ABOUT THIS WATCH
The Aria Manufacture Chronometer marks a new chapter for Formex - a watch designed around the idea that movement becomes form.
At its core is the new Manufacture Caliber FX01, an ultra-thin micro-rotor movement engineered by Horage and based on their K2 caliber. Its compact architecture allowed Formex to rethink every aspect of the watch around it: an organic titanium case, a seamlessly integrated bracelet, and a profile measuring only 6.9 mm thin while weighing just 78 grams including bracelet.
Inspired by the way water, wind, and time gradually sculpt natural forms, the Aria combines flowing surfaces with sharp mechanical precision. Hand-finished Grade 5 titanium, a COSC-certified manufacture movement, and a dial architecture full of depth and subtle detail come together in a watch that feels both highly technical and effortlessly natural.
The Founder’s Edition consists of 100 individually numbered pieces across three dial variations: Selva Green, Ardesia Grey, and Denso Blue.
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FEATURES
An Automatic, also called self-winding watch, is a mechanical watch in which the mainspring is wound automatically as a result of the natural motion of the wearer's arm, to provide energy to run the watch, making manual winding unnecessary. All our Automatic movements are manufactured in Switzerland.
A chronometer is a watch that has been tested and certified to meet the most strict precision and accuracy standards. “Chronometer” isn’t just a name that any watch brand can print on the dial of its watches. It is an official nomenclature, defined by precise rules, which lay down the definition of the term “chronometer”, describing the categories, the test programme and the acceptable minimum requirements for wrist chronometers. In Switzerland, the COSC, or Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres, is the only official organisation allowed to certify chronometers.
This watch features an ultra-strong and light-weight folding clasp, made of carbon fiber composite and a stainless steel or titanium buckle. The gradual fine adjustment system allows you to tighten or loosen the strap length when the wrist size varies due to temperature and activity.
All straps and bracelets can be interchanged by hand without the use of any tools and in a few mere seconds. This allows you to easily swap straps on the go and wear your personal style for any occasion.
A sapphire crystal or “glass” is a very hard, transparent material made of crystallizing pure aluminium oxide at extremely high temperatures. Sapphire is one of the hardest substances on earth. It measures 9 on the Mohs scale (diamond measures 10, the highest rating), which is a system for rating the relative hardness of various materials, making it virtually scratch proof.
Applying AR coating will limit the reflection on a sapphire or mineral glass to a very low level.
The transparent case back, made of sapphire crystal, makes it possible to see the movement inside the watch.
Water resistance measures how much water pressure a watch can handle before it breaks. This measurement is important to know for the proper care and keeping of your watch. Water resistance of 30 m / 100 ft means that it can be used for swimming, snorkeling, and similar activities.
We back our watches with a 3-Year international warranty. In the rare case of a malfunction or a movement defect, you can contact us and send your watch back free of charge and we’ll repair it for you within 2 weeks.
Formex is dedicated to online payment security. We do not store any of your payment information. We offer payment solutions tailored to your shipping destination. Please proceed to checkout to view your local payment options.
All watch prices already include free shipping worldwide. As soon as we have processed your order, you will receive a tracking number to follow your package. Expect your watch within 2 business days within Europe, or within 3 business days for overseas orders. If for any reason you think it’s not the right fit, you can return your watch free of charge. If you contact us before returning or exchanging your watch, we’ll even have your shipping expenses covered.
All our watches are designed, developed and assembled in-house at our headquarters in Biel-Bienne, Switzerland and meet the current, more strict Swiss Made requirement, which entered into force on January 2017. Every single piece undergoes a variety of quality and functionality controls, before making it to your wrist.
Shaped from Within, Engineered From the Inside Out
Rather than designing a case first and fitting a caliber inside it, Formex developed the Aria around the new Manufacture Caliber FX01 — an ultra-thin micro-rotor movement measuring only 2.9 mm in height. This movement architecture allowed the team to rethink what an integrated-bracelet sports watch could feel like on the wrist: thinner, lighter, and more fluid in form.
Inspired by nature and the slow shaping forces of water and wind, the Aria’s organic lines appear as if material had been gradually sculpted away over time until only the essential remained. Every curve flows seamlessly from case to bracelet, creating a silhouette without harsh transitions or unnecessary mass.
