The Accessible, New Formex Field Automatic Gen-2

In 2022, following the launch of the Reef dive watch and the casual-sporty Essence, Formex expanded into the field watch segment with the release of the Field Automatic. Housed in a 41mm titanium case with 150m of water resistance, the first iteration featured a range of dial colours, including Charcoal, Petrol Blue, Ash Grey, Mahogany Red, Ultra Violet, and Sage Green, and multiple strap options, establishing a good foundation in the military-inspired category. Now, Formex refines the concept with subtle updates in the Field Automatic 40mm Gen 2.

The Formex Field Automatic 40mm Gen 2 comes in a hardened grade 2 titanium case, measuring 40mm in diameter and 10.5mm in height, with a 48mm lug-to-lug and 20mm lug width. The case benefits from titanium’s lightweight, hypoallergenic, anti-magnetic, and corrosion-resistant properties, and Formex applies a proprietary hardening process, increasing surface hardness from 145 Vickers to 900 Vickers, making it nearly three times harder than standard Grade 5 titanium. The case exhibits a fully sandblasted matte finish, with precision beveling for added character. 

The re-engineered dial is now a two-part structure: a flat sunburst-finished centre surrounded by a sloped minute track, forming a concave profile. A sandwich-style design features recessed stencil-cut numerals Super-LumiNova Grade A, paired with a bevelled, colour-matched date window at 6 o’clock. New dial colours include Ice Blue and Coho Salmon with blacked-out lume, Basalt Grey with BGW09 lume, white in daylight and blue at night. The chapter ring and cardinal markers support fast, clear legibility without clutter. The syringe-style hour and minute hands and the lollipop seconds hand remain unchanged from the original.

Powering the watch is the standard-grade Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement (an alternative to the ETA 2824), operating at 28,800 vibrations/hour and delivering a 41-hour power reserve. The movement is enclosed in a solid caseback, consistent with field watch standards.

As customary with Formex, strap options are many and include durable nylon Velcro with woven texture for outdoor use and quick-change leather straps for more formal settings. The latter integrates Formex’s patented fine-adjustment deployant carbon clasp, allowing tool-free wrist micro-adjustments. 

Pre-orders open on May 22, 2025, at 9AM Swiss time (UTC+2), and shipping is scheduled to begin in late June 2025. The price is EUR 850 for a nylon/velcro strap option and EUR 990 for a leather strap with a deployant clasp. For more details and orders, please visit the dedicated page at formexwatch.com.