Ressence Taps Maze Artist for Latest Type 9
For the latest installment of the brand’s Art Watch series, Ressence has teamed up with a contemporary Belgian artist for the puzzling Type 9 Jules Wittock. I say ‘puzzling’, because Mr Wittock’s specialty is hand-drawing incredibly detailed mazes, which are both decorative and solvable. By collaborating with Ressence, the artist has devised a clever maze that fits on the rotating dial of the Type 9. Initial thoughts If it seems like you’re seeing more artistic collaborations in watchmaking, you’re probably right. While it’s not a new idea — Swatch released its first artist edition in 1985, just two years into the company’s history — the format feels increasingly common, especially amongst design-oriented brands and independent watchmakers. For Ressence, the Type 9 Jules Wittlock is the latest in a line of artist collaborations, including works with Shantell Martin, Stefan Sagmeister, and Daniel Engelberg. The brand has also worked with designers like Alain Silberstein and Marc Newson — two regular contributors watch-related projects. While most artist collaborations result in a fairly straightforward dial variant, Ressence is perhaps uniquely suited to the format, with its rotating dial capable of creating a dynamic tableau. In this case, Mr Wittock has taken full advantage of this technical aspect of the watch with a functional, hand-drawn maze, complete with a secret message that reveals itself in the pattern twice per day. Fortunately, the pattern...