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MICRO-MONDAYS: The Biotic Formicidae delivers an original field watch inspired by (wait for it…) ants! MICRO-MONDAYS: The Biotic Formicidae delivers an original field watch inspired by (wait for it…) ants!

MICRO-MONDAYS: The Biotic Formicidae delivers an original field watch inspired by (wait for it…) ants!

Fergus Nash

Microbrand releases can often be just an eclectic mix of design trends thrown together, or a wild attempt at doing something different without considering what people actually want. The Biotic Formicidae is a rare example of an original watch design that has a clear aesthetic vision without second-hand trend-hopping, and of all things, it takes its inspiration from ants.

Every company needs its unique selling point, and the chosen focus for Biotic’s first release is definitely unexplored territory in watchmaking. It seems unlikely that anyone would be able to guess the insect connection based on the looks alone, and that definitely works in the Formicidae’s favour, because it’s a captivating watch at first glance.

The case

The Biotic Formicidae’s case mixes its undergrowth inspiration with a goldilocks set of dimensions, appearing as a familiar silhouette with subtle design touches. Smooth concave sections on the case sides flow from the crown to the tips of the lug and represent the mandibles of an ant, while the bead-blasted finish is supposed to evoke its smooth, matte exoskeleton. At 39mm in diameter and 47mm lug-to-lug, the 12mm thick case has superb wearability for most wrists.

Biotic Formicidae

The elephant in the room is of course the two crowns on either side of the case, with the left-side crown controlling the compass bezel and the right-side crown operating the movement. Biotic are by no means the first brand to take this symmetrical approach to dual-crown design, with even one of Patek Philippe’s World Time watches using it, but it definitely takes a bit of time to get used to. The compass crown has an engraving of the North Star, while the movement crown carries the Biotic logo.

The dial

Biotic Formicidae

Whether any of the elements on the dial have been inspired by ants or not is frankly irrelevant, as Biotic have created a perfectly balanced dial. The exploring-focused compass bezel up close to the flat sapphire crystal frames the inner details nicely, and the hour markers are tastefully sized while still being legible. The centre of the dial is raised up, with immaculate details that create an even greater sense of depth. The hour markers at 12, 3, and 9 cut into the convex section, and there’s a white-framed cutout for the date window at 6 o’clock. The Biotic Formicidae also uses two-tone luminous paint, with green around most of the watch (including the date wheel) but blue used for the in-between positions on the compass bezel.

Biotic Formicidae

The four dial colours are named after different ant species, and they’re each in delectably deep sunburst finishes with a black outer gradient. Carpenter is a dark mahogany brown, Fire is a vibrant ruby red, Weaver is a warm forest green, and Soldier is a stoic graphite grey. The minimalistic Biotic logo is printed on the dial in a vintage watch fashion, and Formicidae is printed in script below the fencepost hands. Although the watch boasts 200m of water resistance, which is impressive for as 12mm thick field watch, no unnecessary specifications have been mentioned on the dial.

The movement

The Biotic Formicidae employs the Miyota 9015 premium automatic movement, with 42 hours of power reserve and a beat rate of 28,800 vibrations per second. It has all the features expected of a modern watch, such as hacking seconds and quick-set date. It’s standard practice for manufacturers now to have either a sapphire display caseback showing off the movement or a solid caseback with artwork that follows the theme of the watch, but Biotic have really doubled down with their theme. The screw-down caseback has a smoked sapphire crystal that you can peer through, but it also depicts an anthropomorphic ant as an adventurer, holding a map while wearing dusty linens and a slew of gear.

The Biotic Formicidae pricing and availability:

The Biotic Formicidae will launch on Kickstarter on June 12th, and I have no doubt that it will reach its goal. The launch price is $399 USD, with a later RRP of $599 USD.

Case Material Stainless Steel
Case Dimensions 39mm x 47mm x 12mm
Water-Resistance 200m
Dial Grey, brown, red, green
Straps Steel bracelet
Movement Miyota 9015
Power Reserve 42 hours
Complications Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Price $399 USD launch / $599 USD RRP