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No one makes watches quite like Ressence, and no one tackles industrial design like Marc Newson. While the former is famed for the incredible ROCS (Ressence Orbital Convex System) innovation, the latter is renowned for his diverse portfolio spanning industries as broad as automotive, aviation, nautical, timepieces, and furniture. Now, these two creative powerhouses have joined forces for a spectacular new project: the Ressence TYPE 3 MN.
Limited to just 80 pieces and retailing for USD$54,500, the new watch uses a striking palette of grey, black, yellow, and celadon green, combining Newson’s signature design flair with the already exceptional engineering that has made Ressence such a standout player within the world of horology. The latest in a series of impressive releases from the Belgian firm, it’s the perfect cap to what has been an ambitious year.
Partners in Time
To create the TYPE 3 MN, Newson worked closely with Ressence founder and fellow industrial designer Benoit Mintiens, with the goal of synthesising their approaches to the design process, while creating something they believed was distinct and innovative.
“As a longstanding admirer of Benoît’s pioneering engineering and unique approach to watchmaking at Ressence, this collaboration provided a wonderful opportunity to synthesise our approaches,” explains Newson. “Ressence watches are a technical tour de force and remain unique in the industry. The original TYPE 3 in particular balances clarity with sophistication. With the resulting TYPE 3 MN, the perfect representation of my original vision has been realised; the result of a deeply gratifying, collaborative process.”
According to Mintiens, the fruitful collaboration was a unique opportunity to work with a peer in industrial design whom he had long held in high esteem.
“I wanted to merge our universes,” he reveals. “Knowing Marc Newson’s design universe, I saw a pioneer of industrial-design thinking in fine watchmaking, and that really interested me. I wanted to bring Marc’s and Ressence’s vision of watchmaking into one perfect product. How often do designers work together on one product? In my eyes, one plus one can become more than the sum of its parts.”
Ressence TYPE 3 MN Key Specifications
- Case Diameter: 44 mm
- Case Material: Grade 5 titanium
- Caseback: Closed with a winding mechanism
- Crystal: Domed sapphire crystal
- Bracelet: Grey premium rubber strap with ardillon buckle
- Movement: ROCS 3.6
- Power Reserve: 36 hours
- Dial: Convex Grade 5 titanium dial (125mm radius) with four eccentric biaxial satellites inclined at 3° (hours), 4.75° (thermal gauge and day) and 6.25° (runner)
- Markers: Engraved indications filled with grade A Super-LumiNova®
- Edition: Limited to 80 pieces
Case
The TYPE 3 MN’s case is constructed from Grade 5 titanium and features an ergonomic, elliptical silhouette, a form that Newson has refined over decades of work. The dial’s reshaped hands also serve as a playful tribute to Newson’s famed Ikepod watch designs of the 1990s.
While Newson’s influence on this new timepiece is clearly undeniable, the TYPE 3 MN remains unmistakably Ressence. Sporting the pebble-like aesthetic established by Mintiens, the watch also features a gorgeous domed sapphire crystal that encases an oil-filled chamber. This enables the unique ROCS mechanism beneath to be viewed with perfect readability from any angle, thanks to the magnified projection effect, creating the illusion that the dial’s information is displayed directly on the glass.
Movement
Speaking of the ROCS system, here Ressence has deployed ROCS 3.6, which powers hours, minutes, runner (180 seconds), day, date, and oil temperature functionalities. Self-winding and offering a 36-hour power reserve, the movement is constructed using 44 gears, 47 jewels, and 4 ball bearings.
Day, date, and time setting is accessed via an intuitive caseback winding mechanism, and the movement produces 28,800 vibrations per hour, features magnetic transmission, and a compensating bellows system.
Price and Availability
The Ressence TYPE 3 MN is available to order now and will find its way to the wrists of just 80 lucky watch enthusiasts. For the price of USD$54,500, you can claim this historic piece of industrial design, made possible by this collaboration between two incredible minds.
To discover more, simply click through to the Ressence website via the link below.
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