The Essence ThirtyNine Automatic in Green

From Formex -

Courtesy of Formex

So this is sort of a trippy post for me to write.  In many ways it is taking me back to November 2012 when I was still living in Santa Barbara and stumbled across the (then) new JEANRICHARD Terrascope - http://www.tempusfugit.watch/2012/11/jeanrichards-terrascope-revelling-in.html

All I'll need is a call from Paul Earhardt inviting me to Los Angeles to view it in person and then the eery similarities will be complete ; )

At the time, what struck me was finally, FINALLY!  Here was a watch that was NOT a dive watch, but of stainless steel and not perfectly round. It was heralded as the perfect ONLY watch.  Meaning if you were a collector of limited, modest means and could only afford only one really dope watch, this would be your baby. Sporty without being too "DIVE WATCHY", a good looking bracelet that matched so smoothly with the case lugs, it could at a glance appear to be integrated. And it came with a promise of "easily swappable" straps so that you could change the look of your watch quickly. 

In actual fact, not so much. I owned a Terrascope and it was a great watch, but the case and bracelet were both too thick, and heavy. The bracelet and straps required a special tool. The watch cost a not exactly reasonable amount of money, was equipped with either an ETA or Sellita mvt. (relatively standard grade)and retailed for $3,500 if memory serves.

So time moves forward, and now I am excited again! I am excited because, in fact, I think the folks at Formex can finally deliver on what so many brands have choked on previously - and deliver it at a reasonable price that the rest of us in the real world can realistically hope to afford without putting our retirement accounts at risk.

Courtesy of Formex

You will note the two buttons position at the end piece of the bracelet between the two lug horns.

They work like this -

And lucky for us, you can also get some pretty dope options for replacement straps -

I'm sold!  Oh, did I mention that it comes standard with a chronometer certified movement?  Oh, and one last thing, the price -

$1,390.00 US

*taxes, duties and shipping included

Here are the pertinents -

MOVEMENT

Swiss Made Sellita SW200-1 (self-winding) Automatic (Chronometer grade), officially certified by COSC. 26 jewels and glucydur balance wheel. Date display. Custom-built skeleton rotor with thermally blued screws. 38 hours power reserve.

CASE

• Diameter: 39mm
• Height: 10mm
• Lug width: 20mm
• Lug-to-lug: 45mm
• Water resistance: 10 bar (100 metres / 330 feet)
• Weight: 65g (case only)

MATERIAL

• Bezel: Stainless steel 316L
• Case: Stainless steel 316L
• Glass: Sapphire crystal (front and back) with anti-reflection treatment

STRAP

• Stainless steel bracelet, or Italian calf leather straps with curved spring bars, Quick Release function and carbon fiber composite folding clasp with patented Micro-Adjustment System. 
• Stainless steel bracelet with Quick Release and Micro-extension function. 
• All Essence straps and the bracelet can be changed by hand without the use of tools. The carbon fiber composite folding clasp with patented fine adjustment system can be changed without tools and can be used for all Essence ThirtyNine leather straps. 

DIAL

Vertical brush finish with horizontally cut lines which are CNC machined into the dial base one by one. BGW9 Super-LumiNova on hands and indexes. 

REFERENCE NUMBER

0333.1.6600.100