Introducing: The Formex Stratos UTC – A Practical New Take On The GMT (Live Pics)
What We Know
Formex has built a strong reputation for technical innovation. Its sister company, Dexel, is a manufacturer and supplier for many Swiss brands. Pesky NDAs often obscure who’s really making what, but Dexel’s website features bracelets for Girard-Perregaux and Montblanc, cases for Hublot, and more. Much of this tech finds its way into Formex, something of an in-house brand for Dexel. While mostly known for bracelet, clasp, and case engineering, Formex recently decided to try its hand at the GMT complication. The result is the Formex Stratos UTC, a pilot’s watch that’s a functional take on a flyer GMT. While the design is a bit clunky, the Stratos UTC offers a fresh take on the GMT at a reasonable price.
The Stratos UTC has “flyer” GMT functionality, but instead of operating through the crown, there are pushers at two and four o’clock to manage the local hour hand. Pushing either jumps the local hour forward or backward one hour, all without having to pull out a crown (or even stop the balance wheel from running).
Formex accomplishes this with a custom Dubois Dépraz module sitting on top of an ETA 2892. The date is connected to the local hour hand, though there’s also an independent date corrector hidden in the left side of the midcase. The date is displayed in a subdial at 6 o’clock. A pimple-like day-night indicator sits at nine o’clock on the dial. There is a 24-hour scale in the rehaut, and another on the bi-directional rotating bezel. This means you can track three time zones at once. It also means the overall design is quite busy. Formex regulates the movement to +/- 7 seconds per day, with the movement visible through a sapphire caseback.
Formex fits all this into a squat stainless steel 41mm case that measures 47mm lug-to-lug and a comfy 11.8mm thick, water resistant to 100 meters. The Stratos UTC is delivered on a strap or bracelet (20mm lug width). I recommend the bracelet, which also has tool-less micro-adjust and quick-release. Formex excels at case and bracelet manufacturing and finishing, and the Stratos UTC is no different. The bracelet is sturdy but thin, articulating nicely around the wrist.
Meanwhile, the dial has a sunray finish, with contrasting graining on the subdial and outer ring. There are three dial color options: blue, grey, and green. All have bright orange accents. On a bracelet, the Formex Stratos UTC costs $3,990 and is available for pre-order. On a strap, it’s $3,850.
What We Think
I like Formex’s practical take on the GMT, but this does look like a watch that put technical specs and complication before design. The dial is busy, accentuated by a cluttered bezel. There are too many fonts on the Stratos UTC. Despite its design, the case is quite wearable; a GMT that’s just 11.8mm thick is nothing to scoff at. It’s also nicely finished, with a mix of polished, brushed, and blasted surfaces.
Operating a GMT with pushers isn’t exactly new, see e.g., Patek 5164 or Bulgari Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT. But Formex building a module on top of an ETA to keep this take on the complication relatively affordable is still commendable.
I’m hoping Formex uses the complication in another watch, or it cleans up the design of the Stratos UTC, because it’s an idea with a lot of potential. Because while the design of the Stratos UTC might not be for me, Formex’s technical chops, engineering, and manufacturing are something everyone can get behind.
The Formex Stratos UTC has a 316L stainless steel case measuring 41 x 11.8mm (47mm lug-to-lug), with 100 meters of water resistance. The Stratos UTC features a “flyer” GMT using a custom Dubois Dépraz module built on top of the automatic ETA 2892 (+/- 7 seconds per day), visible through a sapphire caseback. Date display at six o’clock. Sunray finish dial available in green, blue, or grey. Bracelet has screwed links with tool-less micro-adjust and quick release. MSRP: $3,990 on bracelet ($3,850 on strap). Bi-directional, 48-click stainless steel rotating bezel.
Hodinkee