Between Sebastian’s recent article on Sidereal Time, the launch of the Diatom Inner Worlds and now the latest release from Formex, it is a great time to be a watch collector obsessed with space and the stars. The watch in question from Formex is the Essence Ceramica Dark Matter Redshift, which pairs a dark meteorite dial and ceramic case with vibrant red accents. It’s those red elements that give it the name Redshift, a reference to the universal phenomenon where light waves that reach Earth from outside the solar system are shifted towards the red end of the light spectrum, indicating that their points of origin are moving away from us.
The new watch uses the Essence Ceramica as its base, a design first introduced in March 2025 that measures 41mm diameter x 11.2mm thickness. It’s made from black ceramic, an incredibly hard, scratchproof material that will never fade in colour. It’s one of the most advanced materials used in watchmaking currently due to its complex production that involves firing the material at high temperatures during which process many cases crack and fail.
To continue the stealthy aesthetic of the case, the meteorite dial is coated with a black gold galvanic treatment that’s less than a micron thick. The coating darkens its tone significantly from the shiny silver of regular meteorite without making it completely black. The thinness of the coating also means you can still see the natural Widmanstätten pattern formed by the extreme thermal conditions experienced by meteors. The meteorite used is sourced from the Muonionalusta meteor.
So far, all those details are also true of the original Essence Ceramica Dark Matter from December 2025. Where the new watch switches things up is the addition of the bright red seconds hand, red dial inscriptions, and red minute scale on the flange. Against the dark background the bright red tone is like a solar flare of energy, vitalising the watch. It does make it feel like a wristwatch that Darth Vader might wear but everyone needs to embrace the dark side once in a while.
Powering the Formex Essence Ceramica Dark Matter Redshift is the COSC chronometer certified Soprod Newton P092. It’s fitted with a custom-skeleton rotor that’s visible through the exhibition caseback and provides a 44-hour power reserve. The movement is also finished with a laser-textured grain and brushed edges.
It’s priced at £3,550 and while it’s not a limited edition, it does have a strict annual production of 100 pieces. Meaning if you do want one, you should pre-order as fast as possible because previous Dark Matter production runs have gone quickly. Delivery is expected to start from November.
Price and Specs:
More details at Formex.
