480 articles · 82 videos found · page 3 of 19
Monochrome
Founded by Belgian industrial designer Benoît Mintiens in 2010, Ressence is renowned for its ingenious no-hands display of the time. Sleek, minimalist, futuristic watches with innovative mechanical solutions, Ressence tells the time with revolving sub-dials powered by the brand’s patented Orbital Convex System (ROCS). Like planets orbiting the Sun, the time indications circle the dial […]
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 […]
Fratello
Believe it or not, it has already been 11 years since Ressence introduced its oil-filled Type 3. At the time, it was the first oil-filled mechanical watch, and it debuted in both white- and black-dial versions. Today, the Belgian brand led by designer Benoît Mintiens reintroduces the black and white Type 3 with a few […] Visit Ressence Introduces An Updated Type 3 In Both Black And White Plus A Unique Type 1 Squared to read the full article.
Fratello
Welcome to this latest installment of Fratello Talks. Today, we are happy to be joined by special guest Benoît Mintiens, the founder and CEO of the avant-garde Belgian watch brand Ressence. In this long-form episode, we learn about Benoît’s origins as an industrial design consultant, how he transitioned into the watch world, and the philosophy […] Visit Fratello Talks: Ressence - With Founder And CEO Benoît Mintiens to read the full article.
Monochrome
The latest oil-filled mechanical wonder from Ressence features a blacked-out theme that’s aesthetically similar to the limited Type 3 BBB from 2022, but a splash of dial colour was added for contrast. Unlike the standard Type 3 Black, the watch is in full stealth mode with a black DLC-coated case that merges with the glossy […]
Video
Fratello
In January 2022, Ressence introduced the Type 3 BBB, a “Black, Black, Black” version of its oil-filled mechanical watch. My colleague Dave dubbed it “the brand’s best model yet.” However, Ressence limited the production of the watch to that year only. If you were looking for an all-black Ressence Type 3 after that, you were […] Visit Introducing: The Ressence Type 3 BB2 In Nearly All-Black Attire to read the full article.
Fratello
Yes, it’s time to talk about watches for summer because that is indeed the season we’re in right now. This series is a nice reminder of that because the weather gods haven’t shown us any summer yet here in the Netherlands. I keep telling my six-year-old daughter that we’re actually in the middle of summer […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Summer Watches At Three Different Price Points - Daan’s Picks From Seiko, Ressence, Rolex, And More to read the full article.
Quill & Pad
George Cramer exclusively collected watches from classic brands with long histories and traditional styles of watchmaking. But that all changed when he bought himself a Ressence Type 2 e-Crown.
SJX Watches
Ressence has gently tweaked its flagship model to create the Type 5 L. Already unconventional in its original form, the new Type 5 is similar in style and function to the original but with a fully luminous dial that maximises legibility in the dark. As is tradition for the brand’s higher-end offerings, the Type 5 L features an oil-filled case that enhances visibility of the dial by eliminating a common problem underwater: refraction. Initial thoughts Dive watches rarely deviate from orthodoxy, exemplified by the Rolex Submariner. But then there is Ressence, which is unorthodox across all its watches, but in a sensible and thoughtful manner. The Type 5 L underwater The Type 5 L meets the ISO 6425 standard for a dive watch, but looks nothing like a typical dive watch. Even though the planetary sub-dials take some getting used to, legibility is good once you’re familiar with the dial layout. And the addition of lume enhances visibility, making this a logical evolution of the model. As is often the case with most of the brand’s top-end offerings, the only downside is the price of CHF34,500. Granted, the Type 5 L is unique in construction and form, and also executed to a high level of quality – but it is still pricey. The entire dial of the timepiece is luminous for legibility in dim light Oil-filled dial In terms of dimensions and materials, the Type 5 L is identical to its less luminous counterpart. The case is titanium, measuring 46 mm in diameter and 15.5 mm high....
Worn & Wound
If you’ve spent any time on the watch internet over the last few weeks, it should be no surprise that it’s dive watch season. Hardly a day goes by right now that some new dive watch doesn’t pop up on our radar, or come across our Instagram feeds. Now - with the release of the Type 5 L - Ressence has joined in, harnessing the sheer awesomeness of copious lume to make what may be the coolest version of their Type 5 diver yet. When the Ressence Type 5 was first released in 2015, it was unlike anything else on the market. With its bulbous architecture, oil-filled case, and signature Ressence Orbital Convex System (ROCS) displaying the time, the Type 5 was about as fun as a watch could get. The Type 5 L pushes it even further and is a nice reminder that dive watch design doesn’t have to be static - there are still plenty of pages in the dive watch playbook to explore. On a technical level, the Type 5 L is exactly the watch we’ve seen over the last near-decade, but the technical side of things only tells part of the story. What sets the Type 5 L apart is its fully luminous dial. Without the glow, the Type 5 L looks awfully similar to the gray Type 5G from 2017. It shares the same 46mm wide, 15.5mm thick grade 5 titanium case; the same ETA 2824/2 calibre modified with a ROCS 5 module and magnetic transmission showing hours, minutes, and running seconds (plus oil temperature for good measure); and the same 100 meter water resistance. But it’s a whole other story ...