The 40 mm case is crafted from Grade 5 titanium, an aerospace-grade alloy chosen for its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, and skin-friendly properties. Despite its substantial mechanical complexity, the complete watch weighs only 78 grams including bracelet while maintaining a profile of just 6.9 mm.
Every surface is individually hand-finished to follow the flowing geometry of the case and bracelet. Fine vertical brushing and mirror-polished bevels create subtle contrasts in light, emphasizing the sculptural character of the Aria without overpowering its understated presence.
Orchestrating Materials and Chronometric Performance
The Manufacture Caliber FX01 is Formex’s first exclusive movement, developed together with Swiss movement specialists Horage.
At the center of the caliber is a micro-rotor architecture — a construction that integrates the winding rotor directly into the movement rather than placing it above the caliber like traditional automatic movements. This allows for a dramatically thinner profile while offering a more open view of the movement’s architecture.
To maximize winding efficiency despite its compact size, the FX01 utilizes a custom tungsten micro-rotor. Thanks to tungsten’s exceptionally high density and an ultra-efficient mainspring system, the movement delivers more than 72 hours of power reserve while improving winding efficiency by approximately 55%.
The FX01 is individually tested and certified by the COSC, the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Authority. It also incorporates a full silicon regulating system including the hairspring, escape wheel, and pallet fork. Silicon’s anti-magnetic, lightweight, and low-friction properties improve long-term precision, stability, and efficiency.
A flexible geartrain pinion further enhances the time-setting experience by eliminating backlash in the motion works. The result is immediate and precise minute-hand adjustment with a smooth, highly refined crown feel.
The movement’s finishing reflects the same modern philosophy as the watch itself: galvanic black gold-plated bridges, vertically brushed surfaces, laser-textured architectural cutouts, hand-finished bevels, and a brushed tungsten micro-rotor engraved with the Formex logo.
Movement Becomes Form
The integrated titanium bracelet was designed as a natural extension of the case — both visually and ergonomically.
Every link features a subtle curvature that allows the bracelet to wrap smoothly around the wrist, creating a remarkably fluid and comfortable wearing experience despite the watch’s ultra-thin profile. While the curvature is barely noticeable visually, it becomes immediately apparent once worn.
Crafted from Grade 5 titanium, each bracelet link is individually hand-brushed to follow the flowing geometry of the design. Mirror-polished bevels add contrast and reflect light with precision, emphasizing the sculptural transitions between surfaces.
The bracelet is equipped with Formex’s patented on-the-fly fine adjustment system, seamlessly integrated into the clasp. The mechanism allows the bracelet length to be adjusted instantly between three positions — 0 mm, 3 mm, and 6 mm — without removing the watch from the wrist or even opening the clasp. This enables fast micro-adjustments throughout the day as wrist size naturally changes due to temperature or activity, while maintaining the clean proportions and uninterrupted flow of the bracelet design.
Combined with the watch’s total weight of only 78 grams, the Aria delivers a level of comfort that makes the watch almost disappear on the wrist.
Every detail — from the case finishing to the seamless bracelet integration — was designed around the movement itself, creating a watch where mechanics and form exist in complete harmony.
A Polyphony in Watch Design
The Aria dial transforms the passage of time into a sculptural landscape.
Stamped from a single piece of brass, the dial features a matte lacquered finish and a concave surface architecture that creates a surprising sense of depth despite the watch’s ultra-thin profile. Each beveled index sits on a slightly raised platform, while the surrounding surface gently curves away, creating flowing transitions across the dial.
The applied indices and hands combine brushed surfaces with polished bevels to maximize contrast and legibility. At 6 o’clock, a recessed small seconds display adds balance to the composition, while the Formex logo is seamlessly integrated at 12 o’clock.
The Founder’s Edition is available in three dial variations, each inspired by the landscapes and natural contrasts of Switzerland: Selva Green evokes the richness of forest landscapes with warm organic undertones, Ardesia Grey takes inspiration from wet mountain slate and alpine rock formations, while Denso Blue captures the depth and tension of storm-filled skies and deep water with a dense matte navy surface that absorbs light rather than reflecting it.
