As a brand unconcerned with the trappings of heritage and traditional watchmaking, Ressence is free to craft watches that are in a league of their own, both in terms of their innovative design and their immaculate execution. Now, with the recent celebration of the brand’s 15th anniversary and the launch of its first book, Ahead of Time, there’s a palpable sense that the Ressence story is just getting started.
Welcome back to another instalment of The Watches We Love, the series through which we explore horological wonders that have made their way into the hearts and onto the wish lists of the Man of Many team.
Today, we’re diving into the world of Ressence, a brand that’s been on my radar for several years and has seen my perception of it evolve since our first encounter. By that, I mean that while I once merely held its watches in (very) high regard—primarily but not exclusively due to the ingenious “beyond hands” design of the Ressence Orbital Convex System (ROCS) that sits at their core—said regard shifted to something more akin to outright adoration once I had the opportunity to spend some time wearing the stunning TYPE 1° model in its Night Blue finish (above).
That experience secured Ressence a permanent place on my watch bucket list. I’m determined to add one of these extraordinary creations to my collection sooner or later, but for now, I’ll enjoy admiring them from afar.
Established in 2010 by industrial designer Benoît Mintiens in Antwerp, Belgium, Ressence has carved a new path over the last decade and a half. Steadfastly doing its own thing and releasing some of the most ambitiously inventive watches into the wild, Ressence has been an outlier in the very best way from the moment it first appeared on the horological stage.
As Mintiens revealed to me during a recent visit to Sydney, the story of Ressence began because he saw an opportunity in a highly traditional industry: “It comes from a frustration. I walked around one of these huge watch trade shows in Switzerland, and I thought, how is it possible that these enormous companies are still selling products that were designed 50, 60, 70 years ago? As a designer, you cannot understand that. Now I understand why, but at the time I couldn’t get around it. So, I thought, okay, I’m going to design a watch for myself. That’s how it started.”
His mission was to reimagine watchmaking without the baggage of the past. I think it’s safe to say he has more than succeeded in that regard, creating something that’s beautiful, innovative, and steadfastly looking to the future.
“We are certainly a contemporary brand,” Mintiens explained. “Sometimes I give the example, imagine there is no watchmaking. What would a watch look like today if you designed it from scratch and there were no bias from the past? I always hope it will look like a Ressence.”
With the brand recently celebrating its 15th anniversary and launching its first book, Ahead of Time, which features 20 industry leaders outlining their visions for the future, there’s never been a better time to dive into the brand. So, let’s explore what makes Ressence tick (or rather, orbit).
Industrial Design Meets Haute Horology
Taking its name from a portmanteau of the words “Renaissance” and “essence”, Ressence has, from the very beginning, embodied the French phrase “Renaissance de l’Essentiel”, which translates to “Rebirth of the Essential”. It’s fitting for a watchmaker whose mission is to reinvent the way we track time by developing products that display time in the most intuitive, efficient, and legible way possible.
This has been the case since Ressence first stepped into the spotlight at the BaselWorld watch fair in 2010, where it unveiled a trio of functional prototypes that showcased ROCS in action. The following year, Ressence launched its first production, consisting of 50 pieces. Called the “Zero Series”, this release established the foundation for Ressence’s offering with the signature design language already appearing remarkably fully formed, although in more muted colour palettes than the brand would ultimately adopt.
In early 2012, Ressence introduced the “Series One”, which further developed the firm’s proposition, removing visible screws, improving shock absorption, and refining the movement. Next, 2013’s launch of the TYPE 3 did away with the watch’s traditional crown, establishing another key element of the Ressence aesthetic, and introduced an oil-filled chamber beneath the crystal, creating what Ressence describes as the “water drop effect”. Through refraction, this enabled the watch’s dial to appear projected onto the top crystal, as if it were a screen. The effect remains extraordinary and has been deployed across select models.
From there, Ressence has moved from strength to strength, continually expanding the potential of ROCS and proving, time and again, what a superb piece of engineering it is. From the introduction of the TYPE 5 dive watch in 2015 through to the arrival of the brand’s first GMT in 2025 with the launch of the TYPE 7, Mintiens and his team have barely paused for breath as they’ve continued to refine and expand what’s possible within the singular system they’ve created.
We’ll revisit this remarkable engineering feat in the Signature Features section below, but for now, let’s just say ROCS ingeniously creates a display reminiscent of an animated screen, achieved entirely through mechanical means. It’s utterly seamless and quite mesmerising, and as I discovered for myself while wearing the TYPE 1° in Night Blue, it’s a sure-fire way to grab the attention of those around you (should you be interested in that kind of thing).
With that, let’s dive into a selection of our favourite Ressence watches from over the years, each one an undeniable piece of future-creating haute horology. This is far from an exhaustive list of Ressence’s offerings, but rather a hand-picked selection of highlights from an already elevated collection.
TYPE 1°: Ressence in its Purest Form
In my opinion, the TYPE 1° is the purest encapsulation of the Ressence aesthetic. With a sublime shape that takes inspiration from the smoothest of pebbles, it offers the most exquisite tactile experience I’ve ever encountered from a watch.
