The new Fleming Series 1 Mark II Pacific is a tantalum-cased masterclass of hand-decoration
Zach BlassFleming is a very young independent brand, but, despite its youth and scale, has already made quite a splash. The brand, though it had only launched its first collection almost exactly two years ago today, had already signed on ATP tennis professional Casper Rudd early on as a brand ambassador, and the brand already has a sizeable group of admirers due to the detail-driven nature of its first creations. For the Series 1, Fleming “assembled the horological Avengers” as our former Deputy Editor once put it – working with the best of the best suppliers to realise its vision, driven from a place of being a brand driven by die-hard watch enthusiasts. Today, the Fleming Series 1 Mark II makes its debut in two configurations: an 18k red gold ‘Redwood’ and a tantalum ‘Pacific’, which we went hands-on with.
The case
Tantalum is a notoriously difficult material to work with, which is why we scarcely see it used by the big box brands. Though brands like Audemars Piguet have produced tantalum watches in the past, these days it is really something only brave independents like J.N. Shapiro, MING, and F.P. Journe and microbrands like Atelier Wen are willing to do. It took 2.5 years of development prior to its inaugural launch for Fleming to be able to proudly add its name to the list of esteemed watchmakers who have bent tantalum and its distinct blue-grey hue to their will.
At 38.5mm across, 8mm thick, and 46.5mm lug-to-lug, the Series 1 Mark II sits comfortably within the modern dress watch territory on paper. For a modern watch with a casual-meets-dressy edge, I think most would agree they nailed the scale on all sides of the equation – diameter, thickness, and lug-to-lug.
In person, it’s a more complex proposition. The three-part midcase construction features brushed top and bottom surfaces flanking a polished central band that flows uninterrupted through the lugs, creating a bright equatorial line that traces the watch’s silhouette from the side. The lugs themselves are skeletonised, which reduces visual bulk and lets light pass through in a way that’s easy to miss at a distance and genuinely striking up close.
For the Mark II, Fleming has sharpened the transitions between surfaces, adding crispness without changing the fundamental character. Hundreds of 3D-printed prototypes were worn and refined to dial in the lug arc, and the result is a watch that sits closer to the wrist than you might expect given its proportions.
The dial
For the Series 1 Mark 2, we no longer have a guilloché dial, but that does not mean you are losing that element of handcraft. The dial displays a masterclass of high-end finishing, outfitted with a new black-polished ring bisecting the outer sector that mimics the polished centre band of the case. The dials also feature black-polished hands, circular and vertically brushed surfaces, along with grained touches. Each element, between the dial, case, and even the movement, is decorated to have the utmost cohesion.
Personally, I like this new style as it feels more youthful in aesthetic – more new. And for a brand that only launched its first trio of watches two years ago, and is making its second debut today with its 4th and 5th references, I think it makes sense to have an aesthetic that feels more modern, yet embeds traditional craftsmanship like black-polishing within its design. I also think the dial is excellently coloured, with the majority of its surfaces strongly echoing the hues given off by the tantalum case. The more blue outer ring, and the grey centres of the dial and sub-dial. Again, the utmost cohesion.
The strap
The Series 1 Mark II Pacific ships with two calf leather straps and a tantalum Fleming pin buckle, maintaining the material continuity all the way down to the deployant despite the challenge. It’s a small detail, but consistent with how Fleming approaches the rest of the watch: nothing is left unconsidered.
The movement
The Fleming Series 1 Mark II Pacific’s calibre FM.02 was developed in close collaboration with Jean-François Mojon — a name that carries considerable weight in movement development circles — and it shows. Hand-wound, under 4mm thick, with a seven-day power reserve drawn from twin series-coupled barrels.
The specs are impressive enough on their own, but the more interesting story is in how the movement was designed to be looked at, not just looked through. Fleming’s stated intention was for the FM.02 to function as a third layer of the overall composition, continuous with the case and dial rather than existing as a separate technical exhibit.
The bridges were redesigned for wider anglage and more sculptural geometry. Entirely new bespoke wheels and ratchet were created to echo the curved silhouette of the skeletonised lugs. Each wheel features 28 individually hand-finished interior angles — 189 across the movement in total. An insane amount of movement hand-finishing, particularly when you consider that interior angles are the hallmark of getting the highest level of movement decoration.
The verdict
At that a price point of CHF 55,500, and the nature of it being limited to just 25 pieces, Fleming is clearly playing in serious independent territory — and with the level of detailing to its complexly constructed tantalum case, richly brushed dial with many black-polished elements, and a 7-day calibre that boasts a significant amount of true hand-finishing with 189 interior angles, they’ve earned the right to be there. It’s a lot of money for a brand that is just getting started, but my horological spidey senses are telling me that in the same way people wish they were buying Journe in the early 2000’s, 20 years from now, people are going to wish they were buying Fleming in 2026.
Fleming Series 1 Mark II ‘Pacific’ pricing and availability
The Fleming Series 1 Mark II ‘Pacific’ is limited to 25 pieces and available now for enquiries. Price: CHF 55,500
| Brand | Fleming |
| Model | Series 1 Mark II ‘Pacific’ |
| Case Dimensions | 38.5mm (D) x 8mm (T) x 46.5mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Tantalum |
| Water Resistance | 30 meters |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Blue-green, brushed sector finish |
| Lug Width | 21mm |
| Bracelet | Two calf leather straps, tantalum pin buckle |
| Movement | FM.02, by Jean-François Mojon and Chronode, manual-winding |
| Power Reserve | 168 hours (7 days) |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, |
| Availability | Limited to 25 pcs. |
| Price | CHF 55,500 |