With so much of the sensational, avant-garde, or stunningly complex horological creations available today, it can sometimes seem like there is less interest in timeless, classic watches. I’m not talking about watches that cost as much as a house, but rather simple, easy-to-understand watches for everyday people and collectors. However, I think some of us may appreciate these as there are certainly brands that offer products that meet this requirement. That’s what we’re going to talk about today, the Fleux FLX003.
Based in Toronto, Canada, Fleux has already released two models. These are the FLX001 and FLX002 that I introduced earlier. These are two skin divers with the same proportions and specs, but different dial and bezel designs. From what I can gather, these two models were well received, but for some, they were neither here nor there. The Bund-style bezel (which Unimatic didn’t invent, by the way) and asymmetrical dial gave people some resistance. So Fleux listened and chose to give the third model a more classic design. it is the type It should please most people and offend no one.
Design inspiration: Omega Seamaster 300 “Big Triangle” Ref. 165.024
In last year’s article, we mentioned Fleux creator Ed Cho, who took design inspiration from vintage skin divers. Because Ed was transparent, so was I, and I will be transparent today. For the FLX003, he drew inspiration from the 1960s Omega Seamaster 300 “Big Triangle” Ref. 165.024, like this However, the dial has a large inverted triangle at the 12th position.
Image: Amsterdam Watch Company
Notably, the Arabic numerals at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock are next to truncated triangles, while the giant triangle at 12 o’clock is in all its glory. The FLX003’s Broad Arrow handset is reminiscent of other vintage Omega models in the Speedmaster line. The Fleux FLX003’s dial is also easy to read, thanks to thickly printed baton-style hour markers and small minute hash marks elsewhere. aged “Old Radium” Super-LumiNova illuminates the hands and markers.
Fleux FLX003 Diver
The Skin Diver was created for amateur divers and was intended to be worn directly against the skin, rather than over a wetsuit. It used to be smaller, lighter, and less water resistant (although it’s water resistant enough for most adventurous people). Fleux has kept that spirit throughout the FLX collection, and it’s even more so here. The FLX003 is 14mm thick, but it fits well on smaller wrists like mine (16.5cm/6.5 inches). The reason for its thickness is Domed acrylic crystal, Seiko NH38A movement inside, and bulbous case back. Nevertheless, it’s comfortable and reminds me of wearing a pair of vintage Skin Divers on my wrist. The old-fashioned spirit has been inherited in the simple case design and dial visibility. After all, the Skin Diver was a no-fuss tool watch. One of the key design elements was the horizontal cut between the lugs to neatly tuck the straps. You can see it here too.
Many skin divers had small, unprotected crowns. Although the FLX003 has a diameter of 5.8 mm, it is easy to grip, easy to manipulate, and easy to unscrew and tighten. This and the screw-down caseback ensure water resistance to 200 meters, like most modern divers. The combination of a bulbous caseback and domed crystal further enhances the vintage feel, as does the thin mid-case. The FLX003 is 14mm thick, but its other dimensions are more than reasonable at 38mm width (39mm bezel width), 47mm length, and 20mm lug spacing. Although no lug holes are drilled, the included two-piece SeaQual strap has a quick-release spring bar. From size to design, the FLX003 is a true nod to vintage skin divers.
Complete design and specs
And there are other technical and aesthetic factors that make the Fleux FLX003 an interesting proposition. The first is a stunning application of Old Radium Super-LumiNova on the hands, hour markers, and inverted triangle on the bezel. The lume is certainly very nice and makes the time on the dial very easy to read even in low light conditions. And then there’s the bi-directional friction-fit bezel, which is dialed in to perfection and, yes, very vintage.
This mechanism, combined with a countdown scale, is practical, easy to use, and aesthetically pleasing. In terms of design, I like small crowns as long as they are easy to operate, and this is the case with this one. Finally, the understated branding and text is a nice touch, highlighting the FLX003’s rugged nature. I would also like to add that the latter contributes to giving the FLX003 a strong vintage feel.
final thoughts
Price is $499the Fleux FLX003 delivers a solid value proposition. More importantly, I found it perfectly classic and timeless. This is something I’m obsessed with, and I’m sure you are too. In this review, I wanted to highlight one of the Fleux FLX003’s strong selling points: its design. Reasonable pricing is also a selling point. Yet another thing is the full spec sheet, which to me more than supports the retail price. In other words, with the FLX003, you’re getting a great watch at an affordable price, and perhaps even a candidate for your “one watch collection.” But these are just my thoughts and I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section.
