Over the previous few years, stone dials have began to play an growing function in Formex’s catalog, and for its newest launch of 2024, the unbiased Swiss model has introduced the Formex Essence 39mm Blue Agate Automated Chronometer, which elevates its fan-favorite mannequin with a dial crafted from a slice of pure blue agate.
On condition that Formex technically has its personal in-house dial workshop, the model has naturally experimented with a wide range of dial supplies all through the years, and former examples embody the solid carbon dial discovered contained in the Essence Leggera, the blue mother-of-pearl dial fitted to the Essence 39 Mom-of-Sky, and the gold-plated meteorite dial that’s used contained in the Essence 39 Space Gold. Simply as you’d anticipate, Formex has additionally used various kinds of semi-precious stones for its dials, and whereas the Essence 39 Malachite kicked off the model’s stone-dial collection, Formex extra lately created one other limited-edition model of its widespread Essence ThirtyNine mannequin that was fitted with a dial produced from eisenkiesel. For its newest stone dial, Formex has opted for blue agate, and the brand new Essence 39mm Blue Agate Automated Chronometer takes one of many Essence assortment’s basic dial colours and renders it with a pure stone floor.
Except for being fitted with a blue agate dial, the brand new Formex Essence 39 Blue Agate is in any other case similar to the standard Essence 39mm Automatic Chronometer watches, which signifies that it’s crafted from 316L stainless-steel with the model’s patented case suspension system, and it measures 39mm in diameter by 10mm thick, with 20mm lugs and an general lug-to-lug profile of 45mm. Equally, flat sapphire crystals with anti-reflective remedy are fitted to each the dial facet of the watch and its screw-on caseback, and whereas the signed crown on the 3 o’clock location operates with a typical push/pull-style motion, the entire fashions from Formex’s Essence assortment supply a stable 100 meters of water resistance. Realistically talking, the brand new Essence 39 Blue Agate is all about its pure stone dial, and quite than simply aiming so as to add a brand new shade to the lineup, the usage of blue agate intends to subtly reimagine the basic blue-dial Essence ThirtyNine in a extra refined and elevated method.
The general design of the stone dial fitted to the Formex Essence 39mm Blue Agate Automated Chronometer follows within the footsteps of what may be discovered among the many standard-production fashions with utilized baton-shaped hour markers, a minute observe printed alongside an angled chapter ring, and a date window symmetrically positioned on the 6 o’clock location. Identical to the common fashions, the palms and hour markers obtain an utility of Tremendous-LumiNova to help with low-light visibility; nevertheless, quite than having Formex’s ordinary beveled date window lower into the floor of its dial, the Essence 39 Blue Agate as an alternative incorporates a body for its calendar aperture to create a metallic border between the pure stone and its color-matched blue date disc. Moreover, quite than having a horizontal line motif engraved into its dial, the pure striations of the blue agate supply an analogous general aesthetic, and the colour of the stone can also be barely darker than the precise shade of blue that Formex makes use of for its common Essence watches.
The blue agate used for the dial of the Formex Essence 39mm Blue Agate Automated Chronometer naturally kinds over 1000’s of years inside hole areas inside volcanic rocks. As groundwater seeps into the open cavities, it deposits tightly packed microcrystalline quartz that slowly builds up in layers to kind the putting blue-colored stone. The layered construction of blue agate leads to the fabric’s distinct striped look, and Formex cuts the stone in order that its pure striations seem horizontally throughout the dial‘s floor to reflect the engraved strains that characterize the model’s normal Essence dials. Moreover, since agate is a naturally occurring materials, every dial is uniquely patterned and no two examples will seem totally similar. In the identical method that Formex’s malachite dial could possibly be seen because the stone model of its normal green-colored Essence dial, the brand new Essence 39 Blue Agate could be very a lot the stone-dial model of the basic blue-colored Essence mannequin.
Identical to its standard-production counterparts, the brand new Formex Essence 39mm Blue Agate Automated Chronometer is powered by the Sellita SW200-1 computerized motion, which runs at a frequency of 28,800vph (4 Hz) with an influence reserve of roughly 41 hours. Whereas the 26-jewel Sellita SW200 is definitely the one mostly used Swiss self-winding motion throughout the trade, Formex opts for the top-of-the-line model of this quite ubiquitous caliber, and the SW200-1 fitted to the Essence 39 Blue Agate is an official COSC-certified chronometer, which signifies that it’s assured to maintain time throughout the stringent requirements of -4/+6 seconds per day. Moreover, the Cal. SW200-1 actions that Formex makes use of additionally profit from the next degree of ending in comparison with what exists among the many normal variations of this caliber, and they’re adorned with perlage on their bridges, blued screws, and a customized skeletonized rotor.
Whereas many individuals view the Formex Essence ThirtyNine as an integrated bracelet watch, the mannequin really options normal 20mm lugs (though curved springbars are required), and it’s accessible in each bracelet and strap-equipped configurations. Formex’s bracelets are constantly excellent, and the bracelet fitted to the Essence 39 Blue Agate is similar to what may be discovered among the many standard-production fashions. Providing utterly stable parts, single-sided screws for the detachable hyperlinks, and built-in quick-release springbars on the lugs, the Essence assortment’s bracelet is accomplished by a sublime butterfly-style folding clasp that features a hidden fold-out extension system. Alternatively, Formex additionally provides the Essence 39 Blue Agate with each rubber and leather-based straps, and the entire numerous strap choices are accomplished by the model’s proprietary carbon composite deployant clasp, which features a quite intelligent incremental extension system constructed instantly into its folding construction.
Except for having a dial produced from naturally occurring stone, the brand new Formex Essence 39 Blue Agate is in any other case similar to the usual model of the mannequin, and this could finally be seen as a optimistic because the authentic Essence ThirtyNine is already a incredible watch (it’s my private favourite among the many model’s present/manufacturing lineup). That stated, the Formex Essence 39mm Blue Agate Automated Chronometer is a extra elevated rendition of the Swiss model’s best-seller; nevertheless, with an official retail value of $1,750 USD when bought on a strap or $1,860 USD ought to patrons go for the bracelet-equipped model, this new stone-dial variant solely prices a pair hundred {dollars} greater than the standard-production fashions. Because of the nature of its dial, the Essence 39 Blue Agate shall be a particular version mannequin with manufacturing restricted to 100 items per 12 months, and the primary 50 examples are already full and prepared for the vacations. For extra info on the Formex Essence 39mm Blue Agate Automated Chronometer, please go to the brand’s website.
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