In the horological world, there’s a lot of focus on the material of the watch’s case, and rightly so. A case’s material can determine its weight on your wrist and, thus, how comfortable it feels to wear all day. It can also make or break a watch’s durability, resistance to corrosion, and ability to achieve patina. However, the material of a watch’s dial is one element not discussed as often. Yet with the preponderance of meteorite dials, we can see just how important a simple swap can be on the overall aesthetic of a timepiece. Now, anticipating WindUp Watch Fair San Francisco 2024, Formex has unveiled yet another meteorite version of its popular Essence 39mm model, but this time with a twist.
Lessening the Exclusivity
This isn’t the Swiss watch brand’s first meteorite dial watch. In 2020, Formex release meteorite versions of the 43mm Essence and Essence Leggera, which were each limited to just 50 pieces and sold out immediately. And then in 2022, they decided on putting the space rock in the Essence 39mm and the Essence Leggera 41mm — each limited to just 88 pieces. Now, instead of creating another limited-edition timepiece, Formex has decided to number the first 100 units of the new Essence 39mm Space Gold Watch but then has implied it will open up production for a non-limited run after that, allowing virtually everyone to get a chance to own the watch.
For this new meteorite Essence 39mm, the rock has been plated in a beautiful 18k rose gold — an industry first. As for the watch’s specs, this will have the same stainless steel case dimensions that have helped make the Essence 39mm such a favorite, including the 45mm lug-to-lug, 20mm lug height, and 10mm thickness. This timepiece simply wears incredibly well on the wrist. Its durability is bolstered thanks to the brand’s patented case suspension system which implements four springs between the upper and lower case to maximize shock absorption to protect the movement inside while maintaining 100m of water resistance. It’s all powered by a COSC-certified Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement that can be viewed through the exposition caseback.
Why Meteorite?
While a meteorite rock dial doesn’t make a difference in terms of the durability or longevity of a timepiece, it certainly adds an unmistakable aesthetic and wrist presence to the watch. Likewise, the complexity of the meteorite rock ensures that each piece will have an individuality apart from the rest in the model line. No two dials will look the same. Like previous meteorite releases from Formex, the Space Gold Watch features pieces from the Muonionalusta meteorite that landed somewhere in northern Scandinavia over one million years ago. So not only does the watch look insanely cool but you’re wearing a piece of ancient history on your wrist.
Not Your Ordinary Space Rock Dial
Furthering the impressiveness of this particular watch, Formex set out to set itself apart from your everyday meteorite dial. To do so, the company made the dials in-house, taking thicker-than-average pieces from the meteorite and soldering them directly to the dial feet rather than needing some sort of metal layer between the two — as is common with the thinly-sliced meteorite dials you usually see. As such, you’ll notice the unique-looking date window which showcases the depth of the space rock. If that’s not enough, Formex also employed an innovative gold-plating process that electroplates the rock and then fuses the 18k rose gold to the very surface of the meteorite rather than simply going through a typical PVD process.
Case Size: 39mm
Thickness: 10mm
Lug-to-Lug: 45mm
Case Material: Stainless steel
Water Resistance: 100m
Movement: Automatic
Band: Stainless steel, Italian leather, or black rubber
Pricing & Availability
As we mentioned, the first 100 pieces of the Essence 39mm Space Gold Watch will be numbered and have a bit more exclusivity. And if the implication is accurate, the watch will open up for an unspecified production run afterwards. Either way, this watch is offered at a reasonable price (for a meteorite dial) of $1,890 for the rubber or leather strap options — $1,990 if you want a stainless steel bracelet. Expected to ship in July of this year, the watches are currently up for pre-order on Formex’s website now.
Recap
Formex Essence 39mm Space Gold Watch
Formex utilizes some unique gold-plating techniques for its thicker-than-average meteorite rock dials, while also lessening the edition size for a wider audience to purchase.
