Hands on with the Formex DS2100 GMT Diver

Founded in 1999, Formex has been creating Swiss-made watches using their patented Case Suspension System. This unique system is not just functional, it also looks pretty cool. The Formex name is a combination of the French words “forme extrème”, or extreme shape in English. Inspired by the engineering and mechanics of high performance racing cars and bikes, these watches are designed to take a beating. Intrigued by this suspension idea, I reached out to Formex and they sent me out the Formex DS2100 GMT Diver with a titanium bracelet. So far I am liking what I see. Lets check this out.

The Dial

The overall look of the Formex DS2100 is a simple three hander, but it has a lot going on to peak visual interest. The hour and minute hands are large and filled with a good amount of lume; the seconds hand also had a little lume dot towards the tip. The face of the dial sits deep below the sapphire crystal but on top of the face is a raised chaper ring with lumed hour makers which adds a bit of dimension to the dial. There are two windows cut into the face of the dial; one for the date, and one for the GMT time. Now, I know for more than a few of you, this is not a look you prefer. That said, I personally like this look and think it looks great. To make sure you do not confuse the date and GMT time windows it is clearly marked on the dial which is which. Normally the dials on three handers can be a bit bland but with all that’s going on with this one I think it just busy enough to be interesting to look at.

The Case

Formex has made one very unique case and they use this case design for all their models. This case actually has its own suspension system built in. The case you see is actually three separate pieces connected together. There is the main case which houses the movement an then there is the suspension part of the case which has an upper and lower plate. The upper plate is connected to the lugs and bracelet. The main case which houses the movement is connected only to the lower plate. The lower plate connects to the upper plate with four small suspension shocks. There are a couple good reasons to use a shock suppression system and they are movement protection and comfort. Automatic movements do not like shock, so any way to reduce shock is a good thing. Now since this Formex DS2100 has a Swiss Rhonda quartz movement that’s not an issue. What I like about this system is when the strap/bracelet is a little snug, the suspension provides a little bit of flexibility. The bezel on this case is a 120 click uni directional bezel which has pretty much no play. Water resistance is a respectable 200 meters. The screw down crown has a good solid feel when making time adjustments and is easy to screw down.

The Bracelet

Made from titanium, the bracelet on the Formex DS2100 has a very solid feel but, of course, with much less weight than stainless steel. The whole watch with bracelet only weights 159 grams. All the links are rounded and the bracelet feels very comfortable. The clasp on this bracelet is a signed fold over butterfly clasp with no micro adjustments but since the links on the bracelet are small, it makes getting the size right pretty easy.

The Lume

The lume on the Formex DS2100 is good but not great. When fully charged it has a nice strong glow, but I do wish it would stay that way longer. There is no lume at all on the bezel and I wish there was at least a lumed maker on the bezel.

Overall Impression

Formex has done a good job at coming up with unique ideas to set themselves apart. The suspension system is not just great for protection and comfort, it also just looks cool. The materials used and the construction make this watch look great. Aside from using new inovations on their watches Formex also uses new ideas in marketing them. Their augmented reality feature on their app lets you virtually wear the watch before you buy it. You can also try different staps to see which looks best on your wrist. You really need to try this. At $555 USD, this is not a bad price for a Swiss Made watch with a titanium bracelet. The rubber strap version of this model is normally $449 but right now they are on sale for $359. You can check them out at formexwatch.com.

Summary

• Brand and model: Formex DS2100 GMT Diver
• Price: $550
• Who’s it for? Divers, racers, boater, or anyone into an active life.
• Would I wear it? For sure
• What I’d change: Lumed marker on bezel
• The best thing about it: The suspension system

Tech Specs from Formex

• SPECIALS –   Patented case suspension
• CASE MATERIAL – Stainless Steel/Titanium
• CRYSTAL – Top and bottom sapphire crystal anti-reflective and hard-coated
• MOVEMENT – Swiss RONDA Powertech 515.24D (11 ½”’) Quartz with GMT and date
• WATCH SIZE – 46.5mm Width
• CROWN – Screw-In Crown
• BRACELET – Stainless Steel, Titanium, Silver
• WATER RESISTANT – 200 Meters (20ATM)