Formex for me. Unique, lightweight with the sic mesh bracelet (only Omega offers this option) , design customization, and the proportions just feel better. 42 diameter with 22 lugs is perfect and gives the Formex presence, while 40.5 and 20 seems kind of stuck between a smaller watch and a larger watch. Finally, I don’t want a watch that looks like a Rolex, instead I want something modern and stylish and it’s own design
Love the 'Better for you' sentiment, I can't tell you how many theoretical purchase battles people send me on a daily basis. It's to the point where some of these battles aren't even in English, lol. I will 100% be using the 'Better for you' phrase to better diffuse these DMs!
Had to send in my previous gen skyquest for a warranty service several months into ownership. Easy experience, painless, and I had my watch back within a few weeks without any issues! Love Monta and hope to try Formex at some point too
Alot of people have , that's why I said F those prices , these are still micro brands and have micro brand problems . I get that the level of finishing is there but damn
@@bigbodykarate6403 I bought a JLC Master Control Date and had to warranty it within days of owning it. Something disconnected in the power train. Couldn't manual wind and it wouldn't auto wind. And that supposed to have 1000 hours of testing. Are you calling JLC a microbrand as well? EDIT: It was brand new straight from the AD.
just find this channel on the reccomendation, man your voice over is comforting and informative , the frame composition is simple yet comforting,just a nice overall
Your videos are just pure class! And like others have mentioned, it does answer what people are thinking! Thank you and please keep up your distinct personality adn storytelling.
Really like both. Probably the Formex as it’s more distinctive. The Monta looks like another homage piece, attractive as it may be. What do you think of Certina?
I completely agree and I wish more people would realize this message. So many unnecessary arguments on forums would be avoided. Great video as always, thanks for sharing your passion with us.
You are hilarious. And love the words of wisdom at the end. There is so much comparison in the world - and realizing that at the end of the day it’s whatever you want. That’s all that matters and not other’s opinions.
The formex pips it for me. Both nice and “good value” but I agree about the formex having a more distinct style which I happen to like. Enjoy the videos, thanks ✌️
Your videos are the best on TH-cam (for me 😉). Love both of them, easier to get a Formex here in Europe. Still waiting Oris to launch a regular gmt line on their Aquis, it would be a direct competitor for both of this watches.
These watch shots are phenomenal 🔥 I cannot agree more with the idea that we should buy the watch that we like and the one that speaks to us on a personal level. Although these videos are turning out to be a nightmare for my wallet and my sleep schedule 😂
I'd go with the Formex. They're an independent brand from Biel, Switzerland that engineers watches for harsh movements and environments. I have never heard one bad thing about the brand and they're built like tanks.
That formex kinda looking chunky on my 6.4 inch wrist. Truly wish I had a wrist size of 7 inches, was 5 cm taller, and had a slightly deeper voice, but just like the watches I want to buy, nothings perfect, but you can make it perfect for you. Great video as usual.
I liked the the Formex one better so I bought one. They are both nice watches for sure. The things I like more about the Formex are chronometer cert, date window and colour matched date wheel, the inner chapter ring of 24 hours, ceramic bezel, dégradé sunburst dial, thicker crown, triangle on bezel at 12 rather than circle, rose gold vs yellow gold, customisable bezel and quick-change straps and the overall look and feel. 1:18 The side profile of the Skyquest looks a little bit weird in that the bezel looks too thick for the watch case - proportions look strange to my eyes. I also dislike matt black dials - they look too dull. The Skyquest GMT hand looks kinda plasticky though being all red. It's probably not but to my eyes it looks like plastic. What I prefer on the Skyquest is the crown. Embossed crowns look way nicer than etched. The only thing wrong with the Formex in my eyes is that it needs an embossed crown.
I'll take the Formex. They're doing a lot of excellent things with design and engineering, bringing something new to the equation so to speak. Plus that movement finishing on the Formex shows that they really care about their product.
Both look great. Love the gold lettering on the pepsi-colored dial of the Monta. But also love the debossed lettering on the Formex. The 24-hour bezel on the Formex is a bit redundant. Would be interesting to see an Essence GMT with the internal 24-hour lettering on the dial.
