It’s not often often that you see someone that you have come to know in your watch collecting circle strike out on their own (well, as part of a team) and create something incredibly unique and well executed. Well that’s story of Fleming, at least how I was introduced to the brand.

I met James Kong a little over a year ago when I would see him over and over at different NYC watch events. Obviously, we were both collectors and enthusiasts, but it was our non-watch background that became a common bond. We both were practicing attorneys at the time, trying to figure a way to “make watches” our full time gig. James, one of the most celebrated watch photographers in the industry (he goes by @waitlisted on Instagram), figured it out a little earlier than I did, joining Fleming, a new brand founded by Thomas Fleming. He joined prior to the launch of their inaugural piece, the Series 1, which I have in for review.

The launch doesn’t exactly come as a surprise, as the young brand has already had some big moments, even before launching the watch. In early 2023, the young Norweigian tennis star (and top 10 player worldwide) has been seen wearing a Fleming off the court. Indeed, Ruud, a watch enthusiast and collector, has been working with Fleming to create a shock-resistant watch that he can wear while playing (move over Richard Mille). This is rather unheard of, a brand that hadn’t even released watch, showcasing their prototype on the wrist of a world-class athlete. And Ruud believed in Fleming so much that he has become an investor in the brand.

While Ruud’s custom watch has yet to be realized, what was just released is the Series 1. Series 1 consists of 41 watches, 7 in rose gold, 9 in platinum, and 25 in tantalum. I was able to get the rose gold variation prior to launch for review. And when you look at the details, from the dial, to the case finishing and movement, you will realize this is no ordinary brand.

While plenty of brands these days are launching with a vintage-inspired sport watch or a very modern design, the Fleming Series 1 is about as classic as it gets. That is not say it looks dated or boring. That couldn’t be further from what Fleming is. So lets get into.

The Rose Gold case measures in at 38.5mm with a lug-to-lug width of 46.5mm making it wear extremely well as a dressier watch. One of the more unique aspects of the Fleming Series 1 is it’s case construction and how much attention to detail was paid to it’s design. The midcase alone is comprised of 3 separate pieces - A brushed top and bottom, with a highly polished band around the middle. This provides some depth to the case which isn’t always the case with a lot of dress watches. But that’s not even the coolest part of the case. The lugs are horn-shaped and skeletonized giving the Series 1 a more contemporary look, which overall fit the DNA of the Series 1. Fleming say they felt the lug design was important because it’s often overlooked in watchmaking in general.

The dial on the Fleming Series 1 is unique depending on which material is chosen. The Tantalum features a cool Averturine dial, the Platinum a nice guilloche, and the rose gold here features a hand-hammered dial plate that I found to be absolutely incredible. Each of these dials are created by the prestigious Comblémine in Saint-Sulpice (Owned by Kari Voutilainen). The dial itself features a number of different textures that catch light differently. You have the polished chapter ring, handset, and indices for legibility, then a neatly textured hand-guilloched backdrop, and the hammered dial plate in the middle. It’s really nothing short of mesmerizing, and that can be pretty rare to find in an inaugural launch. Overall, I found the dial to be a testament to how in tune with watchmaking Fleming is with the smallest details making the dial feel more like art than a timekeeping instrument.

Speaking of art, inside the Series 1 is the “Calibre FM-01”, a fitting name for the brand’s first movement. The movement was developed in collaboration with Jean-Francois Mojon of Chronode - GPHG Award-winning watchmaker. I won’t mince words here, the movement is a stunner. The manual wind movement is visible through the sapphire caseback and the first thing you’ll notice is the twin barrels both featuring the Fleming logo. At 4 o’clock you have a polished bridge holding the escapement that I found quite captivating and honestly, the amount of depth found in the movement was quite profound. Further, the movement carries a whopping 168-hour power reserve with a visible indicator on the back of the watch and 29 jewels.

The Series 1 comes on a very comfortable leather strap made by Jean Rousseau. Uniquely, the pin buckle has a subtle hint to the lug design, and I found that to be really cool. Further, the strap features an easy to swap quick change system you’d come to expect from a watch of this caliber, but isn’t always the case - So hats off to Fleming for including this no-brainer when it comes to perceived value.

I had high expectations when it was announced that Thomas and James were starting a watch brand, but Fleming exceeded even those expectations. The Series 1 is top quality in every sense of the words, and an achievement in watchmaking team building. Since the watch took 3 years to develop due to getting all these powerhouses together, seeing it all come together into such a unique and beautiful product is beyond exciting. Fleming has a lot more in the works, with a number of previews coming up in the coming months and if they’re anything like the Series 1, we’re all in for quite a treat.