An Intro to FLEUX Watches
Hi Everyone,
My name is Ed and I'm the founder of a new microbrand called FLEUX. I really hope I'm not breaking any rules by posting this - I've looked around in vain but can't seem to find anything saying I can't do this. To the mods - if I've overstepped, my apologies and I understand. But I do love what you guys are doing (love the YouTube videos) and thank-you for creating a great space.
In short, after 20+ years of obsessively collecting, I started FLEUX because I was tired of waiting/wishing for someone to make the watch I dreamed of. I started just over a year ago, and with some luck and hard work, our prototypes are done and we're ramping up for our Kickstarter campaign.
Fleux is a skin diver microbrand (38mm) that is inspired by vintage divers from the 60s and 70s, but is solidly modern. I've attached two concept renders here and will be releasing photos shortly on our website and socials.
Would love to connect with you all, get some feedback and answer any questions you have. Really looking forward to the convos!
Hey welcome !
Saw your page yesterday, and was wondering cause on one technical drawing the lug to lug is 47 and on the other it is 48mm.
I know it's only 1mm but for my small wrist it is a lot !
Good luck with the KS !
Welcome! Just checked out your website. Really like the design of both watches. I’m a diver fan as well so I look forward to seeing your journey and perhaps one day seeing one in person.
Welcome!
The watch looks great, those are leather or rubber straps?
Hey welcome !
Saw your page yesterday, and was wondering cause on one technical drawing the lug to lug is 47 and on the other it is 48mm.
I know it's only 1mm but for my small wrist it is a lot !
Good luck with the KS !
You have a great eye. To be honest, I pulled the image from the TDs that were done without thinking about it a few months ago. It was simply a typo the engineer made on the drawing and it was corrected for production. It was also an oversight on my part when making the images to share. My apologies.
Welcome!
The watch looks great, those are leather or rubber straps?
Thank-you. The straps on the concepts are Tropic (rubber) straps. These concepts were made in late 2021 and I decided to go with a different material for production. The material is called SEAQUAL and it's very similar looking to sailcloth but with a tighter weave. It's made from recycled ocean plastic and after testing it for a few months it was the winner. I'll be sharing actual pictures over the next couple of week and you'll be able to see it fully there. 🙂
Welcome! Just checked out your website. Really like the design of both watches. I’m a diver fan as well so I look forward to seeing your journey and perhaps one day seeing one in person.
Thank-you! I can't wait to see where this crazy idea takes me.
Very nice. Good luck with the launch.
Nice watches, very clean design but why hesalite on a modern watch?
Hi! It's always good to see creators injecting new ideas. I would love to learn about your inspirations and how you developed this design.
Good luck with the brand!
Very nice looking. How to pronounce Fleux? Best of luck.
Nice watches, very clean design but why hesalite on a modern watch?
Sorry for the long reply but...
This is a classic debate and has been going on forever and I wrestled with this exact question for FLEUX for a long time. Too long actually. I know many watch enthusiasts will not purchase one of my watches because it's Hesalite and that's ok.
Ultimately, I decided on the material because I love it. I'm going to write a lengthier blog post on this topic but simply put, a double domed Hesalite crystal is beautiful to look at/through. Sapphire is no doubt very tough but the way light hits it is just different from Hesalite. I currently have ~6 vintage watches that are 40+ years old and they all have the original acrylic crystal on them. Yes, it can scratch but literally 30 seconds of elbow grease and it's good as new. But I also don't mind scratches either (wabi-sabi - it's a Japanese term meant to describe the beauty in imperfection).
I once dropped a watch onto the face of a Rolex with a sapphire crystal from maybe 50cm away. The crystal shattered into pieces and it was not a fun time. Hesalite on the other hand will crack instead of shattering.
Lastly, I figured if it was good enough for NASA, it was good enough for FLEUX.
Ultimately, like appreciating a design, the Hesalite/Sapphire/Mineral Glass preference is really personal. If you haven't experienced the joy of Hesalite/acrylic, I would kindly suggest one day trying it out. You might be surprised. Or maybe not! :) I once also disliked the idea of acrylic and hand wound movements - and then I tried them and realized I love them even more!
Very nice looking. How to pronounce Fleux? Best of luck.
Thanks!
I don't really have a hard preference on how it should be pronounced.
In French, the word means flowers and it's pronounced "fluh".
(But that's not where the name came from. More on this in a blog post but it's a portmanteau of Fleuss and Flux.)
In my head, it's pronounced as "fl-oox".
Looking forward to seeing a production model.
