Formex Essence Space Ghost 41 mm Automatic COSC Watch Review
The Formex Essence Space Ghost 41 mm Automatic COSC is a feature-rich horological composition. A meteorite dial provides a sumptuous, out of this world backdrop to the dial indications. The two-part case ergonomically flexes around the wrist, delivering sublime levels of wearer comfort, while the movement and bracelet also impress with their execution. However, as Marcus Henry explains, despite being very impressive, the Formex proves remarkably affordable.
Formex watch
The best watches tell a story. They pull you out of yourself and make you a part of something greater. There’s a reason, after all, that the most expensive watches command staggering auction prices. From provenance to design, each timepiece is transformed by different influences into something more than a little ticking mechanism on your wrist. It becomes an icon and carries you along with it.
Formex Essence Space Ghost 41 mm Automatic COSC – introduction
It’s hard to imagine a more profound yet affordable example of this than the recent release from Formex, the curiously named ‘Space Ghost’. Every part of it invites the wearer to embark on a sci-fi odyssey, from its avant-garde ‘Case Suspension System’ to the stunning, out of this world meteorite dial. It’s a watch that transposes the wearer onto a higher plane, yet remains eminently accessible. Indeed, this exceptional release just might be the best value proposition of 2025.
Formex Essence Space Ghost 41 mm Automatic COSC – Case Suspension System
The Space Ghost marks a new era for Formex courtesy of its case measuring 41 mm in diameter. This option nestles comfortably between the brand’s existing 39 mm and 43 mm case options and its optimal sizing affords sufficient room for each function to prove legible without the watch feeling unwieldy.
Let’s explore the superb Case Suspension System a little more. A brand signature of Formex, the housing comprises two parts, an outer case, including the lugs and case flanks, and a separate inner cylindrical capsule that encapsulates the crystal, dial, movement and caseback. Between the top and bottom of the case are four springs that attach to the inner capsule, which is formed of Grade 2 titanium, keeping the capsule centred. When wearing the watch, the springs, reminiscent of a car’s suspension system, allow the capsule to move slightly within the confines of the case. The system dynamically adjusts as the wrist flexes and ambient temperatures fluctuate, subtly moving to augment wearer comfort.
Besides being equipped with the ingenious Case Suspension System, the execution of the housing is hugely impressive. Brushed and polished surfaces sit cheek by jowl. Ensuring both finishes remain discrete, necessitates additional effort and much expertise, heightening cost. The resultant appearance of this sports watch proves one of the most striking and technically ingenious designs that I’ve seen in a long time. Firstly, those four visible screws around the bezel are essential for holding the aforementioned springs, but they also contribute to the slightly industrial aesthetic that proves quite appealing. Perpetuating Formex’s vernacular design, the appearance of the case might not be new but in its latest 41 mm size, the watch shares the ingenious design of its older siblings while delivering an unprecedented level of wearability.
Formex Essence Space Ghost 41 mm Automatic COSC – meteorite dial
With the case nailed down, let’s turn our attention to the centrepiece of this watch: the spectacular dial, starring a unique slice of iron meteorite. In this case, the donor is the special Muonionalusta meteorite, which impacted close to the border between Sweden and Finland. And yes, it took me quite a while to get the hang of spelling Muonionalusta. Apparently, its discovery site, a place downstream of the Muonion River, was the source of its vowel-rich name. Each dial features a striking, unique Widmanstätten pattern that’s been formed by the meteorite’s extremely slow cooling process.
After it’s cut, each piece of the meteorite is treated using a special in-house process to reveal the Widmanstätten pattern and then is rhodium-plated to give it a lovely silvery sheen. Finally, the meteorite’s luminous shine is complemented perfectly by a set of applied blue indices and hands, all of which are polished and filled with Super-LumiNova that emits a blue-green hue. Finally, I’m quite fond of the date window that Formex has incorporated at 6:00, which is elegantly framed by two sloping edges, matching the main dial epidermis.
Formex Essence Space Ghost 41 mm Automatic COSC – Sellita SW 200-1
Formex has fitted the Space Ghost with the tried and tested Sellita SW200-1. The Swiss brand has clearly been busy ticking the Sellita option list. This particular movement is fully decorated, includes a custom skeletonised rotor and has been regulated to chronometer standard (COSC). For a timepiece to have received the nod of approval from COSC, Formex will inevitably have incurred fees for testing; hence, considering the modest asking price of the Space Ghost (from £1780 at the time of writing), the chronometer certification is a welcome surprise.
In case you’re the type of finishing stickler who was wondering exactly what is meant by ‘fully-decorated’, the appearance of the Sellita SW200-1 is enriched with perlage, colimaçon and the rotor is grained. Despite the accessible pricing, the movement features blued screws, which add a lovely touch of colour to proceedings.
Formex Essence Space Ghost 41 mm Automatic COSC – bracelet
Not only has Formex created an ingenious case and captivating dial, it has also equipped the Space Ghost with an impressive bracelet featuring a brand-new microadjustment clasp, engineered by its sister company, Dexel. This new clasp can be adjusted without the need for tools and allows the wearer to fine-tune the fit in 3 mm increments (0 mm, 3 mm, and 6 mm). Moreover, the bracelet can be altered while the watch is affixed to the wrist, ideal when temperatures climb and wrists expand.
Dexel, a specialist producer of cases and bracelets, supplies some of the most prestigious names in the watch industry. With the necessary bona fides, it should come as no surprise that Dexel has created a new bracelet featuring an innovative means of securing the links. For most screwed-link bracelets, a drop of threadlocker is needed to hold the screws in place, otherwise the natural mechanical stress typical of daily wear will cause the screws to work loose from the bracelet. This approach, however, naturally makes the watchmaker’s job far more difficult in disassembling and servicing the bracelet. With this in mind, Dexel has introduced a special offset thread to each screwed pin. This allows the link to articulate freely while the offset thread itself receives no mechanical stress. It’s a brilliant engineering solution which, once again, demonstrates Formex’s obsessive attention to detail and remarkable capacity for innovation.
Closing remarks
The Space Ghost may differ from ESCAPEMENT’s usual editorial focus, but it deserves your attention and justifies every word of praise. Put simply, this is a watch that delivers a heck of a lot for comparatively little. Meteorite dials are normally the preserve of watches costing twice the price of the Formex. But when you also throw in the in-house Case Suspension System, well-finished Sellita movement and sublime bracelet, the case for acquisition becomes even stronger.
If you’re interested in getting your hands on a Space Ghost, you’d better act fast. The watch will be limited to just 150 pieces per year with prices starting at £1,780 for a strap version (leather, rubber or nylon with a deployant clasp). Personally, I would opt for the bracelet version, ‘a steal’ for £1,890.
Further reading
Technical Specification
- Model: Formex Essence Space Ghost 41 mm Automatic COSC
- Reference: SKU 0334.1.6643
- Case: stainless steel 316L with titanium grade 2 container, diameter 41 mm, height 10.6 mm, 10 bar (100 metres); sapphire crystal to front and exhibition caseback.
- Functions: hours, minutes, centre seconds; date
- Movement: Sellita SW 200-1
, self-winding chronograph movement, frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz), 26 jewels, power reserve of 41 hours, chronometer-certified (COSC) - Price: strap version (leather, rubber or nylon) with a deployant clasp – £1,780 (RRP as of 14.8.2025)
- Price: bracelet version with a deployant clasp – £1,890 (RRP as of 14.8.2025)