November last year brought this summer’s perfect piece – the Ressence TYPE 1° M. With a joyful pastel selection of colours, Ressence goes beyond the heavy technical territory into a more “fun” side. Let’s have a look…
The most classic-looking Ressence case
Ressence TYPE 1° M is a round watch manufactured from polished grade 5 titanium. The lightness of the titanium is highlighted by the superbly polished caseband and lugs. The angled lugs have a natural, almost organic look, in excellent proportion to the 42.7 mm diameter. Slightly bent towards the wrist, the lugs and the thickness of only 11 mm, together with the natural lightness of the case material make the watch a pleasant and comfortable presence on the wrist. Close to the wrist and with no crown makes it a viable option for small and large wrists. I found it perfectly popping out from under the shirt sleeve. Diana also enjoyed the size, especially considering her comfort zone ending shy at 41 mm (on traditional watches). The caseback received a matt satin finish.
The double dome sapphire crystal contributes to the organic appearance of the watch. It perfectly completes the angles of the caseband. I found myself unconsciously playing with my fingertips on the edges of the crystal – the design was so well done that my senses wanted not only to see it but also to feel it. It is hard to explain the need to constantly touch it and explore it. Maybe it is the lack of the protrusive crown, or maybe it is the balanced design and seamless integration of all elements.
Paper-like, two-dimensional dial
The dial of the Ressence TYPE 1° M is another unusual sensorial experience. While it is clearly and boldly showing the time, the way it is constructed and finished intrigues. Pastel colours and a slightly textured finish create the impression of aquarelle on paper and not of five discs in a continuous motion. Kind of mesmerising…
The minutes are displayed using a huge 125-mm diameter convex German silver dial and a grey engraved “arrow” against the outer blue chapter ring. The hours’ indication received the next disc size: with the Ressence logo at twelve o’clock and eleven baton indexes and an inner disc with a red pointed “arrow”.
The small seconds are displayed in the yellow sub-dial. It is an interesting choice and a mechanical challange to realise the translation, considering the central placement on the ebauche movement.
The last indication on the dial is for the day of the week. The weekend is extra highlighted – a detail I particularly enjoy for implementation and the base idea.
The colour choice and the engraved indications filled with grade A Super-LumiNova® create excellent legibility night & day.
The base engine, the elevated orbital module
The Ressence TYPE 1° M is powered by a modified ETA 2892 movement. This is a relatively thin automatic calibre operating at 28,800 vibrations per hour (vph) with a bi-directional winding rotor and an original power reserve of 42 hours.
Modifications for the Ressence System: The movement has been significantly modified to accommodate the Ressence Orbital Convex System on the top side and the setting and winding module on the bottom. Due to the absence of a traditional crown and the additional burden placed on the movement by the rotary system, the power reserve has been reduced to 36 hours.
The entire movement features 40 jewels (from 21 on the 2892 ebauche) and 27 gears. The ROCS is well-designed and constructed. The tolerances between discs and the entire rotating system do not show any parasitic play and the set is seamless. It is not only a good-looking build, but also mechanically impressive.
Conclusions
As a tech guy, this warm and joyful design really melts my heart. I’m a sucker for the “look ma, no hands” approach, and it makes my inner engineer geek out. I’ve always been fascinated by the engineering behind moving such massive discs construction. Yet, the simple and colourful appearance makes it a perfect summer piece.
The setting and winding are an unusual experience and require a few moments of accommodation until you understand the system’s simplicity. Just a key and two directions and the time, day and winding are executed with some resistance from the entire gear chain. It is not difficult to set it but it adds an intriguing note to the one used with the traditional crown. I have to admit I did not pay too much attention to the indicative arrows and just followed a learning curve. In a few seconds, I was able to set it without too much thinking. Love it.
Diana’s take: Although the influence of industrial design can be seen in the used pastel palette, a bolder choice of colours would be welcomed. Otherwise, it’s a sweet and fun watch with fantastic readability and a playful touch in showing the time.
Ressence TYPE 1° M Technical Specifications
NAME: TYPE 1° Round M (Multicolour) – CHF 18.150,00
Functions
- Hours
- Minutes
- Seconds
- Day of the week
Movement
- Patented ROCS 1.3 – Ressence Orbital Convex System – module driven by the minute axle of a customised 2892 base calibre
- Caseback winding and day/time setting
- Self-winding
- 36 hours power reserve
- 28,800 vibrations per hour
- 40 jewels
- 27 gears
Case
- Grade 5 titanium
- Double-domed sapphire crystal top with anti-reflective coating inside
- Manual winding over 12° and set up via lever
- 42,7 mm (diameter) x 11mm (thickness)
- 1 ATM splash-resistance
Dial
- Convex German silver dial (125mm radius) with 3 eccentric biaxial satellites inclined at 3° (hours) and 4.75° (seconds and day of the week)
- Engraved indications filled with grade A Super-LumiNova®
Buckle & Strap
- Ardillon buckle
- Light grey rubber strap (20/20mm)
Components & Weight
- 212 components / 64 grams
ABOUT RESSENCE
Founded in 2010 by industrial designer Benoît Mintiens, Ressence aims to redefine the essence of 21st Century watches. The brand’s philosophy follows the “Less is More” principle, by removing all unnecessary attributes that traditional watches have been revisiting for decades. Behind its minimalistic design, Ressence’s true purpose is to provoke wonder, to awaken senses and to make mechanical watches daily companions for today’s and tomorrow’s generations.
Benoît Mintiens started by introducing the ZERO SERIES, a completely new dial design concept in which time is represented on flush two-dimensional rotating discs. Traditional hands have been removed. Time is displayed like words on paper. This design simplification continued with the TYPE 1, which eliminated the crown, resulting in a truly left-right watch. The award-winning TYPE 3 further pushed boundaries by filling the watch with oil, eliminating refraction from the glass, and reinforcing the twodimensional aspect. Finally, the groundbreaking TYPE 2 introduced the world’s first automatic selfsetting crown, removing the need for manual adjustments.
Recognised with the 2013 Horological Revelation Award at the esteemed Grand Prix d’Horlogerie, Ressence stands out with its distinctive approach to the craft of contemporary Fine Watchmaking. By combining Swiss-made calibers with self-engineered innovations, Ressence reimagines how mechanical watches can function and interact with their owners in the modern age.