Thank-you. The straps on the concepts are Tropic (rubber) straps. These concepts were made in late 2021 and I decided to go with a different material for production. The material is called SEAQUAL and it's very similar looking to sailcloth but with a tighter weave. It's made from recycled ocean plastic and after testing it for a few months it was the winner. I'll be sharing actual pictures over the next couple of week and you'll be able to see it fully there. 🙂
Looking forward!
Looking forward to seeing a production model.
I'll be sharing some amazing pics within the next week or so. Stay tuned! 🙂
Love the design of both renders, with a slight preference to the one with no numerals. Projected price range?
Very nice. I wouldn’t worry about breaking any rules as it seems the only serious rule is to be civil and there’s been a few microbrands posting here.
I’m a big dive watch fan and these look great. This is such a small thing but the orange round the minute hand is a really nice touch. Mind if I ask where you’re based and if you’re planning on shipping internationally?
Hi and welcome, don't think your breaking any rules.
Well done on creating your own watch. Very cool.
Do you have any idea as to price… I mean that’s probably going to be the final decision for a lot of us. Kickstarter is also a risk, so it’s a bit of a mixed bag.
Very nice. I wouldn’t worry about breaking any rules as it seems the only serious rule is to be civil and there’s been a few microbrands posting here.
I’m a big dive watch fan and these look great. This is such a small thing but the orange round the minute hand is a really nice touch. Mind if I ask where you’re based and if you’re planning on shipping internationally?
Hi and thanks for the compliment!
We're located in Toronto and yes, definitely shipping internationally.
@Porthole @itsthedialman
Pricing is coming, closer to the KS launch date. I'll let you all know in advance. But not to worry, it's definitely less than $1000 USD and in-line with some of the well known microbrands when they launched.
@Porthole @itsthedialman
Pricing is coming, closer to the KS launch date. I'll let you all know in advance. But not to worry, it's definitely less than $1000 USD and in-line with some of the well known microbrands when they launched.
How much less - don’t be shy, just be honest, it’s a NH38 powered steel diver…
Check out our website/sign up for our newsletter/follow us on IG for the latest updates! 😁✌
Hello Ed. Welcome to the group. I’ma sucker for the California dial. Nice choice. Looking forward to seeing and hearing more about your watches. Best of luck to you.
Hello Mr. Fleur, since you asked
Your FLX001 is interesting, you have modern sized lume plots on the top and old sized lume plots on the bottom. Will the lume be raised like the Tudor P01? Are bezels matte too?
Your FLX002 is... the font change from arabic to roman feels arbitrary and contrived. It makes the dial busier even though it should not. The horizontal six o'clock marker creates a werid axis marker that is counter to circle axis markers. It almost makes it look like a tangent marker. I would have used a plus if it was to be different? Not a fan upon first glance.
Random Comments:
The count down bezel is a nice choice.
Black on black seconds I think is a bit hard to read.
I do like your crystal and strap choices.
Will it be thin like old school thin?
I'm glad you're using nh38. I wish more would use it. I appreciate the lack of a ghost date.
Thanks!
I don't really have a hard preference on how it should be pronounced.
In French, the word means flowers and it's pronounced "fluh".
(But that's not where the name came from. More on this in a blog post but it's a portmanteau of Fleuss and Flux.)
In my head, it's pronounced as "fl-oox".
"Flowers" in French is "fleurs".
"Flowers" in French is "fleurs".
You sir, are 100% correct.
As a Canadian, I had to take French for 9 years. It has provided me with a mediocre vocabulary, the ability to read at a toddler level, and conversational abilities limited to "uh...je ne comprend pas. Je suis desole."
Some time ago, I tried to Google translate Fleux out of curiosity and it gave me "flowers". That's the story I'm sticking with. 😂
Hello Mr. Fleur, since you asked
Your FLX001 is interesting, you have modern sized lume plots on the top and old sized lume plots on the bottom. Will the lume be raised like the Tudor P01? Are bezels matte too?
Your FLX002 is... the font change from arabic to roman feels arbitrary and contrived. It makes the dial busier even though it should not. The horizontal six o'clock marker creates a werid axis marker that is counter to circle axis markers. It almost makes it look like a tangent marker. I would have used a plus if it was to be different? Not a fan upon first glance.
Random Comments:
The count down bezel is a nice choice.
Black on black seconds I think is a bit hard to read.
I do like your crystal and strap choices.
Will it be thin like old school thin?
The case thickness is 14mm (to the top of the crystal)
Hi everyone!
New blog post is up!
https://www.fleuxwatches.com/blogs/news