Introducing: The Ressence Type 1 Slim X, An 'Hourglass For The Wrist'
Ressence celebrates a decade of decidedly unconventional horology.
1,098 articles · 154 videos found · page 12 of 42
The 1954 French military flyback chronograph - reborn in-house in 2023.
Ressence celebrates a decade of decidedly unconventional horology.
Hodinkee
Are you ready to rock?
Worn & Wound
The longer I navigate my watch journey, the more I realize it’s a bit like dating. You get a press kit and metaphorically swipe left or right in a very judging-the-book-by-its-cover type of way. The aesthetics are often the first thing to draw you in and make you curious or to turn you away. In either case, as a good journalist, I’m usually compelled to read the press release and gather a bit more information, skim the profile if you will. I can fully admit aesthetics are highly subjective, but substance is vital. Still, I can’t fully assess a watch without going hands-on. Images can either disappoint or not quite do justice to a design, and the promises spelled out in specs need to be put to the test. Seeing a watch is the real make or break moment to determine if we’re a perfect match. I recently went through this dating ritual with Split watches, a London-based independent brand making its U.S. debut with a new GMT. A few things really stood out to me when I first received the announcement. The look of the watches was interesting, combining unique design elements, shapes, and colors. Reading about the vision behind the design was poetic, drawing from elements of music and nature – two of my favorite sources of inspiration. The watches are powered by the Miyota 9075 true GMT movement – calibers I’ve developed even more appreciation for after visiting Citizen’s movement factory earlier this year. Beyond the watches themselves, I was equally impressed wit...
Fratello
It’s hard to believe that the Glashütte Original SeaQ debuted back in 2019 as part of the Spezialist collection. The watches were added to the permanent catalog, honoring the brand’s Spezimatic Type RP TS 200 from 1969. Since the initial release, new dial colors and materials have been added. For the smallest offering in the […] Visit Taking A Fresh Look At The 39.5mm Glashütte Original SeaQ to read the full article.
Fratello
Most of you know the deal with Ressence watches by now. The highly original creations by Belgian designer Benoît Mintiens tell the time through an intuitive layout. The watches don’t use conventional hands; instead, they feature several eccentric satellites. Until now, the brand’s so-called Ressence Orbital Convex System (ROCS) was always powered by a highly […] Visit Ressence Enters A Completely Different Ballgame With The New Type 11 And Its First Fully Integrated Movement to read the full article.
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Taste of Time 2026, the Recap
SJX Watches
The Ardra Labs Delta Type addresses the sizeable minority that grapples with unusual time-zone offsets ignored by traditional GMT watches, doing so in a clever, practical, and visually distinct manner, in a well-rounded package. Initial thoughts Most of our lives follow standard time zones defined as full-hour offsets from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) - the same as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), practically speaking. However, well over a billion people, from Newfoundland, Canada, to New Zealand’s Chatham Islands, march to a different beat. The Ardra Labs Delta Type, created by Indian-American Nava Krishnan - a cybersecurity professional living in Washington, DC, with family back in South India - aims to provide a solution for those ignored by conventional GMT watches. Louis Vuitton made an attempt towards the same end, though by very different means, with the recent Twin Zone. Timezones of the world. Image – CIA World Factbook India, the world’s most populous country since 2023, spans two of the 24 geographic time zones - GMT+5:00 and GMT+6:00 - however, rather than splitting into two, the country splits the difference, with the entire nation observing a single GMT+5:30 time zone. This is not entirely unique: China nominally operates on a single time zone rather than the five geographic ones it covers, though that is a full-hour offset. While Venezuela and North Korea have abandoned their partial-hour time-zone offsets in the last decade, the Indian governm...
