Introducing: The Formex Stratos UTC — Formex’s Clever Take On A Pilot’s Watch
Formex is arguably one of the most underrated watch brands out there. If you have had the chance to handle any of Formex’s watches, you know they are very well-made spec monsters at sharp prices. Today, the brand releases its take on a pilot’s watch with the Formex Stratos UTC. The big news? The Formex magic doesn’t stop at the exterior this time.
In fact, the party piece of the new Formex Stratos is its caliber, an ETA 2892 base with a custom Dubois Dépraz module on top. The result is one of the most user-friendly flyer GMTs out there. Let’s have a closer look!
Pushing through time zones
So, what makes the movement inside the Formex Stratos UTC so special? Well, it takes the time-zone control away from the crown and moves it to a pair of pushers. These allow the wearer to jump the 12-hour hand (local time) forward or backward in one-hour increments. Therefore, as you fly across time zones, you no longer have to take off your watch, unscrew the crown, correct the time, and screw the crown back in. All it takes is the push of a button.
The date, displayed in a sub-dial at 6 o’clock, is equally disconnected from the crown. You can adjust it simply by pushing the 12-hour hand through the hours. Alternatively, there is a quick-set pusher in the left case flank for independent date correction. You can set the date backward via the UTC pushers too. Additionally, there is a day/night indicator at 9 o’clock.
Topping off the multi-time complication is a set of 24-hour scales, with one on the dial and another on the bidirectional bezel. This means you can track three time zones simultaneously. The bezel is quite interesting as it features laser-etched negative space, exposing steel numerals. The negative space is filled with resin and then brushed for a smooth surface.
Formex Stratos UTC specifications
All this cleverness resides in a 41mm stainless steel case with a comfortable 47mm lug-to-lug distance. Despite the modular caliber and 100m water resistance rating, the Stratos measures a manageable 11.8mm thick. It never ceases to amaze me how smaller brands like Formex and Christopher Ward give big-name brands a run for their money when it comes to slenderness. You will find sapphire crystals up top and in the case back, with the latter allowing a view of the movement. As always, you can opt for different strap offerings. The steel bracelet comes with toolless micro-adjustment and quick-release systems as well.
When it comes to the movement, few are as familiar as the trusty ETA 2892-A2. Formex regulates it to within ±7 seconds per day. This 21-jewel caliber (with five additional jewels for the module) runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour and has a 42-hour autonomy.
Formex put a lot of effort into the dials of the new Stratos. You can have your pick of a gray, blue, or green variant. All are multilayered in different finishes. A sunburst center is surrounded by a grainy ring and then a narrower brushed ring. The date sub-dial shows a fine grainy finish as well. Formex uses orange as an accent color to distinguish the UTC functions.
Initial impressions of the Formex Stratos UTC
I am about to start a long-term hands-on with the Stratos, so I will postpone my judgment until I have had significant time with the watch. Stay tuned for a follow-up article soon. However, I can share my initial impressions here. The first is that I love the concept. I deeply admire Formex for its killer feature set and value offerings. To see the brand branch out into complications is very cool indeed. And as you would expect, Formex does so with great attention to detail. I love that this watch isn’t just different for difference’s sake. The designers clearly set out to improve the ergonomics of your average GMT watch, and it seems they succeeded.
That said, I do have some reservations about the aesthetic. These are very technical-looking watches that I don’t think will play nice with all different styles of attire and in different circumstances. However, this is just the kind of thing I can experience in the long-term hands-on review coming up.
The Formex Stratos UTC is available for preorder now, with deliveries expected to commence in late November this year. If you opt for the bracelet, the Stratos comes in at €3,950. If you prefer one of the strap options on offer, it will set you back €3,800.
What do you think of the new Formex Stratos UTC? Let us know in the comments below!
