Side by side

Formex Essence ThirtyNinevsFears Archival 1930

The numbers, the dial colors, the calibers — laid out so you can stop flipping between tabs.

Essence ThirtyNine
FormexEssence ThirtyNine
MSRP $2,390
Archival 1930
FearsArchival 1930
MSRP $3,863

At a glance

11 of 29 specs differ
Diameter
Essence ThirtyNine39mm
Archival 193040mm
Power Reserve
Essence ThirtyNine41h
Archival 193040h
Water Resistance
Essence ThirtyNine100m
Archival 193030m
MSRP
Essence ThirtyNine$2,390
Archival 1930$3,863

Full specifications

Case

5 specs
Diameter
39mm
40mm
Thickness
10mm
8.54mm
Lug-to-Lug
45mm
Material
Stainless Steel
316L Stainless Steel
Water Resistance
100m
30m

Crystal & Dial

2 specs
Dial Color
Space Ghost
Standard
Lume
Super-LumiNova
None

Movement

3 specs
Caliber
Sellita SW200-1
ETA 2360
Type
Automatic
Manual
Power Reserve
41h
40h

Pricing

1 specs
MSRP
$2,390
$3,863

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What people say

Owners + reviewers, side by side

Synthesized for each watch independently from owner discussions, enthusiast forums, written reviews, and video reviewers.

Formex Essence ThirtyNine

The Formex Essence ThirtyNine is praised for its impressive build quality and value, featuring a patented case suspension system for comfort and protection. It houses a COSC-certified Sellita SW200-1 movement with a 38-hour power reserve and a tool-free strap quick-release system. A minor inconvenience noted is the specific closing order of the clasp. On balance, reviewers rate the Formex Essence ThirtyNine highly for its comfortable wearability and excellent value at its price point.

Fears Archival 1930

Owners and reviewers widely praise the Fears Archival 1930 for its elegant, vintage-inspired Art Deco styling, featuring a captivating champagne dial with Deco numerals and heat-blued hands. The watch is noted for its comfortable, thin 8.54mm case and surprisingly substantial wearability, even on smaller wrists, due to its curved caseback and light weight. Its pull-out crown is easy to grip and wind, and the use of a new old stock ETA 717 movement from the 1930s adds historical appeal. However, some owners and forum members question its value proposition, citing components like an ETA 7001 movement and a Hong Kong case, with a power reserve of 38-40 hours requiring frequent winding. On balance, owners and reviewers rate the Fears Archival 1930 highly for its unique vintage design and comfortable wearability, despite some reservations about its price relative to its components.

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