Monochrome
You’re probably thinking, “Wait, what? Wasn’t the D-Type built in the 1950s?” and you’d be absolutely right. But what we have here is a continuation car, built by Jaguar themselves based on the original plans, drawings and designs of the D-Type. So it’s old, but it’s also new. Or relatively new, that is, as Jaguar […]
Fratello
Although the Singaporean brand RZE has only been around for five years, it quickly cemented itself as a fan-favorite microbrand. Combining a strong visual identity with unique technical execution and very sharp pricing, RZE’s founders have a winning recipe in hand. Today, I have the pleasure of introducing the next model, the Resolute Type A. […] Visit Introducing: The Superfly RZE Resolute Type A - A New Take On An Old Concept to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
What are the best Tudor watches in the current lineup? It really depends on what type of watch ticks all the stylistic boxes for you - whether it’s a classic diver, a dual-time travel companion, or a racetrack-ready chronograph; a sturdy, outdoorsy timekeeper you can wear on a nature hike, or something elegant and uncomplicated that you can wear to the symphony. Using as our starting point some of the style categories in which Tudor's parent brand Rolex has excelled, here we attempt to home in on the best Tudor watches for each taste. [toc-section heading="For The Casually Stylish Diver"] Tudor’s answer to big brother Rolex’s megapopular Submariner series is relatively easy to spot. The Black Bay collection is the undisputed flagship of the 21st-century Tudor lineup and has played a huge role in Tudor stepping out from under Rolex’s substantial shadow to establish an impressive identity all its own. Improbably, It did so by deftly combining elements from earlier Tudor dive watches, most of which were clearly inspired by the Rolex dive watches that preceded them to market. The so-called “snowflake” hour hand that is so emblematic now to the Black Bay family was drawn from the Tudor Submariner Ref. 7016 from 1969 that was famously supplied to the French Navy, whose divers found two distinctly different hands to be beneficial in reading the time underwater.) The large screw-down crown, with engraved Tudor rose emblem, was introduced on the 1958 "Big Crown" model...
Worn & Wound
Regular readers might remember our coverage of the debut watch from VPC almost two years ago. This was a special project as it comes from Thomas van Straaten, whose byline many of you may have seen over at his main gig, as a writer at Fratello. The Type 37HW, the debut release from VPC, was conceived as something as the ultimate enthusiast’s watch, with special attention paid to the small details that serious watch lovers are particularly attuned to. In practice, that means you end up with a watch that is very subtle, with lots of things that are special about it but perhaps don’t advertise themselves in big bold colors. VPC, after all, is an acronym for a Latin phrase that translates to “beauty through restraint,” and if that isn’t a mission statement of enthusiast focused watch culture, I don’t know what is. For the second VPC release, the brand is back with a watch that builds on the design language of the Type 37HW but shifts it specifically into the realm of the dive watch. The Type 39VM is, according to the brand, the thinnest 200 meter water resistant automatic dive watch on the market, which is a bold claim but seems to be backed up by a cursory review of the data. The case height is listed at 9.34mm, which is quite thin indeed for a watch like this. In keeping with VPC’s design principles, van Stratten set out to create a watch that was purely functional but also didn’t sacrifice ergonomics or aesthetics. Through an exploration of figuring out wh...
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Hodinkee
An homage to Newson's Ikepod designs from the 90s, paired with the ultra-modern watchmaking of Ressence's oil-filled Type 3, leads to an unabashedly unique collaboration.
Worn & Wound
It’s honestly a little hard to believe that Ressence and Mark Newson hadn’t collaborated until now. The new Type 3 MN, a limited edition version of Ressence’s oil filled watch designed by Newson, feels like a watch that was somehow inevitable. Ressence occupies a very specific niche in independent watchmaking – there is simply no other time telling system quite like the one they have pioneered, and it has a distinctive quality to it that is immediately recognizable. Newson’s design work is similarly well known, and while he’s worked across many industries over many years, watch lovers will quickly identify him as the creator of the Ikepod, a futuristic watch with an aggressively circular design that has influenced a variety of contemporary watches, especially those in the realm of independents. Ressence is chief among them, not necessarily because any particular Ressence looks like an Ikepod (although you can make a case) but because of the deliberate nature of each. The Type 3 MN is tough to discuss without mentioning Ikepod because the watch really looks like a modern extension of what that brand might have been if Newson had stuck around. The case has a curvy, pebble like quality to it for maximum ergonomics. The hands are lifted right from classic Ikepod designs, and the whole package has an organic quality to it that is a Newson design signature. Both Newson and Ressence founder Benoit Mintiens mention in the press materials for this release that the col...
