ReviewEmbrace The Beauty Of Minimalism With Ressence’s Type 8 Collection
A fine blend of contemporary fine watchmaking and technical supremacy, the Ressence Type 8 reimagines the functioning of a traditional watch in an ingenious manner, crafted for the modern audience
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Since time immemorial, watch hands have been a necessity in terms of time-telling; at least the hour and the minute hands have been mainstays when traditional watches are concerned because that was a template followed by most brands. This is not to say that they didn’t experiment with the design but innovation was focused more on improving the mechanism and technology that powered a timepiece. However, times did change… and for good. After the quartz crisis in the 70s, the Swiss watch industry realised that they alone could not depend on their mechanical watchmaking prowess and had to lure collectors with eye-catching designs as well. From vibrant dial hues to unconventional case shapes… brands were leaving no stone unturned when it came to doling out offerings that pushed through the glass ceiling set by watchmaking purists. This set the ball rolling for a lot of independent watchmakers that found it easier to create designs that complemented their design ethos while also standing out in a sea of watches, where it’s almost always easy to drown.
One such brand is Ressence, founded in 2010 that aims to improve the functions of a mechanical watch in the contemporary scenario. The brand have created unique dial displays that have no hands; instead one finds discs on the watch face that indicate time. Another salient feature is that the watch is filled with oil and the crown is replaced by a lever—which helps with seamless functioning of this quirky mechanical timekeeper. The brand has some of the most striking timepieces with unmatched craftsmanship, divided into six collections named: Type 1°, Type 1², Type 2, Type 3, Type 5, and Type 8. This almost comes across as a militaristic nomenclature, which also highlights the utilitarian and the functional aspect of these watches. Let’s focus on the Type 8 collection.
Maximum Legibility, Streamlined Design, Futuristic Outlook: Ressence Type 8 Collection Overview
One of the most distinguishing features of Ressence watches is their patented Orbital Convex System (ROCS). Instead of using traditional hands, the ROCS employs rotating discs with graphical indications, giving the appearance that the dial itself is in motion. This enables not just better legibility on the dial but also creates a captivating visual effect for the onlooker, imparting a playful vibe to the brand’s timekeepers. Introduced in 2022, the Ressence Type 8 collection offers maximum legibility and a streamlined design, coupled with unmatched craftsmanship. Unlike their other collections, this one showcases only hours and minutes. The outer ring displays the minutes, while the lone sub-dial displays the hours. The use of grade-5 titanium provides the Type 8 watches with a strong framework to house the mechanics, whereas the legibility is enhanced with the addition of Super-LumiNova. According to the brand the Ressence Type 8 collection is a futuristic take on timekeeping as it ‘visually and functionally expresses a lean, young, and agile vision of 21st century fine watchmaking. The timepiece perfectly illustrates the brand’s confident and contemporary approach, and is built on its fundamental principles of originality, accessibility, and innovation’.
This is the sixth family of watches from Ressence, where clarity, simplicity, and ergonomics are the defining principles of its design ethos. It’s also important from a business perspective because it forms a new entry-level collection for the brand, thereby reaching a wider audience.
Light On The Wrist But Not To Be Taken Lightly
The Type 8 has a contemporary sleek case even though it’s round, and carried the deceptively simple, lean silhouette as found in all Ressence timepieces. The 42.9mm watch is crafted from grade-5 titanium and along with the strap, it weighs just 42 g… quite a feat for a well-oiled machine (literally)!
The watch has a high specific strength, thanks to being crafted in titanium and the elliptical shape also contributes to the ergonomics. The tapered case has a sandwich-style construction with a two tone finish, showcasing both polished and satin finishing textures. The case has no apparent lugs; they are hidden behind a small ‘skirt’ extending from the round case body. The overall effect is of one integrated case volume, out of which the strap appears to grow invisibly. There are two watches available under this collection—one with a striking cobalt blue dial and the other with an alluring sage green dial.
The watch, just like all the other ones from the brand doesn’t have a visible crown, instead it’s the titanium caseback that rotates to set the time. And not just this, the rotation of the caseback also winds the mechanical movement.
The Design And Driving Force
The Ressence Type 8 is by far the simplest timepiece developed by the independent watchmaker. It indicates only the hours and minutes, with no text or numbers. There are only simple white baton markers that present the time with total clarity. There is one sub-dial, which showcases the brand logo at 12 o’clock, and all elements are coated with Super-LumiNova for perfect legibility in low-light conditions.
And like all Ressence watches, this one too, is driven by the brand’s patented ROCS system, which has been designed using a series of jewel ball bearings to ensure long-lasting and oil-free running. At the heart lies the traditional mechanical automatic movement, based on an ETA calibre 2892/2—customised to suit the brand’s requirements—supplying a power reserve of at least 36 hours.
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Ressence Type 8
Type 8.1 S
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Ressence Type 8
Type 8.1 C