I’m beyond in love with my Formex Reef V2, and have every intention of buying the GMT version down the road when I have the money. That said, I love both the designs of these watches, and if I could swing it I’d grab both. They’re the same, but different and I love that
You can always spot a newbie when they ask the TH-cam’r to pick which of two or three watches is better 🤣! Sheeple need to start thinking for themselves and buy what they like and not what some TH-cam watch expert says. PS (most watch TH-cam’rs are not experts)! PPS I enjoyed the vid Evan😎!
Monta have better brand recognition which helps you if you want sell the watch in the future. ;) I will pick Monta. Perfect dimension and class leading quality.
I came really close to getting the Monta...until I got surprised by my AD and got another GMT I preferred much more. Between these two, I'd go after the Monta 10 out of 10 times. I like Formex, but not their Reef line.
I like bothe watches aesthetically I like the Monta over the Formex but I do like the Formex and it’s cheaper and that Milanese bracelet looks nice and you can change bezels.
@@YoureTerrific LOL! Every watch in my collection is perfect, until its not. But given enough time, they become perfect again. "Wabi Sabi." Don't get lost searching for perfection!
If the Monta had a ceramic bezel that would be the one for me... I am between the Mido Ocean Star 600 DLC, the titoni seascooper. I love the brand Fortis but the price is a massive step up.
Both of these brands are basically value luxury brands. I agree Formex is much more modern feeling, whereas Monta feels very much like its inspired by traditional historical brands. But from a quality standpoint they are very similar and can easily compete with more well known traditional brands costing double the price.
I’m probably odd man out, but the Formex looks too busy for my tastes. I prefer stylish, legibility and durability. I did go with the Monta Skyquest with Opaline dial, Pepsi bezel. Wears amazing , lume is amazing and it feels substantial. Having said that, I’ll probably get a Formex of some kind too. 🤷♂️😎
I reserved the Skyquest a while back. And when I called Monta, Justin, the co-owner, answered the phone. We chatted for about 15 minutes about watches, include the Reef GMT, which he said was a great watch. I don’t know, man. I’m a Monta guy because Monta is for the watch guys. But, as Justin said, the Reef is a great watch. Damn. Maybe I’ll end up with both 🤦🏽♂️
Get both because the co-owner of Formex Raphael Granito likes to chat with Formex owners as well. I emailed Monta about something and they get back to me very quickly with a couple of friendly email exchanges. These two companies are what we need in the watch world right now. Customer focused, unlike many of the big players.
I would throw out that the Formex is referencing the PP Nautilus with its symmetrical (ear) lobe on the left side of the case to balance the crown guard on the right. It's no homage, and I appreciate that. But, just like you can't say an integrated bracelet sports watch with an octagonal bezel isn't referencing the Royal Oak, you can't say a watch with ears isn't a nod to the Nautilus.
Both look great, but the Reef wins this comparison. If Monta wanted to retain both a premium feel and vintage styling, they should have gone with a sapphire bezel insert. The aluminum just doesn’t do it for me.
The “better for you” is so hard. Both of these watches and the Sinn U50 are all best for me. Unfortunately my pocket money only stretches to one of them. If high school economics taught me anything, I believe this is called “opportunity cost”. So what to chose then they are all the best for me 😂🤔
I’m in trouble with that Formex. I don’t have a gilt dial, or a quick adjust bracelet. But do I need yet another steel sports watch?! Oh, Evan… the agony 😱
I can't get past the fact that Monta cut a bunch of features from the old SQ *and* raised the price substantially. The Formex can track three time zones. The new SQ can't. The old one could, but Monta cut the custom rehaut and replaced it with a plain steel ring like any ordinary watch has. They say it's to make the watch look more "classic," ok sure, but I'm also sure it doesn't hurt that a cheap steel rehaut is going to be far less expensive to produce, and far less expensive to build watches with. The old one would have to be perfectly aligned. The new one can be slapped on, job done. The markers are what really did it for me, though. The old dial had beautiful waterfall shaped markers that were a Monta design signature. The new one looks like any microbrand dial. The markers aren't beveled at all, there's no mixed finishes or anything remotely creative or interesting. Cheap rectangular blocks like a Seiko would have.
So different. Monta checks the boxes for me. And being from STL I can be a bit biased. The Formex is a great watch but the Monta just speaks to me from a design and heritage standpoint that the Formex just doesn't. Great content!
