Formex is a brand who’ve been making waves with recent releases including the excellent Essence and Reef lines, two sets of watches which are well-loved in their respective circles. At the heart of each iteration of those watches, and of Formex since their founding in 1999, has been the case suspension system, an ingenious addition to the brand’s watches over the years which is wholly underrated amongst similarly priced competitors.
Formex Essence 43 Chronometer - Credit WatchGecko
The Case Suspension System was born out of similar principles to high-performance racing cars and bikes by adding small springs between the lower and upper parts of their watch cases. The watch itself sits within the outer case, while the four springs between the lower and upper parts of the case allow it to move slightly upwards. It is, in essence, another form of micro-adjustment on the top side of your wrist, as opposed to at the bottom.
To provide some background, the Case Suspension System was the brainchild of engineer Hans Peter Grädel, one of the two brothers who founded Formex. His idea initially was that of an indestructible watch, and within this, he wanted to integrate a suspension in the case construction of any manufactured watch to help it withstand shocks and vibrations. The initial watches launched under the 4Speed banner, and were inspired by the same racing cars and bikes of the Case Suspension System, offering industrial looks paired with a clever system inside, much like certain bikes and vehicles from the time. A lot of the brand’s early pieces, as well as their industrial charm and looks, can also be attributed to the Grädel brothers’ friends who worked in industrial engineering themselves. In the most basic sense, the name ‘Formex’ is a portmanteau of the French phrase ‘Forme Extrème’, which translates to ‘Extreme Shape’; the Case Suspension System is a product of that extreme, industrial shape.
Formex Essence 43 Chronometer - Credit WatchGecko
It’s because of the Case Suspension System that Formex’s original releases in the early noughties were 46mm in size. The larger size was designed to showcase the Case Suspension System in all its glory, while the watches themselves were big and bulky with a sandwich-type case, with four screws in the corners where the springs would sit, as shown on the likes of the 4Speed DS2100. Interestingly, even though Formex’s designs have been refined since the company’s changes a few years ago, they have also continued to offer the 46mm size alongside the Case Suspension System.
Furthermore, the Case Suspension System remained where Formex changed over to a different business model a number of years ago, emerging as a refreshed brand that only sold directly to potential buyers online as opposed to offering traditional brick-and-mortar retail with celebrity endorsement. In the couple of years that followed, the brand experimented with crowdfunding on Kickstarter with the launch of the Essence, which has remained in the brand’s collection ever since. Among the Kickstarter listing was a mention of the aforementioned Case Suspension System, proving Formex’s commitment to an age-old system even if the brand has modernised in the process.
Formex Essence 39 Chronometer - Credit WatchGecko
The idea of the Case Suspension System is such that it makes the watch more comfortable to wear by adapting to the movement of your wrist, as well as absorbing any potential dings and shocks from the underside. That second part echoes the similarity between the Case Suspension System and the point of a car or bike’s suspension. It makes for one of the more thoughtful features present on a watch in a general sense and is one that so far remains unrivalled from any other brand.
On the first part, the addition of the small springs can compensate for any bends or swells of the wrist on a warm day where it’s likely to expand in the heat. This can be horribly uncomfortable on some watches that lack micro-adjustment in any guise, but the consensus for Formex watches is that the Case Suspension System is a convenient way of negating any potential discomfort. The system naturally compensates for that expansion with those small springs raising the watch up enough that it almost cancels out your wrist expanding in the heat to keep things comfy.
Formex Field Automatic - Credit WatchGecko
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- $1,439.00 AUD
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- $1,439.00 AUD
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- Sale price
- $1,439.00 AUD
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- Regular price
- $1,439.00 AUD
- Regular price
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- Sale price
- $1,439.00 AUD
- Unit price
- per
As for the shock absorption, I'm definitely not arguing that it makes Formex watches indestructible. While they are designed to be rugged, the Case Suspension System doesn’t magically transform Formex watches into G-Shock's. In this instance, the system is designed more towards dealing with the usual bumps from the underside of your wrist if you knock your wrist against the corner of a table, or similar. The four springs are designed to absorb that temporary shock, protecting the watch’s movement, as opposed to making this watch over-ambitiously durable. While it may be a small feature, it’s still an appreciated one if you’re as clumsy as I am.
While it may be a niche addition to quite a niche watch brand, the Case Suspension System is a seriously clever piece of technology that improves the wear experience of Formex watches. Micro adjustment in any form is welcomed as people’s wrists change throughout the day, and having it present on the case as well as having it on a bracelet can aid in making a watch both more comfortable and for helping to negate the effects of any accidental knocks and dings. Fundamentally, that’s the whole point of the Case Suspension System, and it proves the point that little things can go a long way when executed correctly.
