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WristBuzz
No crown, no hands, an oil-filled dial and a founder from industrial design. Ressence started in Antwerp in 2010 and just released its first fully in-house calibre. The whole story.
Monochrome
Founded in 2010 by Belgian industrial designer Benoît Mintiens, Ressence questioned, from the start, something fundamental: how we read time. Its patented Ressence Orbital Convex System (ROCS), with its constantly rotating discs replacing conventional hands, has become one of the most recognisable displays in modern independent horology. Until recently, however, Ressence relied on a seriously […]
Hodinkee
At a glance, the Ressence Type 11, which launched earlier this year at Watches and Wonders, might feel like every other Ressence. That's kind of the point. Distinct as it is within the collection, the Type 11 keeps the brand's visual language intact while changing what's underneath it. The biggest change is under the hood—it's the first Ressence to feature the brand's own integrated caliber, replacing the usual combo of an ETA base with Ressence's Orbital Convex System on top. Before we get to more on that, let's take a look at the Type 11's exterior. The 41mm by 11mm case, in grade 5 titanium, continues the trend seen in many of Ressence's recent releases toward more compact cases and feels like an evolution of the Type 9, in a sense. A fully polished, almost tonneau-shaped case features a short 45mm lug-to-lug measurement, while the lack of downturning of the lugs means the case still maintains quite a bit of presence on the wrist. On the Type 11, the lack of a bezel means the dial and crystal extend to the edges of the 41mm diameter. It's this kind of seamless visual effect that has lent models like the Type 1 and the Type 3 a distinctively futuristic look, and here it works very well with these lugs. Water resistance is bumped up to 3 ATM (as opposed to the typically "splash resistant" rating of its non-dive watches). On the dial side, we get the satellite display that Ressence is best known for, showing the hours, running seconds, and a power reserve indicator withi...
Monochrome
What is Ressence if not one of the most recognisable identities in independent watchmaking? From the crownless Type 3 (check out the recent Type 3 Marc Newson) to the oil-filled Type 5, Ressence founder Benoît Mintiens has consistently challenged the conventional relationship between display, ergonomics and mechanical watchmaking, leading to the introduction of the Type […]
SJX Watches
Among the independent brands officially exhibiting at Watches & Wonders, Ressence was a standout. The design-forward Belgian independent took a major step forward with the Type 11, powered by the brand’s first proprietary calibre, the RW-01. The Type 11 is tangibly appealing and priced well considering both its unique design and technical content. Initial thoughts When I first saw images of the Type 11 and its RW-01 movement, I had the same feeling as when Urwerk launched the EMC back in 2013. At the time, the EMC felt like the start of a new era for a brand that had, up to that point, primarily put its proprietary modules atop widely available off-the-shelf calibres. The EMC proved Urwerk was willing to rethink the movement in its entirety to realise a specific vision. The RW-01 reveals Ressence is moving in that same direction. After 15 years of adapting its Ressence Orbital Convex System (ROCS) modules to ETA-derived calibres, the brand has taken the next step in its development and partnered with an adept supplier to construct a proprietary movement uniquely suited to its signature design. The new calibre was engineered with Ressence’s ROCS module in mind. The movement layout appears purpose-built for winding and setting via the case back, lacking an ordinary stem, and dual serially coupled mainspring barrels extend the power reserve to 60 hours — quite long considering the mass of the ROCS module. While I would have been delighted to see a free-sprung balance, I...
Video
At the time of recording, the exchange rate was 1 GBP = 1.33 USD. Please note that exchange rates fluctuate, so the conversion may differ when you view this video. Always check current exchange rates for the most accu...
