Automatic COSC "Dark Matter" 41 mm

The Essence Ceramica COSC brings advanced ceramic expertise to the forefront with its sophisticated combination of vertical-brushed and diamond-polished finishes. Achieving such refined surface treatments in ceramic requires exceptional skill, specialized diamond tooling, and a profound understanding of the material. Thanks to its close connection with Dexel – a reference in the watchmaking industry and a leading expert in ceramic watch components, owned by the same family – Formex benefits from over 40 years of specialized expertise, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with this advanced material. Each case and bracelet component undergoes multiple finishing stages, resulting in a dynamic interplay of light that brings the ceramic to life – and gives the watch striking wrist presence.

In 2023, Formex began co-developing a bespoke Soprod Newton P092 automatic caliber to our specifications: a symmetrical 6–12 o’clock architecture with the balance at 6 beneath a transverse bridge for superior shock and vibration resistance—echoing our patented Case Suspension System—plus Incabloc’s benchmark double-cone shock absorber. Designed in-house for a modern aesthetic, the movement showcases laser-textured grainé bridges with vertically brushed edges and a galvanic black-gold treatment, traditional thermally blued screws, and a skeletonized rotor with an open-worked Formex emblem and bold sunburst finish—visible through the sapphire caseback. Each caliber is independently endurance-tested to Chronofiable® standards at Laboratoire Dubois (accelerated aging, temperature and humidity cycles, and 20,000 shocks) and then certified by the COSC under ISO 3159 over 15 days in five positions and three temperatures. Only movements averaging −4/+6 s/day pass; every watch ships with its COSC certificate and an individually engraved chronometer number.

Extending the same level of precision engineering beyond the case, the Essence Ceramica COSC is fitted with a full-ceramic bracelet that mirrors the case’s meticulous finishing. Its brushed surfaces and diamond-polished bevels catch the light with every wrist movement, creating a dynamic interplay of reflections. A true breakthrough lies in the integration of Formex’s purpose-designed, patented micro-adjustable ceramic clasp—a world first—seamlessly incorporated into the ceramic bracelet. Unlike traditional metal clasps, which can be easily machined or even stamped, ceramic’s hardness makes such precision engineering extraordinarily challenging. Yet, Formex has not only succeeded in crafting a ceramic clasp that seamlessly matches the bracelet but has also integrated its patented micro-adjustment system. This groundbreaking mechanism, operating over a range of 5 mm in increments of 1.5mm, allows for fine-tuning the fit on the fly to expand or shorten the bracelet in both directions – for perfect comfort, while the watch is on the wrist, with the clasp closed, and without tools.

The Dark Matter’s dial begins as a fragment of the Muonionalusta iron meteorite, one of the oldest known materials on Earth, discovered north of the Arctic Circle in a region frozen and dark for much of the year. After precisely slicing and etching the meteorite, we apply a dark-nickel treatment that enhances the natural Widmanstätten pattern—those geometric crystal formations that emerge only when an iron-nickel core cools undisturbed in space over millions of years. Unlike typical stone or meteorite dials that rely on a thin slice glued onto a brass plate, the Dark Matter is engineered from a solid, thicker meteorite component. This allows us to solder the dial feet directly into the material, preserving structural integrity while keeping the dial visually pure and uncompromised. The result is a surface that shifts between deep graphite and bright metallic reflections depending on the light—a truly one-of-a-kind dial, as nature never creates the same crystalline pattern twice.