Formex uses two distinct kinds of fine adjustment: a gradual adjuster in a deployant clasp for compatible straps, and adjustment built into some steel-bracelet clasps. The available documentation does not establish four official generations or a complete four-watch chronology. It does support a useful comparison across four Essence examples, provided the differences in hardware and the limits of the timeline are kept clear.
First, distinguish a strap from a bracelet
Watch owners often use “strap” to mean any band, but Formex’s adjustment systems differ by band type. Its carbon-composite deployant clasp is used with compatible leather, rubber, or nylon straps. A steel bracelet has its own clasp and adjustment mechanism. Their adjustment figures are not interchangeable: a strap clasp’s gradual range does not describe a bracelet clasp’s positions.
Formex CEO Raphael Granito described the carbon-fiber composite folding clasp as having a gradual 7 mm adjustment that can be made without taking off the watch. In the same official article, he cited a separate 4 mm micro-extension for the steel bracelet. Those are descriptions of different components, not successive measurements of one system. Formex’s article on the Essence does not, on the evidence available here, establish a full date-by-date product history.
Four Essence examples, with the adjustment each source supports
These examples show how to compare Formex hardware without treating “four generations” as a manufacturer-defined sequence. The configuration matters: a watch offered on a strap may use a different clasp from the bracelet version.
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| Watch example | Adjustment described | What the evidence establishes |
|---|---|---|
| Essence with the earlier carbon-composite deployant clasp | Gradual 7 mm strap adjustment | CEO Raphael Granito described this clasp as allowing fine adjustment without removing the watch. The same article separately cites a 4 mm bracelet micro-extension. Formex |
| Essence 41 on steel bracelet | 0, 3, or 6 mm positions | The current product page specifies a butterfly clasp with three positions. It separately describes gradual adjustment for the carbon-composite deployant used with strap options. Confirm the exact configuration on the listing. Formex |
| Essence 41 Space Ghost | Butterfly clasp; adjustment reported as 3 mm increments over 6 mm | WatchTime reports that the butterfly clasp debuted on this model in 2025. This is dated press reporting, not a complete manufacturer-published hardware chronology. WatchTime |
| Updated Essence 39 | 3 mm increments over a 6 mm range | WatchTime’s 2026 report says the update added the butterfly clasp and traces its introduction to the 2025 Space Ghost. Europa Star also reports on the clasp and collaboration with Dexel. WatchTime; Europa Star |
The first row refers to an earlier clasp design described by Formex’s CEO, not a claim that every earlier Essence had identical hardware. Likewise, the three-position Essence 41 specification and the reporting on the Space Ghost and updated Essence 39 should not be merged into a single universal specification. Product configurations and hardware can vary by reference and date.
How the adjustment systems differ in use
Deployant clasp for compatible straps
Formex’s current OEM 22 mm deployant clasp listing specifies 7 mm of adjustment across six micro-steps. “22 mm” is the clasp’s stated size; the listing says the strap must measure 20 mm at the buckle end. The clasp is intended for designated Reef, Essence 41/43, and Essence Leggera 41/43 leather, rubber, and nylon straps marked “deployant.” Check the specific strap and watch compatibility before ordering. Formex’s clasp listing showed CHF 120 when accessed; price and availability may change.
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Butterfly clasp integrated into a steel bracelet
The current Essence 41 product page describes its bracelet butterfly clasp as offering 0, 3, and 6 mm positions, and says it can be adjusted on the wrist without opening or removing the watch. This is a bracelet feature, not the gradual 7 mm system specified for the deployant clasp. Verify the instructions for the exact reference and clasp before attempting an adjustment. Formex’s Essence 41 page and its model-family video instructions cover relevant operations.
The older 4 mm bracelet figure
Granito’s official Essence article cites a 4 mm bracelet micro-extension. The current Essence 41 page, by contrast, gives three positions at 0, 3, and 6 mm. Treat these as specifications reported for different descriptions or designs, not as a contradiction that can be resolved by assuming one applies to every bracelet generation.
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How to check whether a Formex strap or clasp fits
- Identify the exact watch reference and band type. Establish whether you have a strap or a steel bracelet, and note the model and case or bracelet generation.
- Check the buckle-side strap width. For the listed 22 mm deployant clasp, Formex specifies a strap width of 20 mm at the buckle end.
- Look for the “deployant” designation. Formex lists specific compatible strap families and warns that not all straps and bracelets fit all models. Do not infer compatibility from appearance or lug width alone. The OEM clasp listing and Formex’s accessory support guidance give model-specific checks.
- Use the correct instructions for the hardware. Formex provides instructions covering Reef and Essence bracelets, carbon clasps, and the Field leather strap. Select the guide for the watch and component in hand rather than assuming one adjustment method applies to all families. Formex video instructions
Formex says its straps use either the company’s custom quick-release system or conventional quick-release spring bars and can be changed by the owner without tools. That does not make every strap interchangeable: the company explicitly advises selecting accessories by model. Formex support
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What “four generations” can—and cannot—mean here
“Four generations” is a useful editorial way to frame four watch examples, but it is not an official taxonomy established by the sources cited here. The documented material supports an earlier gradual strap-clasp adjustment, a separately described 4 mm bracelet micro-extension, the current Essence 41 bracelet’s 0/3/6 mm positions, and reporting that the butterfly clasp appeared on the 2025 Essence 41 Space Ghost before the 2026 Essence 39 update. It does not establish four successive, formally named generations of strap micro-adjustment.
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For the Essence 39, WatchTime’s 2026 report gave US-market starting prices of $1,850 on strap and $1,980 on bracelet, with availability reported from August 27, 2026 and first deliveries scheduled for October 2026. Those were launch-report details, not guaranteed current pricing or availability; check the live listing for the exact reference and included hardware. WatchTime’s report
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