Description
The basic design of a watch – hands set atop a dial that shields a movement while the whole apparatus is encased between the crystal and case – describes 99% of all watches ever made. So to see a Ressence timepiece in person is to have your concept of what a watch is completely upended. Yes, all these components are present in a Ressence, but they take on an entirely different form.
The most common question people have when they first see a Ressence watch is, “is it a smart watch?” The answer, of course, is that no, it simply appears as such. In fact, it is an automatic timepiece powered by a modified ETA movement. Additionally, a proprietary system of magnets designed by Ressence have been finely tuned so as to not interfere with timekeeping while enabling all the elements of the dial to rotate. The result is a dial that is constantly in motion with the dial itself turning a full rotation every 12 hours. Additionally, the idea of hands has been reinvisioned – instead of conventional hands set atop pinions, the hands of the Type 3BB are printed discs. This design choice is accentuated by the fact that the watch is oil-filled. Held between two conjoined hemispheres, the airtight design is regulated by a system of bellows that prevents the formation of bubbles. The oil also has the effect of eliminating refraction leading to the signature “electronic display” appearance.
Finally, the ROCS (Ressence Orbital Convex System) movement is controlled not by a crown but by a rotating caseback. Using the simple act of turning the caseback, the wearer can easily modulate the time, date, and day. For it’s part, the day subdial has been cleverly designed in such a way that transcends language. The seven markers are identical except for two that appear in orange, denoting the weekend. The subdial complications are rounded out by a temperature gauge to indicate the current heat of the oil contained within the watch.
Altogether, the Ressence Type 3 is guaranteed to be unlike any other watch in your collection. This is design and watchmaking at the highest.
Featured as part of our “Types of Material Used to Make Watches” post! Learn more over at Feldmar’s Blog!