Video
Deployant
Ressence releases the Type 5L, a new Diver in a full lume dial late last month. This novelty complements the Type 5 Night Blue and Black Black.
Quill & Pad
Few watches released in the last three decades have been as revolutionary as the Ressence Type 5. And now with the Type 5 L, Ressence increases legibility even more by the abundant application of Super-LumiNova.
Monochrome
You thought all dive watches were the same round watch topped by a unidirectional bezel with a classic time-only display over a black dial, right? Well, Benoi?t Mintiens from Ressence is here to prove you wrong. Not all dive watches need to look like a Submariner or a Seamaster. Not all dive watches need to […]
Fratello
I love Ressence, and I love classic night divers, so when I read that the Belgian brand would release a version of its Type 5 dive watch with a full-lume dial, I was all eyes and ears. But I was also curious to discover how Ressence founder Benoît Mintiens would make that work. My initial […] Visit Introducing: The Spectacular Ressence Type 5 L - A Full-Lume-Dial Version Of This Stylish Dive Watch to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
One of my favorite stops at Watches & Wonders is always Ressence. Located in the hall of smaller booths that mostly house independent brands, their clever and unique designs always stand out. This year, they didn’t have any novelties to speak of, though it was my first opportunity to see their most recent releases: the Type 1 Round Multi-Color, and Type 3 Eucalyptus. Both left an impression, but the subtly whimsical hues in the Type 1 Round Multi-Color won me over, becoming one of the watches I’ve thought about most since the fair. Since there weren’t any releases just for Watches & Wonders, we decided to sit down with brand founder Benoit Mintiens and discuss what Ressence does. We talked a bit about their approach to design and the concepts behind their simple-on-the-surface timepieces. Their watches are truly different from anything else, so, unsurprisingly, so are their goals. Check that conversation out below. The post Video Interview with Ressence’s Benoît Mintiens appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Video
Deployant
We close the day’s live activities with Ressence. The Maison released a new watch, the Type 1 Round which was released last year.
Worn & Wound
In the big wide world of watches, there is nothing quite like a Ressence. The Belgium-based brand has made its name through futuristic designs that utilize co-planar revolving discs and other dial elements to create a cohesive and interesting time-telling experience. In the brand’s lineup, the Type 1 Round is positioned as the foundation and the most distilled vision of what Ressence stands for. The new Type 1° M, however, reveals a playful side that has not been seen before. Out with the staid black and gray tones for which the brand has been so well known for; it’s time for some color. The Type 1 Round’s case is, well, round, and measures 42.7mm wide, 47mm lug to lug, and 11mm thick. It is made of Grade 5 Titanium and does away with a traditional crown (more on winding in a moment). The dial is in the classic Ressence regulator style and displays days, hours, minutes, and seconds. Without a number in sight, which is which? On this multi-colored version it’s a little easier to ascertain: the blue chapter ring along the edge of the dial marks the seconds while the green dial tracks the hours. Yellow is for running seconds, and the red segmented ring marks the days of the week with the two outlined sections representing the weekend. Under the hood, Ressence’s patented Orbital Convex System (ROCS) enables the modules for the hours, minutes, seconds, and days to continuously revolve around one another. The movement is based on a (heavily) modified ETA-2892 and runs...
Deployant
Ressence injects a colourful touch in the new Type 1° M, bringing a sense of playful and refreshing look to their entry level watch.
Monochrome
In 2010, Benoît Mintiens introduced his initial Ressence prototypes, unveiling the original concept of replacing traditional watch hands with revolving discs that gracefully orbit the dial. Over the years, Ressence has captivated enthusiasts with diverse Type-iterations, ranging from oil-filled and sub-aquatic designs to innovative eCrown-connected endeavours. Despite these variations, the Ressence DNA has consistently remained […]
Worn & Wound
Ressence continues to capture our interest and imaginations thanks to their ingenious time telling display, powered by their proprietary Ressence Orbital Convex System (ROCS) module. The platform of circular discs orbiting one another is unlike anything else in watchmaking, and Ressence could probably dine out on this technology alone for years. But as releases like the new Type 1 DX3 prove, they don’t seem content to just make the same watch over and over again. The fact is, the physical characteristics of the ROCS system provide a great canvas for a design team to really go to town, and experiment with aesthetic choices that wouldn’t be possible on a normal watch. The new Type 1 DX3 is a limited edition collaboration with Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons for this year’s Dubai Watch Week. It’s the third and final watch in a series of collaborations between Ressence and the luxury retail group behind the Dubai Watch Week concept, and continues Ressence’s exploration of traditional Arab art. In this execution of the Type 1, the dial is a canvas for Arab geometric art, with a motif in gold and brown hues. The DX3 is a play on popular fumé dials, with darker tones at the perimeter and lighter shades in the center. Of course, like every Ressence, the smaller dials move throughout the course of a day, so the character of this effect changes gradually from moment to moment. Adding further to the dial’s visual complexity, virtually the entire surface is lumed, filled in a cloi...
