What’s the time on my Ressence watch? No, seriously, what is it? Maybe if you read this article, you’ll be able to teach me how to read it…
Belgium isn’t one of the first countries you’d associate with watchmaking, let alone haute horlogerie. To be fair, though, it would be hard to stand out geographically.
France, home to brands like Cartier and Hermès, lies just south of the border; Germany, with A. Lange & Söhne and Glashütte Original is to the east, and the Netherlands, home to Holthinrichs and Grönefeld, is to the north. At least the Belgians have Luxembourg to keep them company. However, if you look closer, they are exactly wallowing in obscurity. Why? Because they have Ressence.
A staple of Antwerp since 2010, Ressence quickly established itself as a genuinely unique independent watch brand. And by unique, I mean it in every sense of the word. There’s only one word that can explain why: Oil. Ressence’s otherworldly designs are completely filled with oil, which provides a distortion-free view of the dial while keeping the gears lubricated at all times. Throughout my years as a watch nerd, no watch I’ve seen looks quite like a Ressence. But there are a few that come pretty close, and two of them belong to Marc Newson.
Unless you’re a big design guru, you may not have heard of Marc Newson. For those who have, however, you’ll know just how influential his work is. Born in Sydney, Newson has led all sorts of design projects, from Montblanc pens to Azzedine Alaïa dresses, to Hennessy cognac bottles and everything in between!
His biggest contributions to horology, though, are threefold. First, he founded the Ikepod watch brand, a cult classic that has endured long after his departure. Second, he helped design the Atmos table clocks for none other than Jaeger-LeCoultre. And third — perhaps his most significant horological project — was assisting Sir Jony Ive in the creation of the first Apple Watch.
With Ressence, Newson adds a fourth achievement to his list with the Type 3 MN. No points for guessing what that abbreviation means. The 45mm-wide, 15mm-thick lugless case immediately recalls Newson’s earlier creations during his time with Ikepod. Constructed from Grade 5 titanium and weighing just 95 grams, the otherworldly Ressence Type 3 MN comes with a grey rubber strap that complements the watch’s simple yet futuristic aesthetic.
But of course, the big question is: how do you read it? That’s a fair question, given how peculiar Ressence’s designs often are. Here’s a quick breakdown. The entire system rotates 360 degrees. The largest of the three subdials, in black, shows the hours with Arabic numerals.
The minutes are indicated by the large central hand, while the date is pointed out by the yellow chevron on the 60-minute marker. Of the two smaller subdials, one shows the day and the other displays the oil temperature—important for keeping the watch running optimally. Finally, the smallest dial is a running seconds indicator; it isn’t a traditional seconds hand but makes a full revolution every three minutes as a reminder that the watch is operational.
Easy to remember? Great! Either way, the entire package is powered by a heavily modified automatic ETA 2824-2. That might sound underwhelming at first, but remember: no standard ETA calibre can do what a Ressence can.
That’s thanks to the Ressence Orbital Convex System (ROCS) 3.6 module, which uses magnetically driven rotating discs to completely transform how the watch displays time. While it still provides a 36-hour power reserve and the luxury-standard 4Hz (28,800 vph) beat rate, make no mistake — this is an exceptionally engineered piece of horological kit.
My Thoughts
When I heard that Ressence was partnering with Marc Newson, I felt it was a match made in heaven. Newson is a beloved Aussie, and the fact that his hands have shaped so many incredible works gives us a bit of cultural pride Down Under. The only other designers I could imagine doing something like this might be Eric Giroud or Ora Ïto — but both have their own commitments: Giroud primarily with MB&F, and Ïto with an earlier collaboration with Vacheron Constantin.
But would they have really done a Ressence justice? I believe they could, but I don’t think either would have shared such similar creative visions to the brand. Marc Newson is simply the best candidate at the right time, especially with a design language as singular as Ressence’s. After all, the Apple Watch was one of the most significant players in the contemporary futurism movement we’ve been starting to see in design—so why not use the man who helped create that to elevate the mechanical watchmaking industry too?
Reference: Type 3 MN (Marc Newson)
Specifications
- Dimensions: 45mm lugless case diameter x 15mm thick
- Case Material: Titanium
- Dial: DLC/PVD-coated titanium, oil-filled
- Movement: Automatic ETA Cal. 2824-2 with ROCS 3.6 module with satellite dial, day, date, runner (180sec), and power reserve indication complications
- Beat Rate: 4Hz (28,800VpH)
- Power Reserve: 36h
- Water Resistance: 10m (1bar)
- Strap: Grey rubber with titanium pin buckle