Deployant
We are now at Ressence, and we are viewing the Type 11, the first movement made by Ressence. RW01 is the first movement which is COSC compliant with an integrated movement with the ROCS, and usable across all Ressence watches. This has 60 hours power reserve from the double barrel. The movement is manufactured byRead More
Time+Tide
This has been an incredible week for independent watchmaking. Ressence has announced its first-ever in-house movement, M.A.D. is presenting two new editions for those who want to own a piece of MB&F; engineering without the price tag, and Rexhep Rexhepi has unveiled a new project. Moments like this don’t come around often, and when they … ContinuedThe post New releases from Ressence, M.A.D. Editions, Rexhep Rexhepi and more appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
It’s been a promising year for independent watchmaking, and Watches & Wonders hasn’t even taken place yet. On episode 35 of the SJX Podcast, SJX and Brandon discuss Rexhep Rexhepi’s first in-house chronograph bearing his own name. What Mr Rexhepi does, others often imitate, so it’s worth thinking about how the launch of this traditional-yet-novel chronograph will shape the future of the category. The conversation also turns to Ressence, which has just unveiled the Type 11 with its own in-house movement, and has done so at a fair price. Russian AHCI-member Anton Suhanov also joins the ranks of indies with their own calibres, installing a 15+ mm luminous balance wheel in his third wristwatch. And that’s not the only Russian watch boasting unusual specs - Konstantin Chaykin revealed the series production version of his ThinKing, the thinnest watch ever at just 1.65 mm thick, complete with double ‘mystery’ displays. New names also made their debuts recently, including Stéphane Pierre and Mathieu Cleguer, who has come up with a novel double-wheel escapement of his own design. These makers are illustrative of a broader trend in independent watchmaking, namely the engineer-led brand. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
Monochrome
Since its founding in 2010 in Antwerp by Belgian industrial designer Benoît Mintiens, indie brand Ressence has positioned itself as a design-led watch studio that literally rethinks how time is displayed on the wrist. Animated by Ressence’s Orbital Convex System (ROCS), time circles around the dial like planets orbiting the Sun, using highly graphic and […]
Worn & Wound
For as long as we’ve talked about Ressence, part of the discussion has always been about how clever they are for producing such an ingenious and unique system for time telling, all built on top of a standard, off-the-shelf ETA movement. Their patented ROCS module, which displays the time via a series of rotating discs rather than traditional hands, is a complicated piece of engineering that has always lived alongside a caliber that is rather ordinary. For me, and many others, this was always part of the charm of a Ressence watch, and underscored the idea that watchmaking is a broad discipline and that with some creativity even a simple ETA movement can be turned into something extraordinary. That changes a little today with the introduction of the Ressence Type 11, featuring the all new RW-01 movement, the first in-house designed Ressence movement. Designed specifically to power the ROCS, the RW-01 is an integrated, automatic caliber that appears to be an improvement in just about every way over previous movements found in Ressence watches. First and perhaps most notably, this movement has a 60 hour power reserve, which can be monitored on the dial via ceramic micro balls. For years, Ressence watches have featured power reserves that topped out at slightly less than the ETA movements they were based on due to the demands of running the ROCS module. But the RW-01 was designed from the ground up to work with ROCS, eliminating many of the compromises made with previous ...
SJX Watches
Independent watchmaker Ressence unveils the Type 11, powered by a proprietary movement for the first time. The trailblazer of oil-filled mechanical modules, Ressence has so far relied on third-party base movements to power its eccentric creations. The Belgium-based watchmaker has finally taken the next step and developed its own calibre, dubbed the Ressence-Werk RW-01. Initial thoughts Ressence watches are instantly recognisable for their inventive and minimalist way of telling the time, using the patented Ressence Orbital Convex System (ROCS) to put a new spin on the classic time display. Using a clever arrangement of planetary gears powered by a base movement, Ressence has achieved an original functional design that remains unique to this day. In terms of design, Ressence has an unmistakable, contemporary look, not unlike that of Apple. As a result, partnerships like those with industrial designer Marc Newson feel natural. The concept behind Ressence’s signature time display is the use of clear silicone-based oil which fills the hermetically sealed ROCS module to the crystal. The fluid medium cancels out total internal reflection, leading to the illusion that the turning disks sit right under the crystal itself. In this respect, Ressence dials can at times look like an OLED screen in a smartwatch. The Type 11 continues the signature streamlined minimalism of past Ressence models, but adopts a less complicated display. There are hours, minutes and seconds, arrange...
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.
Revolution
Fratello
Ressence is back with a limited-edition Type 9 in the brand’s Art Watch Series. Last year, Benoît Mintiens introduced a colorful pair of Type 8 models in collaboration with German painter and sculptor Daniel Engelberg. This time, the Belgian brand asked Japanese artist Terumasa Ikeda to decorate the Type 9’s dial. He’s famous for applying […] Visit Introducing: The Mesmerizing Black DLC Ressence Type 9 Ikeda to read the full article.
Time+Tide
Urushi lacquer and raden mother-of-pearl grace the dial of Ressence's latest Type 9, which is limited to just 8 numbered pieces.The post Ressence taps Terumasa Ikeda for hand-made resplendence in lacquer and mother-of-pearl appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Just 8 pieces bring together Ressence's simplest design with Japanese artist Terumasa Ikeda's handcrafted raden and urushi.
