Hands-On Review of the Fleux FLX001 and FLX002 Dive Watches
Dive watches might be the most popular type of watch currently on the market. And because of this we see a lot of new pieces being produced by both established and microbrands alike. Fleux fits into the latter category. Founded by Edward Cho and based out of Toronto, Fleux has just launched its two inaugural models: the FLX001 and FLX002. These vintage-inspired divers pay homage to divers of the 1950s. And seeing that vintage divers are one of my favorite categories of watches, I felt I just had to review them.
Upon initial glance at the FLX001 and FLX002 you notice that they are simply good-looking pieces. If you want to compare it to modern (but vintage-inspired) divers I would say the Fleux timepieces are somewhere between a Unimatic U1 Classic and a Lorier Neptune. And that’s high praise considering they are some of the more popular microbrands in the under $1,000 USD price point.
Where the Fleux watches differ from some of their direct competition is the extreme attention to detail in the pieces. Cho decided he wanted the watches to be as close to their vintage inspirations as possible. Unlike most modern divers, the bezel of both the Fleux FLX001 and FLX002 is bidirectional. Cho explains that while modern divers have opted for a unidirectional bezel for diver safety, most vintage divers actually had a bidirectional bezel (including vintage Rolex Submariners, Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, and the Omega CK2913). Some might be turned off by this, but I appreciate the commitment to sticking to the heritage. Plus, how many of us are actually diving with our watches? Probably not most. In this commitment to vintage authenticity, both Fleux models also have friction bezels. This means they rotate smoothly and without the clicking you would be used to when turning a modern dive bezel. I have rarely seen this on modern divers, though it’s quite common on a vintage diver. I appreciate that Cho went all in with making this watch as accurate as possible.
As a seasoned watch veteran might suspect by now, the FLX001 and FLX002 are fitted with a double-domed Hesalite. It is not sapphire, but that wouldn’t be accurate to the time period Fleux is inspired by. The domed crystal really gives added depth and furthers the vintage look Cho was going for.
The differences between the FLX001 and FLX002 are slight but noticeable. The FLX001 has a more traditional dial, with circular and stick hour markers (and a triangular 12 o’clock hour marker). The FLX001 also has a countdown bezel inspired by one of Cho’s favorite watches the Omega CK2913. The FLX002 on the other hand, features a California dial (meaning the top half of the watch’s indices are Roman numerals while the bottom half are Arabic numerals) and the bezel is simple, with only a single lumed reference point.
Speaking of lume, this is one place where Fleux opts for something more modern. The dial, hands and bezel all use C3 lume that is vintage-colored. This lume is actually called “old radium lume” but doesn’t actually use radioactive lume like the old divers did. This just means that the lume is colored off-white to give it that vintage “Fauxtina” effect. And it works well on the FLX001 and FLX002.
The 38mm case size fits right in the sweet spot of vintage and vintage-inspired watches and wears well. The watches are also 47mm lug to lug. Being dive watches, the FLX001 and FLX002 are water resistant to 200 meters, though I’m not sure I would actually dive with the due to their bidirectional bezel. Both models run on a Seiko Caliber NH38A automatic movement with 41-hour power reserve. This is a reliable movement and a good choice given the price point.
All in all, the Fleux FLX001 and FLX002 are solid affordable divers. If you are looking for a watch that really stays true to its vintage inspiration more than just aesthetically, Fleux is a great option. And at $450 USD currently on Kickstarter (and they have already successfully funded) it seems like a no-brainer to me. You can also learn more at Fleux’s website.
