Azure
It’s the first time a watch brand is doing this.
Over the course of 5 months, we’ve tested slightly different watch faces at a particular glacial lake.
Based on our analysis, we’ve selected the ones that got us the best matches with the glacial colors.
The shades of Moraine lake evolve over time, hence why we followed its evolution over multiple months.
We spent 26 days at the lake in 2022.
Being there usually once a week for a period of 5 months was important to witness the gradual evolution of the glacial colors.
We were at the lake from the time the ice melted until the ice started covering the surface again.
Swiss Made Movement
The heart of our watches contains a durable Gold-plated Swiss-Made movement.
It’s been manufactured and inspected in Switzerland from start to finish.🇨🇭
Usually seen in watches ranging
from 200$USD to 700$USD
Sapphire Crystal
The second hardest mineral that exists covers the top of our watches.
The only mineral harder than the Sapphire crystal we use is Diamond. This results in a watch glass that is very resistant to scratches.
Usually seen in watches ranging
from 250$USD to 1000$USD+
Marine Grade Steel
Our watch cases are made of sturdy marine-grade steel. It contains 2-3% molybdenum, which is an extremely hard metallic element that is used to toughen the metal and enhance corrosion resistance.
Usually seen in watches ranging
from 100$USD to 1000$USD+
Artistic Sculpture
A sculptor we brought on created this artistic representation of Moraine lake.
It can be seen in the back of every piece.
Months leading up to my purchase of my first Frank Forta piece I was shopping around for hundreds of other watches. I was looking for something very specific. I wanted a classy unique piece that was guaranteed to be a head turner, an instant conversation starter. To be honest I got that and so much more.
The build quality and detail of this watch is of the caliber I've only seen in watches of the 500$+ price point. The feel from the weight of the watch to the steel band/case is pure luxury. It is so comfortable on my wrist that on many occasions I even forgot I was wearing it. You dont feel the back engraving at all as it is deeper into the case than the edges.
The face of the watch left my wife speechless, the pictures alone cant do it justice. The team at Frank Forta created something truly beautiful here. I can say for certain all their efforts at Moraine Lake paid off. When the light hits it just right its as if the sun is hitting the lake itself. I found myself staring at it while at red lights. I found all the faces so attractive it took me an entire week just asking around and sending them all to friends and family to get their input. I ended choosing the Azure and I'm so happy I did.
Of course the watch looks best when dressed up but it still looks great dressed down causally, in my case jeans and white T-shirt. It took me about 2 months to write this review because I wanted to make sure after sufficient wear time no problems arose. Besides the crown be fairly tight on arrival I'm happy to say my personal experience with my Frank Forta watch has been flawless and I encourage anyone on the fence to pick up a piece for yourself.
The combination you can see below is the Azure face with Titanium band. The only thing that I'm disappointed with is that I don't have enough money to purchase each and every piece in the collection. Thank you to everyone at Frank Forta for creating a watch that I hopefully can pass down to my son in the future.
It DEFINITELY gets attention. I've been wearing it nonstop for awhile (including the shower to test the water resistance) and I don't imagine I'll stop anytime soon. The dial is obviously beautiful, and the blue looks awesome in many different kinds of light- from driving, walking outside- even the fluorescents at work. The date window is clean and helpful. The steel mesh bracelet is a nice touch. It's my first watch with one and I think it'll be a favorite from here on out. Quartz movement is swiss made, and from what I can tell- pretty accurate. All quartz watches are more accurate than automatics anyway. Crystal is sapphire- which is unbelievable for the price. The back is really pretty too so I imagine this being an heirloom in my family one day. I live in the Colorado Rockies so it's nice to support a company that has such a unique idea. Not to mention the price was pretty great too. I used to work as an importer at a firm in Missouri under the first Trump administration (which wasn't fun), so if you've been on the fence for awhile, just like I was- I'd just go ahead and get it while you can. It makes me happy to put it on every day. If these guys have another color matching project- like matching desert sands or sunsets or something- I'd totally buy that too just based off of my satisfaction with this one. Not a lot of people making unique timepieces so this was one of the better decisions I've made.
A lot of watches these days lack creativity. We are now in 2025, and the new generation of people is not as interested in watches with technological advancements like tech watches. I would want unique watches that can stand out, match the color of my ties, and have a good story. The watch Frank Forta has produced is on another level. It has a unique story, and I praise Frank Forta's efforts to get the right dial colors to match Moraine Lake. I intend to travel to the lake for the first time this summer with my wife for our first vacation.
awesome coloration
This watch will always remind me of the beauty that is in Alberta.
After comparing different Azure dials at Moraine lake during July and August 2022, we eventually came to the conclusion that all of our Azure dials were too blue to reflect the lake colors appropriately.
Based on our analysis at the lake, we asked our manufacturer to create a greener shade of Azure.
On the left is one of our Azure dial tests (too blue). On the right is our Turquoise dial (too green). The Azure shade we've picked is in the middle of both of these dials, potentially getting the right ratio of blue and green.
By the time we got the new dial, the Azure shade in the lake was unfortunately gone.
Some shades at the lake can only be witnessed for a couple weeks out of an entire year and different conditions like wind, clouds, sun, glacial flour density, etc… all have an impact on the color of the lake.
The dial in the middle was selected here. We can see how it is bluer than the one on the right (Turquoise) and greener than the one on the left (Azure test).
Thankfully, a year later once the Azure shade was back, we were able to capture a stunning match of it from the top of the rock pile.
The side of the lake typically appears greener, while from the front it usually appears bluer.
This match was made on June 27th, 2023. The shades of the lake had shifted earlier, by at least a couple of weeks, compared to 2022.
Ancient glaciers rubbing against the Rockies creates a fine powder. This rock flour then gets deposited into the lake when it gets warmer.
Since those particles are so tiny, they float at the surface of the lake. The reflection of the light on them creates beautiful blues and greens.
Usually, the greener the lake is, the more glacial flour is floating in the lake. The opposite makes the lake appear bluer.
Many watches these days are entirely made by robots.
While we do use some machinery, a significant part of the costs associated with the creation of our pieces is due to many processes that require skilled human intervention.
The 12-hour marks on the dial are applied individually by hand, same goes for our logo.
The hour, minute and second hand are also installed one by one by a watchmaker, amongst other things...
This means each piece can have slight differences between them.
While the precision of a robot is lost in the process, we believe taking the costlier route adds authenticity to each piece we create.
Disclaimer
Water and metal are different surfaces, so it's expected to reflect light differently.
None of our shades have reached perfection.
Regardless, we're proud of the results we've achieved.
Disclaimer
Water and metal are a different surface,
so it's expected to reflect light differently.
None of our shades have reached perfection.
Regardless, we're proud of the results we've achieved.