Worn & Wound
When we create a post on the Worn & Wound blog, we check a little box on the sidebar of our backend system to categorize the watch we’re writing about. The options are things like “Diver,” and “Chronograph” and “Dress,” which is about what you’d expect, and these well understood categories are appropriate for most of the watches we write about. But my absolute favorite thing is when a news release (or an actual watch!) comes across my desk that can only fit into one category, at the very bottom of the list: Unique. More than any other brand (besides perhaps MB&F; and Urwerk), Ressence really has a lock on the Unique category here at Worn & Wound. One of many reasons we continue to be drawn to them year after year. Their latest, the Type 9 IKE, is unique even within the Ressence catalog. Built on the (relatively) approachable Type 9 platform, which features an easy to wear 39mm case and a simplified version of the already incredibly stripped down Ressence Orbital Convex System (ROCS), the new limited edition is a collaboration with Japanese artist Terumasa Ikeda. It’s also a twist on a trend we’ve been seeing play out in the watch industry over the last few years, but you probably wouldn’t think at first glance that this is actually a very intricately crafted mother of pearl dial. Ikeda’s work has a style that can be described as mixing very old craft techniques with a futuristic, almost sci-fi inspired design code. The Type 9 IKE’s dial looks...
Monochrome
A compact evolution of Ressence’s signature pebble-shaped case designs and original display of the time that circles around the dial like planets orbiting the Sun, the Type 9 is the brand’s smallest, lightest and most accessibly priced watch to date. Given its minimalist display and compact (wearable) proportions, the Type 9 has been singled out […]
Worn & Wound
Without a doubt, I consider Ressence one of the most interesting watch brands that exists today. I recognize that this comes as an extremely bold and uniformed statement considering I’ve never seen a Ressence in the metal (a.k.a. ‘in person’ for any non-watch folks that somehow found their way here and are reading this). Considering their rarity and cost to acquire, many of y’all reading this probably haven’t seen one either; And to clarify up front: I don’t, or haven’t yet, reviewed watches for Worn & Wound; I just write somewhat interesting takes from a designers point of view on things that I find worthy, and this time around it just so happens to be the Ressence brand, of which I am deeply fond of having viewed it only on the interwebs; but I digress, back to the story! On paper, and through their perfectly crafted collaborations and partnerships, Ressence scratches all of my itches for a dream watch, albeit a watch that is extremely out of reach in price and availability for myself and many, hence the word ‘dream’. However, I fully respect and understand the price these watches sell for, because of Ressence’s approach to innovation and what goes into making each and every piece of art. I don’t actually like using the word innovative at all, if ever, because I think it is so grossly over used; but for Ressence I am happy to anoint them worthy of that distinction. This is not a new take, or a new perspective I hold, considering that Ressence has be...
Deployant
We are a bit on the late side to report on the Ressence Type 3 MN, though we got a glimpse of it when Benoît Mintiens visited Singapore not long ago.
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...
Monochrome
Ressence is not what one would call a conventional watchmaker, and let’s hope it never will be. Since its founding in 2010, Benoît Mintiens’ Antwerp-based brand has built its catalogue and reputation by rethinking what a mechanical watch should feel like rather than what it should represent. This time, Ressence reaches out beyond its own […]
Revolution
SJX Watches
Ressence has unveiled the Type 3 Marc Newson, an 80-piece limited edition that unites Marc Newson’s softly contoured, playful futurism with Ressence founder Benoît Mintiens’ long-running pursuit of a ‘dematerialised’ time display. Functionally unchanged from the standard Type 3, the MN edition introduces a colourway and set of visual cues drawn directly from the famed industrial designer’s archives, resulting in a new watch that feels instantly familiar. The Type 3 MN retains Ressence’s signature oil-filled upper chamber, which eliminates optical distortion and makes the indications appear projected onto the underside of the crystal - an effect that reads almost digital at first glance. Initial thoughts Some collaborations seem almost predestined; the partnership between Benoît Mintiens and Marc Newson is one of them. Both men share an affinity for modern minimalism and pebble-like organic forms, so their first joint project feels like an overdue meeting of minds. Benoît Mintiens and Marc Newson. Image – Ressence The Type 3 MN manages to combine the best instincts of both designers, resulting in a watch that lends an Ikepod-like lug-less case to Ressence’s signature oil-filled display. We’ll come back to the design, but one of the most impactful aspects of the Type 3 MN is its comfort on the wrist. Mr Newson is well known for his ergonomic designs; the strap he designed for Ikepod was later licensed by Apple, making it possibly the world’s most pop...
Fratello
In the eyes of Benoît Mintiens, a Ressence watch should tell the time in the most user-friendly way. That’s why he came up with discs that are more intuitive to read than more conventional hands. Someone who’s also intrigued by simplicity and functionality is industrial designer Marc Newson. Known for his work in the automotive, […] Visit Introducing: The Ressence Type 3 Marc Newson - A Playful Nod To The Ikepod Megapode to read the full article.
Time+Tide
Ressence collaborates with the legendary Australian industrial designer on a highly legible take on the brand's iconic, oil-filled Type 3.The post Ressence’s Type 3 gets the Marc Newson treatment appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
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 ...
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