Borna Boschunjak
Ed Cho’s Fleux has been around for several years and was founded out of a passion for vintage skin divers. So far, he has created three versions of FLX001 and FLX002 released in 2023 and FLX003 in 2024. Each version began in the 1960s and went smoothly in the 1980s, paying tribute to the iconic divers using de facto toolwatch specs. The latest release of ED, the Fleux FLX004, is a completely different thing. It completely embraces the spirit of minimalism and invites us to appreciate the folded design. This is a conversation starter piece that looks familiar, but at the same time it’s not.
case
The ED is consistent in many ways, and case design is one of the first things that come to mind. It’s exactly the same as his first three releases, so what’s new here isn’t new. The FLX004 case is purely a skin diver case, with traditional straight cuts between the rugs, mostly brushed treatments, and a simple profile. The midcase is thin and seamlessly transitions to the lug, falling dramatically towards the wrist. It has a construction that looks great and makes this watch (and other skin divers) very comfortable to wear. As you can see from the photo, the FLX004 has a bulbous profile, an Alarox bubble bag. The fluffy sides of the case are further emphasized by a polished ring with a screwed case back.
Additionally, the thin polished chamfer at the top of the case helps to visually enhance the unique profile of the case and the angular curvature of its central and lug. The friction fit bi-directional bezel consists of a sterile shiny aluminum insert that is washed over it. For decoration, only C3 old radium laminova dots used by ED are shown. And if you’re thinking, I’ve seen this from something I don’t imagine – it was called a band style bezel insert and not invented by an Italian brand!
From a dimension perspective, the case is 14mm thick, 14mm, including 39mm diameter, 47mm lagtoo lugs, dome hesalite crystals, and has a 20mm lug width. A tiny 5.9mm crown screws in and a screw-in caseback provides 200 meters of water resistance.
Dial
Looking at the dial on the Fleux FLX004, you probably have a lot of questions. That’s a good thing. Ed wants to participate in conversations with potential customers and understand what is essential and not essential to your watch (and potentially, life). With more information provided by dials and bezels, we already have a more functional version of the skin diver. FLX004 is different and singular, as it lacks classic tool watch design elements such as tiny hash marks and time markers. There are essential things to communicate time, but the wide arrow phone and the hand of the mile seconds.
The main visual treat on the dial is a sector that reminds me of the 1954 Gérald Genta’s Universal Genève Polerouter, as well as the silver ring surrounding the central section of the dial. However, UG had vertical lines and time markers, but I got off track. The two contrast with the black shiny section of the dial, working beautifully with polished hands. The branding is printed in old radium colours to match Lume, but for the first time, the “Diver Down” brand logo is only displayed on the crown. Because of the crosshairs, the branding is split into two and appears in the opposite quadrant.
strap
The Fleux FLX004 comes with a black sea canvas strap made from recycled marine plastic, stainless steel buckles, leather backing and quick release spring bars. As this applies to all Seaqual straps, they are stiff from the box, but improve over time.
Movement
Another thing about the FLX004, which remains the same for the previous three models, is its movement choice. This is the Seiko NH38A with a 41-hour power reserve at 21,600VPH (3Hz). It is not an autohollogary, but contributes to a considerable thickness of the watch, but is as reliable and easy to serve as a tractor.
Fleux FLX004 Price and Availability
Fleux FLX004 is available for immediate purchase from the brand’s website. Price: 499 US$
Brand Fleux Model FLX004 Case Dimensions 38mm(D) x 14mm(T) x 47mm(LTL) Case Material Stainless Steel Water Resistance 200m, Screw Down Crown Crystal (s) Dome Type Hecillat Dial Black Lug Width