Worn & Wound
Dubai Watch Week is here, and with it, so are a lot of new watches. Ressence is marking the moment with a new limited edition take on their Type 1°, pairing what is maybe the most core model in their lineup with a rose gold-plated dial to create something that feels both familiar and novel all at once. Produced in a limited edition of 70 pieces worldwide, this is the Ressence Type 1°RG. Ressence, as a brand, is many things to many people. For some, it’s a colorful, exuberant exploration of the fun side of independent watches - a very high-end G-SHOCK of sorts, a balm for the soul weighed down far too often by the staid and serious watches that so often clog our Instagram feeds. For others, Ressence is that staid, serious watch; a brand pushing to the extremes of what a watch can be, exploring not just the complexities of modern watchmaking, but challenging the very nature of how time can be displayed and perceived. Naturally, each of these slightly pretentiously phrased extremes captures only a part of the whole; like most things, the reality of Ressence falls somewhere in the middle of these two perspectives. Still, Ressence is a brand that deservedly invites interest, and this latest release is no exception. In practice, the Type 1° is the prototypical Ressence, a pretty straightforward summation of what it takes to be a Ressence watch, and, as such, it has often served as a platform for the brand to play with its own aesthetic. In the past, we’ve seen Ressence ...
Monochrome
Born from the French Ministry of Defence’s Type 20 brief in the mid-1950s, the Type 20 Chronograph watches featured a black dial, a flyback (retour en vol) function, a rotating bezel, and pilot-proof robustness. Alongside fellow suppliers like Breguet, Mathey-Tissot, and Auricoste, Airain’s Type 20 quickly became one of the most recognisable field chronographs. A […]
Fratello
Just in time for summer, Clément Gaud presents us with the lightest and smallest Laventure watch to date. The Marine Type 3, available with either a black or full-lume white dial, features a case crafted from Grade 23 titanium. Like all of Clément’s watches, the Marine Type 3’s design takes inspiration from vintage timepieces. This […] Visit Hands-On With The Laventure Marine Type 3 - A Specialized Instrument In Grade 23 Titanium to read the full article.
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Worn & Wound
The latest watch from Ressence represents a number of firsts for the brand. It’s their first watch with a bracelet, the first with a GMT complication, and the first to be marketed somewhat boldly as a tool watch. The conceit behind the Type 7 is express the Ressence look and the brand’s principles in the most rugged possible context. It borrows many ideas and features from previous releases, as you’d expect, but combines them into something genuinely new and fills out a spot in the Ressence catalog that has somewhat surprisingly always been open. Ressence calls the Type 7 their “sportive-chic GMT,” which is language that we sometimes hear high end brands apply to elegant sports watches derived from a design language that might not traditionally support a true sports watch. “Chic” is often code for integrated bracelet, and expensive, and both of those are (somewhat) true of the Type 7. I imagine there will be straps that can fit this watch, but it was clearly conceived from the start as being made for a bracelet, so we can call it integrated in spirit, at least. Like the case, the bracelet is constructed from titanium, and includes a clasp with micro-adjust built in. The case measures 41mm in diameter and is 14mm tall. It’s 50 meters water resistant, which is maybe not as robust as some might expect when the “tool watch” label is invoked, but is pretty deep when compared to most other watches in the Ressence catalog, with the notable exception of the...
