Borna Bošnjak

Ed Cho’s Fleux has been round for a few years, and was based from his ardour for classic pores and skin divers. Up to now, he’s made three variations of them – the FLX001 and FLX002 launched in 2023, and the FLX003 from 2024 – and we’ve coated all of them for good motive. Every model paid homage to iconic divers, beginning within the Sixties and going properly into the Eighties, with de facto device watch specs. Ed’s newest launch, the Fleux FLX004, is one thing else solely. It embraces a wholly minimalist ethos, and invitations us to understand pared-backed designs. It’s a dialog starter piece that can look acquainted, but in addition received’t on the identical time.

The case

Ed is constant in lots of points, and case design is among the first issues that come to thoughts. It’s the very same as his first three releases, so nothing right here can be new. The FLX004’s case is only that of a pores and skin diver, with the normal straight reduce between the lugs, a principally brushed remedy, and a simple profile. The mid-case is skinny and seamlessly transitions into the lugs that flip down dramatically in the direction of the wrist. It’s a development that appears improbable, and makes this watch (and different pores and skin divers) so comfy to put on. As you may see from the pictures, the FLX004 has a bulbous profile, à la Rolex Bubbleback, which endows it with noticeable wrist presence. The fluffy side of the case is additional emphasised by means of a refined ring onto which the caseback screws down.

Furthermore, skinny polished chamfers on higher sections of the case assist visually reinforce the distinctive profile of the case and the angular curvature of its midsection and of the lugs. A friction-fit, bidirectional bezel sits flush on it and consists of a sterile, shiny aluminum insert. For adornment we solely see a C3 Outdated Radium LumiNova dot, that Ed has used beforehand. And for those who’re pondering, I’ve seen this earlier than from Unimatic – it’s referred to as a Bund-style bezel insert, and was not invented by the Italian model!

From a dimension standpoint, the case measures 39mm in diameter, 47mm lug-to-lug, a chunky 14mm thick together with the domed Hesalite crystal, and has a 20mm lug width. A small crown of 5.9mm screws down and along with a screw-down case-back, we get 200 metres of water resistance.

The dial

When trying on the dial of the Fleux FLX004, you’ll in all probability have many questions – and that’s a very good factor. Ed desires to have interaction in a dialog along with his potential prospects, and determine what is crucial in a watch (and probably, life) and what isn’t. We’ve already gotten extra purposeful variations of pores and skin divers, with extra data supplied up by the dials and bezels. The FLX004 is one thing totally different and singular, as it’s devoid of classical design parts of device watches akin to minute hash-marks and hour markers. Although it has the necessities to inform time: a broad-arrow handset and a working seconds hand.

The primary visible deal with on the dial is the sector that jogs my memory of Gérald Genta’s Common Genève Polerouter from 1954, and so does the silver ring surrounding the middle part of the dial. Although, the UG did have vertical traces and hour markers, however I digress. The 2 distinction in opposition to the black, shiny sections of the dial and work beautifully with the polished palms. The branding is printed in an previous radium coloration to match the lume, however right here for the primary time the “diver down” model brand solely seems on the crown. Due to the crosshair, the branding is break up in two, and seems in opposing quadrants.

The strap

The Fleux FLX004 is shipped with a black SeaQual sailcloth strap fabricated from recycled ocean plastics, a stainless-steel buckle, a leather-based backing, and quick-release spring-bars. As it’s true with all SeaQual straps, they’re stiff out of the field, however enhance over time.

The motion

One other factor with the FLX004 that stays the identical with the three earlier fashions is the selection of the motion: a Seiko NH38A that ticks at 21,600vph (3Hz) and has 41 hours of energy reserve. It’s no haute horlogerie and does contribute to the watch’s important thickness, however like a tractor, is dependable and notoriously straightforward to service.

Fleux FLX004 pricing and availability

The Fleux FLX004 is obtainable for quick buy from the model’s web site. Worth: US$499

The saying “typically much less is extra” carries some weight within the watch world when carried out proper and the brand new Fleux FLX004 provides us a correct take a look at minimalism. There’s distinctive styling that separates it from the ocean of microbrand dive watches on this value vary and it options the specs you’d anticipate from an reasonably priced but well-thought piece, together with a strong depth ranking and confirmed mechanical motion. There are not any indices, diving scale or perhaps a seconds monitor, nevertheless it nonetheless works as each a diving device and classy wrist companion that’ll mix into nearly any state of affairs.

The brushed 316L stainless-steel case has polished chamfers and is available in at 38mm in diameter and 14mm in top (with crystal), that are good retro proportions if not a little bit thick. The lug-to-lug is 47mm. The bidirectional rotating friction bezel with black aluminium insert has no markings save for a spherical Tremendous-lumiNova C3 mark at 12 o’clock, nevertheless it’s sufficient for informal/mild diving and even the occasional deeper dip because the case is rated for 200 metres. The screw-down crown is a bit outsized for simple manipulation and the screwed strong case again has a spiral brushed sample. The watch comes with a 20mm SEAQUAL Strap comprised of recycled ocean plastic and a stainless-steel buckle. It’s a bit stiff out of the field however ought to break properly in over a brief interval.

The shiny black sector dial actually stands out in each type and ease and was impressed by navigational devices of the previous. It’s protected by a box-shaped sapphire crystal that provides a full 2mm to the 12mm case. Matte silver minute and broad arrowhead hour fingers have Tremendous-LumiNova C3 “Previous Radium” inserts and the seconds hand has a lume tip. A matte silver ring surrounds the dial perimeter however is freed from a monitor or markings. It’s all about minimalism, however the giant silver fingers towards a black background present glorious legibility and there’s loads of lume with a gradual inexperienced glow. The minimal dial textual content matches the Previous Radium lume for a gilt impact that provides to the retro vibe.

Powering the Fleux FLX004 is a Seiko NH38A automated, which is a real no-date motion (over the usual NH35A). It has 24 jewels, beats at 21,600vph (3Hz) and comes with a 41-hour energy reserve. Features embody central hours, minutes and hacking seconds. This confirmed workhorse has an accuracy ranking of -20/+40 seconds per day, however is usually effectively inside these parameters in apply.

The Fleux FLX004 retails for USD 499 with a launch date of March twenty sixth. That’s fairly a discount for a singular pores and skin diver with 200 metres of water resistance and a confirmed Japanese (no-date) automated. That is the fourth pores and skin diver from Fleux Watches and by far essentially the most aesthetically minimal.

For extra data and to put an order, please go to FleuxWatches.com.

Sponsored submit: This text is sponsored by Fleux Watches. Nevertheless, it displays the author’s opinion and has been written based on MONOCHROME’s editorial coverage.