High times!
A new generation of timepieces, inspired by the engineering and mechanics of high-performance
racing cars and bikes, is aiming to ensure that wearers of the ‘Element’ are... in their element
Ask Formex why there is a
need for yet another luxury
timepiece in what appears
to be an already crowded
international marketplace and the answer
is unequivocal. With the arrival of the
Element brand, it points to a watch that
“withstands the most extreme challenges
and nature’s forces: down on the ground,
up in the sky, deep underwater or right
where you are”.
In other words, these are not watches
for the faint of heart, more your rugged
adventurer – men and women whom even
former SAS man, survival instructor and
TV presenter ‘Bear’ (Edward Michael)
Grylls might well admire and relate to.
For the company itself, what they are
marketing is, it states, something “for
those who strive against the current
and know where they stand in life”. In
other words, here is an equally craggy
companion for those who fall into the ‘allaction’
category.
To company CEO Raphael Granito,
the ‘Element’ is nothing short of a Swiss
masterpiece, made of high-tech materials
and manufactured with cutting-edge
technologies. “We designed the Element
to be at home everywhere and to be able
to endure tough conditions,” he points
out. “In terms of materials, we’ve used
Ti grade 2 for the container.”
The container being the units that
surrounds the movement and which
is enclosed by the top sapphire glass
and the case back. “Since we have our
special case suspension system, the
container moves within the sandwich
construction of the whole case. Titanium
was chosen to make the watch lighter.
We’ve used Stainless Steel 216L for the
top and bottom plate of the case and the
pushers and crown.
“We’ve used steel here, because the
design has some polished bevels and
facets. Titanium grade 2 can’t be mirror
polished to a degree that satis es the
aesthetical quality standards in high-end
watches. We often get what we refer to as
‘orange skin on mirror’ polished surfaces.
The alternative would be to use grade 5
titanium, which is more complicated to
work, as it requires being stamped at
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