It’s a great time to be a collector and I love the new Formex Essence Thirtynine that has emerged from the proliferation of micro-brands, although what constitutes one is a topic for another day. It has meant a boom in design and options for those of us who’ve started with Seikos (and who hasn’t?), are ready to move up, but can’t stretch to a Tudor or similar luxury piece.

Formex, a name derived from forme extrème, French for ‘extreme shape’. Based in Biel-Bienne, Switzerland, and started by two watchmaker siblings in 1999 is, in the opinion of yours truly, one of the best value propositions out there.

What makes their range unique? Thanks to the founders’ passion for all things motorsports, their line showcases a refined approach to watchmaking, with a combination of tough cases and the brand’s signature patented Case Suspension System.

When I think about what made me look at the Formex Essence Thirtynine closely, and to become a happy owner of one, a few things come to mind.

For starters, design. The Formex Essence Thirtynine is a striking mix of sports and dress watch; think Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra, with which it shares more than one detail, but at a fraction of the price. It has enough bling to pair nicely with a nice shirt and jacket for a night out, but it’s built rugged enough that it can happily play sports or go swimming; although, given the lack of a screw-down crown, I’d stay away from snorkeling… just in case.

Another thing, it doesn’t ape anyone. It has a look all its own, with chiseled and complex surfaces working seamlessly to create a case that is half industrial and half chic. The brushed sides of the case neighboring the polished edges and bezel, framed by four hex screws that are part of the suspension system, contribute to the bling I mentioned above without overdoing it. The multilink bracelet, with screws in lieu of pins for easy resizing, matches the case well, and the butterfly clasp gives it a modern and high-end feel. The display window on the back allows us a view of the Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement, with a power reserve of 41 hours. It’s a COSC-certified movement with fine Formex branding and exquisite finishing.

Speaking of the case, the Formex Essence Thirtynine is also one of the thinnest I own. It’s really flat at the bottom, with slightly curved lugs making for incredibly comfortable wear. As seen from the side, there’s no appreciable bulging below the case. Really outstanding.

I am, let’s say, wrist-size challenged (6.5”), so I gravitate to medium size, for contemporary tastes, watches. So the Essence’s 39mm case and short lug-to-lug length of 45mm is just perfect.

Whether the suspension system is more gimmick than functional, I can’t say, but it certainly doesn’t hurt and it makes for great conversation with other watch appreciators.

Then there’s the dial. The Formex Essence Thirtynine I have has the dégradé, a gorgeous warm color that goes from a deep brown border to an almost café latte center, with CNC-machined horizontal grooves that remind one of the aforementioned Omega. Depending on the light, it can look monochrome as well. Just beautiful. The baton indices are applied and the hands are mirror-polished, sharp, and readable. Both have decent lume, although not spectacular. It has a date window at 6 o’clock, a complication I favor, although in the case of the ThirtyNine (there’s a FortyThree as well), the window is too small to be readable in all lighting conditions. Pity, given that the design would easily lead itself to a bigger window with larger numerals.

Lastly, Formex chose to go with a direct-to-consumer approach a few years back which keeps costs down. I believe that for $1280 with a strap ($1390 with the bracelet), you really can’t find a better deal. Only regret? The new white dial with blackened hands and indices is incredible. I want that one too!