SJX Watches
We’ve said it before, but 2025 is a big year for anniversaries in the watch business, with brands like Breguet and Audemars Piguet celebrating 250 and 150 years, respectively. But it’s not just the big brands that have something to celebrate; this year also marks the 15th anniversary of Ressence, which has just launched its first proper complication, the Type 7 GMT. At launch, the Type 7 is available in Night Blue or Aquamarine, the latter being an 80-piece anniversary edition. It’s also the first Ressence to come equipped with a bracelet, enhancing its versatility. Initial thoughts Time flies when you’re having fun, which must be why I was shocked to realise Ressence is turning 15 years old this year. The Type 7 keeps the good times going with several of my favourite Ressence features, like the oil-filled dial chamber and the compression lock system for the keyless works, creating what is arguably the brand’s most wearable and versatile watch to-date. The wearability starts with the new grade 5 titanium case, which is just 41 mm by 14 mm. While not a small watch, it’s the smallest Ressence to feature the brand’s proprietary locking system for the winding and setting mechanism, which to-date has only been available on the much larger 46 mm Type 5 dive watch. This endows the Type 7 with 50 m of water resistance, which means you can take the watch pretty much anywhere. This versatility is enhanced by the matching grade 5 titanium bracelet; a first for the bra...
Worn & Wound
A few weeks ago we told you about the Ressence Type 8 Indigo, a high craft variation on the most simple and accessible Ressence model. It turns out that the Type 8 only held the distinction of being the brand’s entry level timepiece for a few days after the launch of the Indigo, as the new Type 9 which the brand debuted mere hours later now represents the cleanest point of entry to the brand. The Type 9 has much of the same minimalist appeal as the Type 8 (the display is as straightforward as Ressence gets and not materially different from the Type 8) but the new watch offers a significant change to the case, and should give enthusiasts and collectors with a smaller wrist something to consider if they’ve ever balked at a Ressence for being a little too big. This is the smallest Ressence yet, coming in at 39mm in diameter in titanium. Unlike the Type 8, a 43mm watch with a flying saucer like shape, the Type 9 is more traditional and has small, short lugs to which a strap is mounted at either end of the case. The real space saving here comes from the addition of a bezel which acts as a minute track, whereas in other Ressence designs the outer minute track is simply at the dial’s perimeter. This tightens things up considerably, and also, in my opinion, offers a little more visual interest. With the minute track now outboard of the dial, options begin to open up with respect to finishing, color, materials, and so forth. The execution here isn’t particularly adventuro...
SJX Watches
Continuing the development of scaled-down versions of its signature wristwatch, Ressence unveils the Type 9. Characterised by a 39 mm titanium case – the smallest model in the brand’s current catalogue – the Type 9 is similar to the Type 8 in being a time-only displaying just hours and minutes, with no seconds. In a first for the brand, the minute scale has been repositioned from the dial to the fixed bezel that now sports a five-minute scale. Initial thoughts The Type 9 is a logical evolution of the brand’s entry-level model that retains the trademark “planetary” time display but in a smaller, simpler format. With a diameter of only 39 mm and short lugs, the Type 9 is more wearable. Though the Type 9 is the most affordable watch in the line-up, the new model does not compromise on aesthetics, maintaining the distinctive look and feel. Priced at CHF12,500, the Type 9 is CHF1,000 less expensive than the next-most-affordable model, the Type 8. For me, it is an ideal Ressence wristwatch that combines a perfect proportions with affordability. Arguably the only downside of the Type 9 is that it adds to the ever-growing catalogue of fairly similar models. The overlap between the Types 8 and 9 are obvious and possibly confusing. Perfect size In traditional Ressence style, the case of the Type 9 has no crown. Instead time-setting and manual winding of the movement is done by rotating the case back. Due to its construction, the case is only water resistant to 10 m, “s...