The Formex's GMT hand looks like it got caught in the zipper. I actually like both but I prefer the Monta for the more retro warm tones thing its got going on.
@@YoureTerrific To your next video! Just got excited when I saw the comparison video. Commented before the video even started. Not that I'm in the market for either watch, but imagining it from someone else's perspective excited me. Awesome content! Keep up the good work!
The old SkyQuest was definitely better for me (and probably most of us). It just looked more mature and luxurious than the new version. The hour markers, the GMT hand, the bezel. Seems to me that Monta cut corners on this to save production costs.
Formex is better for yous and mes. I’m sad that Monta went away from their unique Skyquest design. The new model is just to…well, like everything else. This quick we’ll done video just sold me on Formex.
Good looking watches, although I think they're both overpriced, even by the goofy standards of this industry. If someone ever flips the Formex for $1,500, I'd go for it.
You're getting a lot of watch for the money with either of these. I'd also add the more-expensive but more-unique Ball Roadmaster with the plus/minus pushers on the left.
I can actually give the correct answer. Monta downgraded in the sense that they made their GMT more derivative and put the most boring markers ever. Their default case already is pretty bland and they keep reusing it. I like the Formex Reef, but the GMT version is inelegant in execution. The dial is messy and the GMT red tip almost looks like a mistake. I would stick to the non-GMT. If you need a GMT at this level, get the new one from Serica. It's truely original in design, clean and well considered.
Well considered? The Serica GMT CHRONOMÈTRE is a 200m water resistant dive GMT that only comes on a leather strap. Water and leather don't go together very well. Putting leather straps on dive watches doesn't make sense, regardless if they have a GMT function or not. The GMT execution on the Formex is top notch - I love how the inner 24hr chapter ring blends with the date which makes the date very unobtrusive, and I love how the red tip of the GMT hand matches the "GMT" writing on the dial. This is a detail that some miss.
This is just silly, you give me nothing to come back at you Evan. I was going to give you a piece of my mind… Grrr. But since you won’t tell me which one is better, I can’t…So I say buy both…🤷♂️
Formex for me. Unique, lightweight with the sic mesh bracelet (only Omega offers this option) , design customization, and the proportions just feel better. 42 diameter with 22 lugs is perfect and gives the Formex presence, while 40.5 and 20 seems kind of stuck between a smaller watch and a larger watch. Finally, I don’t want a watch that looks like a Rolex, instead I want something modern and stylish and it’s own design
I feel like this channel truly answers what people are asking, almost telepathically. I was thinking about this the other day.
😎
🤡
Love the 'Better for you' sentiment, I can't tell you how many theoretical purchase battles people send me on a daily basis. It's to the point where some of these battles aren't even in English, lol. I will 100% be using the 'Better for you' phrase to better diffuse these DMs!
What is this, A crossover episode?!
Tobasco or Sriracha!!! Please you gotta help me!!!
Man both of these are great and the people behind both of these brand are super humble and easy to work with. Keep up the great work my friend!
Had to send in my previous gen skyquest for a warranty service several months into ownership. Easy experience, painless, and I had my watch back within a few weeks without any issues! Love Monta and hope to try Formex at some point too
Alot of people have , that's why I said F those prices , these are still micro brands and have micro brand problems . I get that the level of finishing is there but damn
@@bigbodykarate6403 I bought a JLC Master Control Date and had to warranty it within days of owning it. Something disconnected in the power train. Couldn't manual wind and it wouldn't auto wind. And that supposed to have 1000 hours of testing. Are you calling JLC a microbrand as well? EDIT: It was brand new straight from the AD.
just find this channel on the reccomendation, man your voice over is comforting and informative , the frame composition is simple yet comforting,just a nice overall
Thanks
Your videos are just pure class! And like others have mentioned, it does answer what people are thinking!
Thank you and please keep up your distinct personality adn storytelling.
Really like both. Probably the Formex as it’s more distinctive. The Monta looks like another homage piece, attractive as it may be. What do you think of Certina?
Your videos are just amazing!! You are doing such a good job. One of my favorite watch channels.
Another great video. Nice comparisson between two very interesting watches. Thank you and keep videos coming
I have immediately subscribed. Never before. Just a thumbnail had me. What a fresh beauty both of these watches I've never heard of are.
Gotta tell ya Evan, the *aesthetics* in these videos are a different level
thank you for this vid because ive been thinking about this all day!
