Formex Celebrates 25 Years With New Skeletonized Ceramic Collection

The independent and family-owned Swiss watchmaker Formex celebrates its 25th birthday since its founding in 1999 this year, and it’s ringing in this milestone in skeletonized ceramic style. Dubbed the Essence Ceramica Skeleton collection, the four distinct models unveiled by the brand combine its signature case-suspension system with an open-worked dial that allows its viewer to see the COSC-certified movement in action. Plus, in a world’s first, the ceramic bracelet each piece is paired with is micro-adjustable. 

Formex details that it settled on ceramic for this celebratory collection due to its impressive scratch resistance and lightness – the ceramic used here is described as seven times harder than steel and 30% lighter – and each piece is made to reflect minimal visual evidence of aging through the years. This collection opts for a modern, blacked-out aesthetic across the four key models, and the surfaces of both the case and bracelet have undergone a variety of polishing and finishing techniques to add a further sense of depth and dynamism to the complex geometry at play. Achieving this complex display of finishing techniques on ceramic as a medium is a multi-step, complex process, and Formex has enlisted the help of a master of the material, Dexel (which is also owned by the same family), which has over 40 years of experience working in ceramics. 

The skeletonized movement at the dial’s center is the star of the show across the collection, and the eye is immediately drawn to it, while the black tones of the 41mm case and bracelet act as a sleek and fitting backdrop in contrast. As I’ve alluded to before, the movement on display across the collection is COSC-certified and has been supplied by another company owned within the family, Cadranor,  which is most well-known for supplying high-end dials and watch components. This collection’s functionality doesn’t steal the limelight from the skeletonized elements and keeps things pleasantly simple with its time-only functions, with applied hour indices and a printed minutes track along the outer perimeter of the dial. The four differing models – named the GT, Stradele, Stradele Viola, and Stradele blue – are largely the same but with slight tweaks on the color of the indices, including a rose-gold toned option and vibrant purple and blue lume details. The brand’s patented case suspension has, to no surprise, been worked into each model, which has the effect of both protecting the case as well as offering an enhanced snugness on the wrist that naturally compensates for any fluctuations in temperature through the use of four integrated springs. 

Each of the four models is paired with a matching ceramic bracelet with micro-adjustment and quick-release capabilities, both for adjusting to the perfect fit on the wrist and for changing to the included rubber strap with ease. And, as a first for Formex’s Essence collection, these models are equipped with a screw-down crown that makes the watches water-resistant up to 100 meters. 

All four models within the Formex Essence Ceramica Collection are limited editions of 88 total pieces and are available now for preorder, retailing between $4,250 and $4,390. For more information, please visit the Formex website here.