Results for Ressence

Ressence TYPE 10 DN: First In-House Calibre In An Oil-Filled Case

The Ressence TYPE 10 DN pairs the brand's first in-house RW-04 calibre with an oil-filled dial in Grade 5 titanium. Limited to 100 pieces at CHF 45,000.

Introducing - Meet the TYPE 10 DN, Ressence’s First Oil-Filled Watch with the Proprietary Movement

A few months ago, at Watches and Wonders, Ressence introduced a watch to be seen as a pivotal moment for the brand. It was potentially the most important launch for the independent watchmaker since its creation. Dubbed the TYPE 11, this watch remained very Ressence at first sight… Evolutionary more than radically novel. That was […]

Ressence Unveils Oil-Filled Type 10

The Ressence Type 10 DN pairs the brand’s proprietary base calibre with its oil-filled display module for the first time. The organically shaped case is a natural evolution of Ressence’s minimalist style, finished in dark blue DLC-coated titanium for this 100-piece debut. The new movement brings a practical benefit, extending the power reserve from 36 to 60 hours compared with its ETA-powered oil-filled siblings. Initial thoughts Ressence debuted its first proprietary base calibre earlier this year in the Type 11, and it was only a matter of time before the Belgian independent paired this platform with its signature oil-filled display module. We didn’t have to wait long, which suggests the industrialisation of the new movement is progressing well. Inspiration for the Type 10’s organic shape came from founder Benoît Mintiens’ curiosity about what a watch would look like if shaped by the laws of nature. The result is an organic form that smoothly integrates the lines of the crystal into the case, with scalloped lugs meeting a colour-matched rubber strap. The case surfaces meet along one of its few sharp edges, while the absence of a conventional crown preserves the symmetry. Like other Ressence watches, the Type 10 is set and wound via the case back ring. The case is made of polished Grade 5 titanium with a DLC coating in a shade Ressence calls “Dark Night” — a rich navy that continues across the dial, which has been simplified beyond the brand’s typical m...

The New Ressence Type 10 “Dark Night” Debuts The Brand’s Second Proprietary Movement

Earlier this year, at Watches and Wonders in Geneva, Ressence presented its first proprietary movement, the RW-01, inside the new Type 11. Today, the Belgian brand presents another proprietary movement inside yet another new reference. The new Ressence Type 10 features a polished, deep blue DLC-coated Grade 5 titanium case with the new RW-04 movement […] Visit The New Ressence Type 10 “Dark Night” Debuts The Brand’s Second Proprietary Movement to read the full article.

Introducing: Ressence Type 10 DN "Dark Knight"

What We Know Earlier this year at Watches and Wonders, Belgian brand Ressence introduced the first watch in its collection with an in-house-designed RW-01 movement, the Type 11. That should theoretically mean a farewell (at least for most things going forward) to the base ETA movements that have powered all Ressence models to date, each paired with the brand's unique orbital Ressence Orbital Convex System (ROCS) module. Today's release of the Type 10, timed right alongside WatchTime New York, features the first oil-filled watch from Ressence to feature a proprietary movement. At a high level, the Type 10 might initially feel like a mix of several previous Ressence designs, but the final product somehow feels quite fresh. Much of it is due to the case and bezel. The silhouette of the 41.5mm case in grade 5 titanium gives this Type 10 a cushion-like shape, and it is paired with a flush-integrated rubber strap. It's a new feel for a Ressence. The entire case is coated for a glossy, dark blue hue, and that coloring extends all the way to the strap, buckle, and, of course, the dial. Ressence says this is a DLC coating, but to my knowledge, it's not possible to achieve a colored coating with the specific process—I believe this coating to be something different. If I had to guess, I'd say that it's a ceramic coating of some sort. There is ever-so-slightly a squared-off aspect to the design, with the bezel at twelve and six o'clock flattening out on its edge for a look that comp...

Ressence Type 9 Jules Wittock: A Solvable Maze Milled Into Titanium

The latest Art Watch from Ressence pairs its orbital dial with a hand-drawn maze by Belgian artist Jules Wittock, and yes, it actually works as a puzzle.

Introducing - The New Ressence Art Watch Type 9 x Jules Wittock

Founded in 2010 by industrial designer Benoît Mintiens, indie brand Ressence stands out from the crowd with its original and contemporary way of displaying time. Like planets orbiting the Sun, time circles around the dial thanks to the brand’s patented Ressence Orbital Convex System (ROCS). For the brand’s latest Art Watch, Ressence has teamed up […]

New: Ressence TYPE 9 Jules Wittock, a hand-drawn maze in Emerald Green and Black

Ressence TYPE 9 Jules Wittock: a hand-drawn maze milled 0.2 mm into titanium and filled by hand, in Emerald Green or black, 30 pieces each at CHF 20,000.

Get Lost In Ressence’s New Type 9 Art Watch By Belgian Artist Jules Wittock

Recently, Lex wrote an article asking, “When are watches art?” Of course, there wasn’t a clear answer, as “art” is often an ungraspable concept. However, every once in a while, Benoît Mintiens makes the dial of a Ressence watch available to an artist dear to the Belgian brand. In doing so, he tries to blur […] Visit Get Lost In Ressence’s New Type 9 Art Watch By Belgian Artist Jules Wittock to read the full article.

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...

Ressence: the belgian independent rewriting what a watch looks like

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. here is the whole story.

Hands-on - The Ressence Type 11 with Proprietary Movement, a Game-Changing Step for the Brand

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 […]

Hands-On: The Ressence Type 11

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...

Introducing - The Ressence Type 7 Black and Type 7 Cactus, now with Optional Rubber Straps

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 […]

Hands On: Ressence Type 11

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...

Live from WWG26: new Ressence release

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

New releases from Ressence, M.A.D. Editions, Rexhep Rexhepi and more

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 Podcast: A New Era for Independent Watchmaking

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.  

Introducing - Ressence Unveils the Type 11 Powered by its First Proprietary Movement

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 […]

Ressence Debuts the Type 11, with the All New In-House RW-01 Movement

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 ...

Ressence Introduces First Proprietary Movement

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...

Ressence Enters A Completely Different Ballgame With The New Type 11 And Its First Fully Integrated Movement

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.

The Ressence Type 9 IKE creates a rainbow light show for the wrist

Introducing: The Mesmerizing Black DLC Ressence Type 9 Ikeda

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.

Ressence taps Terumasa Ikeda for hand-made resplendence in lacquer and mother-of-pearl

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.

Introducing: The Ressence Type 9 IKE Pairs A Futuristic Look With Japanese Métiers d'Art Execution

Just 8 pieces bring together Ressence's simplest design with Japanese artist Terumasa Ikeda's handcrafted raden and urushi.

Ressence Hits Warp Speed with the new Type 9 IKE

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...

Introducing - Embark Upon a Space Odyssey with the Ressence Type 9 IKE

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 […]

Editorial: the Ressence Renaissance

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...