Happy to have found your channel. Subscribed !
Every word spoken in this video is a jewel and only be understandable by a watch enthusiast. Keep doing it
Too kind. Thanks.
I completely agree and I wish more people would realize this message. So many unnecessary arguments on forums would be avoided. Great video as always, thanks for sharing your passion with us.
You are hilarious. And love the words of wisdom at the end. There is so much comparison in the world - and realizing that at the end of the day it’s whatever you want. That’s all that matters and not other’s opinions.
The formex pips it for me. Both nice and “good value” but I agree about the formex having a more distinct style which I happen to like. Enjoy the videos, thanks ✌️
Your videos are the best on TH-cam (for me 😉). Love both of them, easier to get a Formex here in Europe. Still waiting Oris to launch a regular gmt line on their Aquis, it would be a direct competitor for both of this watches.
You’re channel is outstanding.
These watch shots are phenomenal 🔥
I cannot agree more with the idea that we should buy the watch that we like and the one that speaks to us on a personal level.
Although these videos are turning out to be a nightmare for my wallet and my sleep schedule 😂
The way Monta rounds their case and bracelets make the steel silky smooth and warm.
I'd go with the Formex. They're an independent brand from Biel, Switzerland that engineers watches for harsh movements and environments. I have never heard one bad thing about the brand and they're built like tanks.
That formex kinda looking chunky on my 6.4 inch wrist. Truly wish I had a wrist size of 7 inches, was 5 cm taller, and had a slightly deeper voice, but just like the watches I want to buy, nothings perfect, but you can make it perfect for you. Great video as usual.
Excellent review, I really like your presentation style. Have you taken a look at the Ginault Silent Service? I’d love to hear your take on it.
I liked the the Formex one better so I bought one. They are both nice watches for sure. The things I like more about the Formex are chronometer cert, date window and colour matched date wheel, the inner chapter ring of 24 hours, ceramic bezel, dégradé sunburst dial, thicker crown, triangle on bezel at 12 rather than circle, rose gold vs yellow gold, customisable bezel and quick-change straps and the overall look and feel. 1:18 The side profile of the Skyquest looks a little bit weird in that the bezel looks too thick for the watch case - proportions look strange to my eyes. I also dislike matt black dials - they look too dull. The Skyquest GMT hand looks kinda plasticky though being all red. It's probably not but to my eyes it looks like plastic. What I prefer on the Skyquest is the crown. Embossed crowns look way nicer than etched. The only thing wrong with the Formex in my eyes is that it needs an embossed crown.
I'll take the Formex. They're doing a lot of excellent things with design and engineering, bringing something new to the equation so to speak. Plus that movement finishing on the Formex shows that they really care about their product.
Both look great. Love the gold lettering on the pepsi-colored dial of the Monta. But also love the debossed lettering on the Formex. The 24-hour bezel on the Formex is a bit redundant. Would be interesting to see an Essence GMT with the internal 24-hour lettering on the dial.
I’m beyond in love with my Formex Reef V2, and have every intention of buying the GMT version down the road when I have the money. That said, I love both the designs of these watches, and if I could swing it I’d grab both. They’re the same, but different and I love that
Nice one
This was, just in time for me to decide thanks indeed
Damn, great music! Please keep up this level of audio-video production. Whew!
You can always spot a newbie when they ask the TH-cam’r to pick which of two or three watches is better 🤣! Sheeple need to start thinking for themselves and buy what they like and not what some TH-cam watch expert says.
PS (most watch TH-cam’rs are not experts)!
PPS I enjoyed the vid Evan😎!
I’d have to pick the Monta
Monta have better brand recognition which helps you if you want sell the watch in the future. ;)
I will pick Monta. Perfect dimension and class leading quality.
I came really close to getting the Monta...until I got surprised by my AD and got another GMT I preferred much more. Between these two, I'd go after the Monta 10 out of 10 times. I like Formex, but not their Reef line.
man, the music in this video its awesome!
Two completely different watches style wise. I'd personally pick the Reef , just because i love the case shape and replace-able bezel system so much.
4:28 i 100% agree , people often recommend watches purely based on their own preference or specs. Watches are such a personal thing.
Very much so.
