Ressence Type 8 - “Wear the Future”

Ressence Type 8 – “Wear the Future”

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The Ressence Type 8 visually and functionally expresses a lean, young, and agile vision of 21st century fine watchmaking. The watch perfectly illustrates the brand’s confident and contemporary approach and is built on its fundamental principles of originality, accessibility and innovation.

The sixth distinct family of watches from Ressence, the Type 8 has been designed with the same functional relevance that defines all Ressence watches. Clarity, simplicity and ergonomics are at the core of its design. The watch is the latest expression of Ressence’s mission to modernise fine watchmaking.

Price-wise, the Type 8 forms a new entry level for the brand, thereby expanding its core collection to a wider audience. 

Ressence Type 8

The Future is light(er)

The Type 8 has a hyper-modern, sleek case whose deceptively simple, lean silhouette is the most minimal of all Ressence creations. Crafted entirely from grade five titanium, the 42.9mm case contributes to an extremely light overall weight: with the strap included, the watch weighs just 42 grams. Thanks to titanium’s high specific strength and the unique egg-shell shape of the watch, the watch makes no compromises on rigidity or strength despite its weight.

Ressence Type 8

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. 

Ressence Type 8

The Future is universal

In keeping with Ressence’s previous designs and the company’s founding principle of ergonomic utility, the Type 8 does not have a visible crown that marks the watch out as left- or right-handed.  Instead, it is the titanium case back that can rotate to set the time. By setting the time, the rotation of the case back will also wind the mechanical movement. The watch’s ambidextrous design, combined with its streamlined shape and light weight make for a comfortable experience on all wrists.

Ressence Type 8

The Future is clear

The Type 8 C is the simplest watch yet produced by Ressence in terms of timekeeping indications. Graphically simplified to the essence, the watch indicates only the hours and minutes, and with no text or numbers, the cobalt blue dial has been reduced to the viable minimum. Simple white baton markers present the time with total clarity, with the Ressence logo at 12 o’clock on the hours subdial the only additional detail. The hands and the hour and minute scales are picked out in blue SuperLuminova for perfect low-light legibility.  

Ressence Type 8

As with all Ressence watches, the dial of the Type 8 eschews traditional notions of centrally-mounted hands. Instead, the main dial, a domed piece of titanium, rotates to indicate the minutes. Set within it on the same plane, a smaller dial rotates to mark the hours. Thus the entire dial is everchanging, but still presents an intuitive at-a-glance display, legible from any angle. 

Ressence Type 8

The Future is mechanical…

The rotating dial is the visible face of Ressence’s patented mechanical ingenuity: the ROCS (Ressence Orbital Convex System) which has been designed using a series of jewel ball bearings to ensure long-lasting, oil-free running. The ROCS module – which in the Type 8 C is designated ROCS8 – is just one of Ressence’s groundbreaking innovations that demonstrate the brand’s commitment to ushering in a new future for traditional mechanical watchmaking. The Type 8 C is powered by a traditional mechanical automatic movement, based on an ETA calibre 2892/2 with a 36-hour power reserve, that has been heavily customised and reinforced to suit Ressence’s needs. 

Ressence Type 8

The Future is now 

The Ressence Type 8 C will be available worldwide from March 30th 2022 via Ressence’s official retailer network, and visible at Watches & Wonders in Geneva from March 30th to April 5th 2022.

Ressence Type 8

Ressence Type 8 Technical Specifications

Functions

  • Hours
  • Minutes

Movement

  • Patented ROCS 8 – Ressence Orbital Convex System – driven by the minute axle of a customised and reinforced 2892/2 base calibre
  • Self-winding
  • 36 hours power reserve
  • 28,800 vibrations per hour
  • 20 gears
  • 31 jewels 
  • 4 ball bearings

Dial

  • Matt Cobalt Blue grade 5 titanium convex dial (75mm radius) running on a jewel ball bearing with eccentric satellites rolling on jewel ball-bearings inclined at 9,75° (hours) ● Engraved indications filled with 100% Blue Superluminova grade A

Case

  • 42,9mm (diameter) x 11 mm (thickness)  ● Polished/satinated Grade 5 titanium ● Sandwich architecture.
  • Domed sapphire crystals.
  • 1 ATM splash-resistance 
  • Manual winding over 12° and set-up via case-back ( crownless ). Rotating two directions.

Buckle & Strap

  • Polished Ardillon Buckle in grade 5 titanium 
  • Blue leather strap (20/20mm)

Total Components

  • 188

Weight

  • 42 grams including strap ( 33g ex-strap )

Price

  • CHF12,500 (excluding taxes)

About Ressence

Ressence was founded in 2010 with one goal in mind: improving the function of the mechanical watch in the 21st century context. The attention was primarily given on making the watch more legible and easier to use. Ressence created a unique dial with discs, then filled it with oil and replaced the crown by a lever to only name a few of their ground- breaking developments. By improving the functionality, Ressence ultimately improved our relation with the mechanical watch. Winners of the 2013 Horological Revelation Award at the prestigious Grand Prix d’Horlogerie, Ressence takes a distinctive approach to the craft of contemporary Fine Watchmaking, combining Swiss-made calibres with unmatched self-engineered innovation to reimagining how mechanical watches can function and interact with its user in the modern age. 

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.