Windup Watch Fair Chicago is officially in the rearview mirror, and as we come up for air from another successful event in the Windy City, it?s time to take stock of some of the new releases that saw their debut at the show. Windup is increasingly becoming a venue for brands to unveil new releases to a captive audience, and this year?s Chicago show saw a handful of both completely new and iterative drops that had watch enthusiasts buzzing all weekend. Formex is just one example, bringing a new collection of Essence references in 39mm and 43mm case sizes with bold colors that make an already fun sports watch just a little more vibrant. 

The new Essence Splash Chronometer Limited Collection feature dials that are hand-sprayed with bright and bold colors in the brand?s Swiss dial manufacture. The colors range from pastel shades to bold neon, with the full lineup including Sunflower Yellow, Jungle Green, Sunset Orange, Baby Blue, and Lavender Purple. The distinctive feature of the Essence dial, the CNC machined horizontal lines that are run across it, remain in this collection. These dials have a matte finish, which makes the colors pop and appear more uniform, and stands in contrast to other Essence dials that are a bit more reflective. 
The Splash collection appears across both the 39mm Essence in stainless steel as well as the 43mm Essence Leggera with a case made from carbon and ceramic components. Seeing them in person at Windup, the larger Essence Legge...