I choose Monta cuz of the size. Wish it had a ceramic bezel though
Is the finishing on the Monta noticeably better? How about bezel action? I think this video left some unanswered questions
These videos are very stylised with great imagery and puns, but they are not the technical reviews that many are looking for.
Love your content. 👍 👌
The normal Reef (not the gmt) has small similarities to oris, but they are indeed very little. Its really a unique approach
At the very end I saw you were wearing the Seiko 5 GMT…maybe a three way?
You should do the formex field watch. I’ve been debating getting one
I should.
OK, so which watch is better *for me*? Just kidding! Great video; I'd love to try them both.
I like bothe watches aesthetically I like the Monta over the Formex but I do like the Formex and it’s cheaper and that Milanese bracelet looks nice and you can change bezels.
Excellent review! No such thing as a perfect watch! Only a perfect for you!
I wish there was a perfect watch even just for me. Until my brain is perfect, no watch will be either.
@@YoureTerrific LOL! Every watch in my collection is perfect, until its not. But given enough time, they become perfect again. "Wabi Sabi."
Don't get lost searching for perfection!
Dam good videos, bro.
I love both, but I’m leaning towards the Formex.
If the Monta had a ceramic bezel that would be the one for me... I am between the Mido Ocean Star 600 DLC, the titoni seascooper. I love the brand Fortis but the price is a massive step up.
Both of these brands are basically value luxury brands. I agree Formex is much more modern feeling, whereas Monta feels very much like its inspired by traditional historical brands. But from a quality standpoint they are very similar and can easily compete with more well known traditional brands costing double the price.
I’m probably odd man out, but the Formex looks too busy for my tastes. I prefer stylish, legibility and durability. I did go with the Monta Skyquest with Opaline dial, Pepsi bezel. Wears amazing , lume is amazing and it feels substantial. Having said that, I’ll probably get a Formex of some kind too. 🤷♂️😎
I kinda agree with you. I was going to buy a Reef GMT but ultimately decided to buy a Reef diver because of the cleaner dial.
Great video. Both super sharp! The Monta feels to much like a Pepsi copy cat. Gotta go with the Reef!
I reserved the Skyquest a while back. And when I called Monta, Justin, the co-owner, answered the phone. We chatted for about 15 minutes about watches, include the Reef GMT, which he said was a great watch. I don’t know, man. I’m a Monta guy because Monta is for the watch guys. But, as Justin said, the Reef is a great watch. Damn. Maybe I’ll end up with both 🤦🏽♂️
Get both because the co-owner of Formex Raphael Granito likes to chat with Formex owners as well. I emailed Monta about something and they get back to me very quickly with a couple of friendly email exchanges. These two companies are what we need in the watch world right now. Customer focused, unlike many of the big players.
Please make a video on the Batman that's on your wrist :)
No mention of weight? I thought that was going to be part of the new format
I made separate videos about each of these. Check those for more details.
I would throw out that the Formex is referencing the PP Nautilus with its symmetrical (ear) lobe on the left side of the case to balance the crown guard on the right. It's no homage, and I appreciate that. But, just like you can't say an integrated bracelet sports watch with an octagonal bezel isn't referencing the Royal Oak, you can't say a watch with ears isn't a nod to the Nautilus.
Both look great, but the Reef wins this comparison. If Monta wanted to retain both a premium feel and vintage styling, they should have gone with a sapphire bezel insert. The aluminum just doesn’t do it for me.
The “better for you” is so hard. Both of these watches and the Sinn U50 are all best for me. Unfortunately my pocket money only stretches to one of them. If high school economics taught me anything, I believe this is called “opportunity cost”. So what to chose then they are all the best for me 😂🤔
Monta watches are so good. A real bargain at this price for that level of quality.
I’m in trouble with that Formex. I don’t have a gilt dial, or a quick adjust bracelet. But do I need yet another steel sports watch?! Oh, Evan… the agony 😱
Ah, the familiar cries of a true collector.
Real talk: the soundtracks are fire
Thanks
I see a lot of ploprof in that Formex, I like the ploprof.
I can't get past the fact that Monta cut a bunch of features from the old SQ *and* raised the price substantially. The Formex can track three time zones. The new SQ can't. The old one could, but Monta cut the custom rehaut and replaced it with a plain steel ring like any ordinary watch has. They say it's to make the watch look more "classic," ok sure, but I'm also sure it doesn't hurt that a cheap steel rehaut is going to be far less expensive to produce, and far less expensive to build watches with. The old one would have to be perfectly aligned. The new one can be slapped on, job done.