Monochrome
Two years after introducing the Type 8, its most minimalist time-only watch, Belgian independent watchmaker Ressence expands the concept with the launch of the new Type 9. Like all Ressence creations, the latest model incorporates the brand’s patented ROCS (Ressence Orbital Convex System) display module, with time indicated via revolving sub-dials – the so-called “beyond […]
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Fratello
Praesidus is one of those brands I have quickly come to love. It focuses on introducing vintage-inspired military watches with unique stories. The brand has a knack for finding remarkable military stories and using them as inspiration for its timepieces. The latest addition to the growing lineup is the Praesidus Type H-75 Chronograph. This watch’s […] Visit Hands-On With The New Meca-Quartz Praesidus Type H-75 Chronograph to read the full article.
Fratello
The world of microbrands can be weird. The industry’s logic only applies to some of these brands. What should not work does, and what is supposed to be a hit is often a flop. But it’s also a wonderful world because exceptional timepieces like the Albishorn Type 10 are occasionally released. When a genuinely exceptional […] Visit Hands-On With The New Albishorn Type 10 Classic to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
One of the most interesting new watches (and new brands) to surface at Geneva Watch Days this year was the Albishorn Maxigraph, made in collaboration with Massena LAB. Now, just a few months after their debut, Albishorn is back with their second effort, the Type 10. This might seem like a rapid pace for a brand to be moving at, but once you understand Albishorn’s backstory, it begins to make a little more sense. The brand is the brainchild of Sébastien Chaulmontet, a watch industry veteran who is currently Director of Innovation and Marketing at Sellita. There are probably few individuals in the watch space better positioned to make a quick start than Sébastien, and after chatting with him briefly about his brand and his plans for it at Geneva Watch Days, it’s no surprise to see the Type 10 surface now, and it will be even less of a surprise to know that Sébastien has a an even longer term release roadmap planned out well in advance. The conceit of Albishorn, you’ll likely remember, is that of a brand that creates “vintage watches that never existed.” These are not vintage reissues, or even inspired, necessarily, by actual vintage watches. Rather, the watches that will make up the Albishorn collection will exist as thought experiments, imagining parallel histories in which a watch like the Type 10 or the Maxigraph could have been designed, but weren’t. It’s a subtle but important twist on the notion of a vintage inspired watch, and one that, I think, shoul...
SJX Watches
Less than two months have elapsed since Albishorn made its debut, but the brainchild of Sébastien Chaulmontet is back with the Type 10, an “imaginary vintage” prequel to the Type 20 pilot’s watch made famous by Breguet. Available with black or green textured dials, the Type 10 features a proprietary manually wound monopusher chronograph movement with an unusual layout that differentiates it from other Type 20-inspired watches. Though not a limited edition, the Type 10 will be produced in small batches of just 25 watches in each livery. Initial thoughts Conceptually, I like the idea of “imaginary vintage” – the brand’s tagline – because it liberates the design from the constraints of the past and avoids coming off as a copy or homage. While I don’t like every detail of the Type 10, there’s a lot to be excited about, especially as a preview of what might be coming next from the fledgling brand. The Type 10 is powered by the proprietary ALB02 M, a manually wound chronograph movement that, like the Maxigraph, shares some of the architecture of the ubiquitous Valjoux 7750. But to call this a cal. 7750 would be to miss the numerous refinements implemented by Dr Chaulmontet that result in a slimmer movement with, reportedly, a more pleasant pusher action. The Type 10 retains many of the best features of the Maxigraph, including its case. Interestingly, the case is not quite identical; the Type 10’s case is slightly thinner on account of its manually wound ...
Monochrome
To my surprise, it’s been more than 10 years since Ressence presented the Type 3 model, the brand’s first oil-filled watch – a concept that later resulted in the creation of a diving model, the Type 5, benefitting from the distortion-free properties of oil. Since its first appearance in 2013, the Ressence Type 3 has […]
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Ohhh buddy - here it is: A complete unboxing of one of the Royal Pops - the otto rosso.
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