Ressence
- Founded
- 2010
- Based in
- Antwerp, Belgium
- In our catalog
- 3 watches from $18,370 to $60,720
Ressence makes watches unlike anything else. There are no hands and no crown. The time is shown by a set of discs that turn within a larger disc, all on one smooth domed surface. On some models the display is sealed in oil, which removes reflections so the dial looks as if it's printed on the underside of the crystal. It's one of the most original ideas in modern watchmaking.
History
Benoît Mintiens, an industrial designer from Antwerp, founded Ressence in 2010. His Ressence Orbital Convex System (ROCS) sits on top of a Swiss automatic movement and turns its output into a moving disc display. The Type 1 came first. In 2013 the Type 3 introduced the oil-filled display. Later models added a diver (Type 5) and electronic features.
The watches are wound and set through the caseback, by turning it with your thumb, which is why there's no crown.
Signature models
- Type 1 Slim Night Blue: A slim, dry (not oil-filled) Ressence with a blue display.
- Type 3 Black: The oil-filled model, the most striking Ressence.
- Type 9 Aqua: The simplest, lightest and most affordable Ressence.
What it's known for
Ressence watches are light, titanium-cased and very comfortable. They're designed like modern objects, and they get a lot of attention from people who don't usually notice watches.
Price and positioning
Ressence watches cost from about $18,000 to $55,000. MB&F and H. Moser & Cie are the closest independent brands in spirit, but nothing else looks like a Ressence.
Ressence watches in our library
- Ressence Type 9 Aqua ($18,370 to $20,040)
- Ressence Type 1 Slim Night Blue ($26,565 to $28,980)
- Ressence Type 3 Black ($55,660 to $60,720)