On this final day of 2024, I want to take a moment to look back on what’s been an incredible year, both for Formex and for me personally. This summer, I hit a bit of a bump—literally—with a mountain biking accident that landed me in the hospital for two weeks and left me with a little extra titanium in my body. I’m thrilled to say that I’m almost fully recovered now, already enjoying the ski slopes this winter, and gearing up for a surf trip in January. I can’t thank everyone enough for the kind words and well wishes—your support truly kept my spirits high during a very painful recovery.
As I reflect on these personal moments, they remind me of the shared resilience and drive that define both my personal journey and our work at Formex. Here are some of the highlights from our incredible year:
Personal Highlights
2024 has been a year filled with milestones, exciting launches, and heartfelt connections. Here are some of my personal highlights:
Essence Space Gold Dials: Developing, producing, and seeing the success of these “world’s first” dials has been one of the year’s proudest moments. Spoiler alert: we’re introducing more Space Gold dials in January 2025. If you’re interested, click the “Notify Me” button on the product page here—there are already over 1000 subscribers, but only about 100 pieces in the next batch
Meeting Teddy Baldassarre: After years of working and collaborating, it was an incredible experience to finally meet Teddy in person at his store. Spending time together and conducting an interview face-to-face added a new dimension to our partnership. If you haven’t seen it yet, you can check it out here.
Our Incredible customers, fans and supporters: The love and support from our community this year has been overwhelming. Our Formex Watch Club Facebook Group now has 4,600 members, and their passion inspires us every day. We truly appreciate how many of you jump in to answer questions and share your own experiences with our timepieces, creating a welcoming and knowledgeable community.
Watch Fairs, Shows, and Events
This year, we had the pleasure of meeting so many of you at watch fairs and events around the globe. Among the highlights were Intersect Atlanta, which Markus played a key role in organizing, and the Windup Watch Fairs, where our friends James, Fernando, and Mark went above and beyond to support us at the booth in New York City. In Düsseldorf, Wilhelm and Jörg were instrumental in making WatchTime Germany a success for us.
We also had the honor of hosting numerous events, including a car-inspired meetup in Detroit with the CPTime group and their founder, Dr. Al Coombs, who recently shared his journey of getting to know Formex in a conversation on the Wrist Check Podcast. These moments and connections are what make these gatherings truly special. Additionally, we were able to organize three RedBar roadshows in collaboration with their CEO Kathleen McGivney. Together with her and a few other brands we are friendly with, we visited local RedBar chapters, deepening our connections with passionate collectors and enthusiasts.
Media Highlights
Formex has received exceptional coverage from the watch media this year. One of the standout YouTube videos about our brand was created by Mike of ThisWatch, ThatWatch. I invite you to read EuropaStar’s brand portrait, Fratello Watches best-of-divers list, and Gear Patrol’s and Chrono24’s buying guides. We are incredibly thankful for the continued support and coverage from Scottish Watches, Hodinkee, Worn & Wound, Ablogtowatch, OracleTime, Monochrome, and Time+Tide and contributors such as Marc of LongIslandWatch, Andrew Morgan, Tim Mosso (shoutout to Wesley of @Standardh_), MadWatchCollector, JustOneMoreWatch and so many more enthusiasts who share their knowledge and passion about horology online and in print around the world.
New Watches
In 2024, we unveiled an array of timepieces that highlight our dedication to quality and innovation. Collaborations like the Essence 39 Sector Dials with Worn & Wound and unique designs such as the Malachite dial for the Essence 43 mm set the tone early in the year. Highlights included the Essence Space Gold, colorful Essence Splash and Reef Bahama Blue, and the captivating Essence Space Blue for Ocarat.
Mid-year, we introduced the Essence Skye with Scottish Watches and the Reef 39.5 Radiant Bronze in a new size. In September, we launched the Stratos UTC, marking our first foray into more complicated movements with its true GMT functionality operated through pushers on the case side. The year wrapped up with Space Gold dials for the Essence Leggera and larger 43 mm cases, and the stunning Essence Blue Agate in November which all sold out quickly but will be back soon.
Team Growth and Partnerships
This year, we expanded our Formex family by welcoming Dylan to our customer support team, Sabrina and Florian to our content creation team, and Sergio and Antonieta to our production team. I’m very thankful to be able to share the Formex adventure with my best friend Markus, my twin sister, Stephanie and my partner in life, Melanie. Being surrounded by good friends and family in business makes this whole experience even more exciting.
We also expanded our network of trusted local partners, welcoming Pause in France, Vitopoulos in Greece, La Vitrine in Belgium, Helveti in the Czech Republic, and WAQT in the UAE. To further enhance the customer experience and offer the opportunity to try on our watches in person, we introduced concierge services in London and New York City, bringing us closer to our customers than ever before.
Looking Ahead to 2025
As we look ahead to 2025, a milestone year celebrating 25 years since the launch of our first watch, we remain true to what makes Formex unique: creating reliable, versatile, and comfortable timepieces for true enthusiasts. We will fully utilize Formex’s connection to my family’s high-end component manufacturing business to enable us to push the boundaries of material innovation, practical features, and exceptional finishing quality. This competitive edge will take center stage in a special anniversary release later in 2025.
We look forward to seeing you at one of the many watch shows and events we have planned for next year, welcoming you at one of our trusted local partners, or greeting you in person at our showroom in Biel. Of course, you can always connect with us via Live Chat on our Online Boutique. Thank you for being part of our journey—here’s to a groundbreaking year ahead!
Raphael Granito
CEO, Formex Watch SA
Image: Raphael Granito, CEO (left) and Markus Walchli, Brand Director (right)