Formex makes waves with a new GMT spring-off of its Reef collection of diver’s watches. Working to blend cool styling with rugged durability, the Reef GMT Automatic Chronometer 300M was created as an adventure-ready travel watch that can display three different time zones.
As in previous models by the brand, the new design features the brand’s patented tool-free interchangeable bezel and bracelet systems. Additionally, the travel watch opts for a nicely decorated caliber SW330-2, with the chronometer-certified, self-winding mechanism coming to life through an exhibition case back.
The new 42mm by 11.4mm GMT offers a namesake water resistance to 300 meters, and features the signature Reef design, the sillehoute making use of geometric lugs and a guard-protected, screw-down crown, among other details.
Since the Reef GMT is not explicitly a dive watch, its bezel design has been updated to include a piston ratcheting system that provides it with bidirectional motion. Additionally, as the bezel which is made of zirconium oxide or stainless steel, features a 24-hour scale, it now offers a 48-click design to correspond with the GMT functionality. The engraved 24-hour scale is either filled with gold and black lacquer or luminous Super-LumiNova BGW9 Grade A.
It’s notable that the dials and color-matched date wheels are created entirely in-house by the brand’s own dial manufacture, located in the Jura mountains of Switzerland. Each watch face requires a complex process of hand-applying individual layers of color on top of a radial sunray finish in order to achieve the subtle gradient effect that darkens towards the outer edge. The bold rehaut-style hour markers are triangle shaped and hand-applied. Like the hands they are filled with more lume and emit a bluish glow in the dark.
The new Reef GMT Automatic Chronometer 300M also marks a premiere for Formex, as it introduces a Milanese mesh bracelet to the collection. As this bracelet sports a screw-in link construction, the actual length can be adjusted to a specific wrist size, allowing owners to take full-advantage of the clasp’s 10mm fine-adjustment extension system.
The Reef GMT Automatic Chronometer 300M can be configured online with six dial and six bezel as well as several strap and bracelet options. Among them are the aforementioned mesh bracelet, a standard metal bracelet, leather and rubber straps as well as a NATO strap. Pricing start at $1,800 and the watch is available for pre-order from the the brand’s online boutique now, with shipping scheduled for early August 2022.
To learn more, visit Formex, here.