The markers are what really did it for me, though. The old dial had beautiful waterfall shaped markers that were a Monta design signature. The new one looks like any microbrand dial. The markers aren't beveled at all, there's no mixed finishes or anything remotely creative or interesting. Cheap rectangular blocks like a Seiko would have.
I am simply mad at you because I have alreaey enough watches but your videos are just goood that i want to buy them all haha
So different. Monta checks the boxes for me. And being from STL I can be a bit biased. The Formex is a great watch but the Monta just speaks to me from a design and heritage standpoint that the Formex just doesn't. Great content!
Monta launched in 2017 - I don't think 5 or 6 years counts as heritage.
I'll go for Monta just because of the unpackaging experience.
You must live for unboxing videos lmfao
“Are you not entertained!?!?!”
- Abe Lincoln
formex is the company other companies call on when they need specialized parts they will be major one day
Formex for me cause the original design
You need to see the new Jack Mason gmt
Formex Reef is my choice
The Formex's GMT hand looks like it got caught in the zipper. I actually like both but I prefer the Monta for the more retro warm tones thing its got going on.
I would take the monta
Monta FTW
Formex is a top notch quality, whereas Monta looks like Steinhart-quality.
Haha, the Formex has the same crown as the Oris Aquis line of watches!!
First! Keep up the sweet vids. A highlight of the TH-cams.
Monta. For me.
Lets gooooooooooo!
Where to?
@@YoureTerrific To your next video! Just got excited when I saw the comparison video. Commented before the video even started. Not that I'm in the market for either watch, but imagining it from someone else's perspective excited me. Awesome content! Keep up the good work!
ok, I have the REEF "Batman" so I have to buy the MONTA, easy choice :-))
you have to review WISE GMT!!!!!!
Easiest solution: See more…
Buying both.
Subliminal with the SSK005.
I would choose Formex without a doubt.Monta looks like many other,Formex is innovative in a good way
The old SkyQuest was definitely better for me (and probably most of us). It just looked more mature and luxurious than the new version. The hour markers, the GMT hand, the bezel.
Seems to me that Monta cut corners on this to save production costs.
Even the logos are similar....
Formex is better for yous and mes. I’m sad that Monta went away from their unique Skyquest design. The new model is just to…well, like everything else. This quick we’ll done video just sold me on Formex.
Monta is good
Better... for me? The orange Seiko GMT on your wrist it is, then.
Well spotted
Would be a harder choice if it were the original Skyquest in white.
Monta for me
Please let your wife know that you've entertained Dean thoroughly.
Good looking watches, although I think they're both overpriced, even by the goofy standards of this industry. If someone ever flips the Formex for $1,500, I'd go for it.
The Monta is lovely, but due to shocking customer service I would never buy one…
What are you saying? These are the inbreeds of GMTs?
🤔
You're getting a lot of watch for the money with either of these. I'd also add the more-expensive but more-unique Ball Roadmaster with the plus/minus pushers on the left.
I can actually give the correct answer. Monta downgraded in the sense that they made their GMT more derivative and put the most boring markers ever. Their default case already is pretty bland and they keep reusing it. I like the Formex Reef, but the GMT version is inelegant in execution. The dial is messy and the GMT red tip almost looks like a mistake. I would stick to the non-GMT. If you need a GMT at this level, get the new one from Serica. It's truely original in design, clean and well considered.
Well considered? The Serica GMT CHRONOMÈTRE is a 200m water resistant dive GMT that only comes on a leather strap. Water and leather don't go together very well. Putting leather straps on dive watches doesn't make sense, regardless if they have a GMT function or not. The GMT execution on the Formex is top notch - I love how the inner 24hr chapter ring blends with the date which makes the date very unobtrusive, and I love how the red tip of the GMT hand matches the "GMT" writing on the dial. This is a detail that some miss.
This is just silly, you give me nothing to come back at you Evan. I was going to give you a piece of my mind… Grrr. But since you won’t tell me which one is better, I can’t…So I say buy both…🤷♂️
This is the way.
I’m thirsty. Maybe there’s a Pepsi in the fridge….
Sounds like an expensive watch box.