Video
SJX Watches
At this year’s Dubai Watch Week, Ressence and its Middle East retail partner, Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, have unveiled their third and final edition – the Type 1 DX3. This unique timepiece puts a distinctive twist on the minimalist Type 1, featuring a dial inspired by Arabic geometric patterns, echoing the aesthetic of the pair’s past collaborations. Initial thoughts This limited edition for the Dubai retailer resonates with me – and is arguably one of the most outstanding recent watches from Ressence – illustrating the potential to blend modern aesthetics while grounding the watch in the region. It manages to stand apart from Ressence’s minimalist watches, which have been iterated in a multitude of variants to date. The DX3 sticks to the outline of the standard Type 1 Round, but its standout feature lies in the copper-tone dial that’s embellished with captivating rose motifs reminiscent of Islamic art and architecture, and further accented with Super-Luminova that glows green. The Type 1 DX3 retails for CHF23,600, will be limited to merely 35 pieces and accompanied by a copy of Arts & Crafts in Motion, the brand’s first book that’s published jointly with Seddiqi. Considering the dial decoration, this undeniably presents a more alluring proposition in contrast to the standard production models. However one can hope that Ressence will maintain the exclusivity of this design and refrain from replicating it later on. A cloisonné dial with Arabic patterns The DX3...
Worn & Wound
The Ressence Type 3 collection welcomes a new member this week with the introduction of the serene Type 3 EE. The brand continues to work in subtle and interesting green hues, following up on the sage Type 8S (reviewed here) with this rich eucalyptus green dial. It’s a slightly unconventional execution within the more dramatic Type 3 collection, which we’ve only seen rendered in black and soft white up to this point. In person, the green is a perfect companion to the Type 3’s primary accent colors and rotating dial sets. Given the case it’s set within, that green is given an oil filled canvas for maximum impact. The Type 3 is one of two oil filled Ressence watches, along with the “world-proof” dive watch, the Type 5. The effect is remarkable in person, and one that I’ve always found core to the Ressence experience. The Type 3 EE features the eucalyptus green on both the font and back panel of the watch (hence the EE), and comes through brilliantly, as though it were painted directly on the crystal, thanks to the oil filled dial. The color is subtle but rich, somehow, and the colors used for the various displays have been desaturated enough to hit the same value scale as the green itself, so as not to create a distracting level of contrast. The Type 3 is on the maximalist side of Ressence, boasting the oil temperature gauge, a dial for the day of the week, and the date itself, on top of the hours, minutes, and seconds, of course. It all leads to a rather dra...
![[VIDEO] Review: the Sublimely Sage Ressence Type 8S](https://wornandwound.com/library/uploads/2023/08/Ressence_Type-8S-Sage-Green_010.jpg)
Worn & Wound
There is a big difference between seeing a watch at a trade show, meetup, or boutique and living with one. In the former experiences, it’s very easy to be immediately taken with something. The energy of the environment, the thrill of trying on watches, perhaps a champagne or two, create a level of excitement that overlays everything you touch and see. As such, the watches we get to experience in these shows need to be taken out into the less flattering light of the real world to truly know if that excitement was genuine, or just a by-product of the situation in which they were introduced. One brand I’ve always been very taken with, especially when I’ve gotten to handle their wares at Watches and Wonders, is Ressence. For those unfamiliar with the Haute-independent brand, it was founded by Benoît Mintiens in 2010 with the goal of rethinking how a watch displays time. The solution found didn’t recreate the wheel, though it did heavily modify it. Utilizing a patented module design called the Ressence Orbital Convex System or ROCS, Mintiens, an industrial designer by trade, eliminated the use of classic hands. Instead, the whole dial becomes an active surface for telling the time with satellite sub-registers floating within a larger, always-in-motion, display. In 2022 they unveiled the Type 8, their simplest and lowest-priced model. The following year, they introduced it in a lovely, pale green and called it the Type 8S, for sage. Both years I left their booth a bit g...
Deployant
Our first acquaintance with Ressence came in the early part of last decade, when the young upstart produced the now iconic Type 3. The Type 3, even in today’s age, still looks extremely modern and refreshing. Imagine how amazed we were when we first saw the timepiece a decade ago. That was also perhaps theRead More
Quill & Pad
The Watches TV founder Marc-André Deschoux explains how the personal Type 2 E-Crown of Ressence's founder, Benoît Mintiens, works in this video.
Video
Question, suggestion, or just want to say hi? Drop a note.