Formex Essence FortyThree: How did they hold up during a typical weekend at the cabin?

 After the Formex Formex Essence FortyThree Automatic Chronometer Gamaret Steel Bracelet 0330.1.6671.100 made the rounds among Chronomag members, I couldn’t resist and decided to try it out myself over the weekend. So, what were my impressions? Read on 🙂

A Dial That Captivates

From the very beginning, there was one thing I was looking forward to with these Formex watches, and that’s the dial. Formex knows how to make dials, and this red one (I won’t call it burgundy, or try to describe it more precisely 🙂 ) turned out really well!

Thanks to testing it over the weekend, I had the chance to observe it in different lighting conditions and from various angles, and it’s really worth it. Not only does its color change, but its texture does too—sometimes the dial looks smooth, other times it appears to have horizontal stripes, and still other times it looks like it’s made up of little squares. I really enjoyed that!

Is a spring the key to comfort, or just a toy?

Another thing I was curious about is the Case Suspension System—a unique suspension system for the case. Essentially, this means that the case can be extended slightly upward using springs. This is designed to absorb shocks but also to enhance comfort. I have to say, it really does seem to work.

The Formex Essence is a very comfortable watch, thanks in part to its strap with smaller links and a well-fitting clasp. Generally, I’m not a big fan of butterfly clasps, but this one didn’t bother me at all. However, when I deliberately tried to bend my wrist a lot or sharply to see what would happen, the shock-absorption system actually activated.

From this, I conclude that this system does indeed provide some convenience without the user even realizing it. I’ll just add that although the travel watch came with a bunch of straps, I only used it on the steel bracelet because I’m just a “tough guy” 🙂.

It’s no big deal if it’s a few seconds off

So how exactly did I test the watch? Anyone looking forward to my “driving around” or “cooking” tests is in for a disappointment. The watch accompanied me through a typical weekend at the cottage, which meant short walks, barbecuing, playing the Kladno card game “Lora,” watching the World Cup, and drinking beer.

It’s worth noting that they performed exceptionally well. The COSC-certified movement had a deviation of about 4 seconds slow per day, which meets chronometer certification standards. As soon as it got dark, I appreciated the very nice luminescence. The luminescent areas on the hands and hour markers aren’t particularly large, but the whole watch still glowed really well, so kudos for that!

Bigger or smaller?

I really enjoyed testing the Formex Essence 0330.1.6671.100, but there was one thing on my mind the whole time: whether a 41 mm case would fit me. Here’s the thing—it’s not that this 43 mm case doesn’t fit me. It fits perfectly on my completely average wrist, which has a circumference of 18 cm, and it’s not a problem even on smaller wrists.

However, the dial is quite large, and the 41 might be a better choice. If I were choosing between these Formex models, this would probably be a tough decision, even though, objectively speaking, I could certainly have both sizes. In any case, one thing is certain.

No matter which size you choose, Formex Essence is a great choice!