Comprised of 212 components, this self-winding watch displays the hours, minutes, and seconds, as well as the day of the week and AM/PM, all of which can be effortlessly observed no matter the time of night or day, thanks to the watch’s use of extra-strong Super-LumiNova across its distinct colourways.
The first of these is the Multicolour (above), which has acted as something of a flagship for Ressence since its introduction. Its use of blue, green, yellow, and red discs on a white background is so inarguably striking that this incarnation of the TYPE 1° is a logical standard bearer for the brand’s offering.
Equally impressive is the aforementioned Night Blue incarnation, the premium nature of which is impossible to overstate. The stark contrast of its dark blue dial and white indices is a thing of beauty, interrupted by an inspired flash of orange on the day indicator.
The Black edition of the TYPE 1° (above left) offers a wonderful demonstration of the strength of ROCS. Without any colours or competing details to catch the eye, you’re simply left with an innovative system of turning discs that challenges the status quo when it comes to how we tell the time.
Further, the introduction late last year of the Rose Gold edition (above middle) is an outstanding embodiment of Ressence’s particular take on the concept of quiet luxury. Having seen this reference in person, I can say with absolute assurance that it possesses a rich warmth that’s also sophisticated and subtle, thanks to the grey index rings and strap. These soften the overall effect, while allowing the Rose Gold sunray dial to take centre stage as the rightful headliner.
Before we move on, I would also like to take a moment to note the TYPE 1² (above right), a fascinating squared take on this extraordinary watch. Introduced in 2017, it is similar to the TYPE 1° in so many ways, yet has a completely different feel. Boasting a more classic cushion-shaped case than its rounded sibling, it presents Ressence’s uncompromising innovation in a form factor more familiar to traditional watchmaking.
TYPE 3: Inspired by Navigation
As already mentioned, the TYPE 3 is the watch that introduced Ressence’s innovative oil-filled upper chamber to create that projected-onto-crystal effect. Since its debut in 2013, the TYPE 3 has undergone numerous refinements, with the current incarnation (technically the TYPE 3.6) having first appeared in 2022.
The inspiration behind Mintiens’ use of oil in this way stemmed from childhood summers sailing the Mediterranean Sea. Taking the night shift, he would navigate via a liquid-filled compass, diligently keeping the vessel on its course. At a time before GPS or interactive maps, he felt it was his lone connection to the outside world.
As a result of this inspiration, the TYPE 3 has spawned some stunning watches since its debut. These include a pair of Black models (the second of which, the TYPE 3 Black Black 2, can be seen above left and was a recipient of the highly prestigious Red Dot Design Award: Best of the Best), as well as one White, and the understated, organic shade of the Eucalyptus model — a particularly affecting aesthetic for those of the Australian persuasion.
Plus, last year saw Ressence release a striking incarnation of the TYPE 3 developed in collaboration with famed industrial designer Marc Newson. Limited to just 80 pieces, the release deployed an eye-catching palette of grey, black, and yellow with a touch of celadon green, all harnessed to create a watch of extreme ergonomic precision as envisioned by two design icons.
TYPE 5: Into the Deep
The TYPE 5 came about via a simple mission: develop a dive watch that offered perfect underwater readability. Due to a physics phenomenon called total internal reflection, traditional analogue dive watches appear as though they are a mirror unless they are viewed perfectly straight on. With the TYPE 5, Mintiens wanted to create a solution to this problem.
Taking the oil technology he developed for the TYPE 3, Mintiens discovered that it both compensated for pressure and created a glare-free experience by eliminating internal refraction between the watch’s dial and crystal. The result is a watch that’s optimised for use underwater, boasting 100 metres of water resistance and viewable from more angles than more traditional dive watches.
Of the eight TYPE 5 releases from Ressence, my pick of the bunch is unquestionably the TYPE 5.1 Luminova, launched in 2024. Taking the model’s readability mission to its logical endpoint, it maximises the effect via liberal use of Super-LumiNova across the majority of the dial, creating arguably the most legible dive watch money can buy.
TYPE 7: The Tool Watch Redefined
Launched in 2025, the TYPE 7 introduced Ressence’s first GMT function and simultaneously proved the ROCS system looks every bit as handsome when paired with an integrated bracelet as it does with a leather or synthetic strap.
Setting the goal of updating the sport-chic tool watch for a modern era, Mintiens and his team harnessed the reduced weight and heightened strength of titanium to craft a Ressence watch that remained true to the brand’s ethos while expanding what watch lovers could expect from the brand.
Sporting an entirely new ROCS module (and another stellar example of an oil-filled model), the TYPE 7 was designed to be, as Mintiens puts it, “world-proof”. Available in Night Blue and XV Aquamarine finishes, it’s the perfect choice from the Ressence catalogue for explorers, adventurers, and those prone to timezone hopping.
TYPE 9: The Minimalist Marvel
Answering the prayers of those who, like myself, are a little slight of wrist, this comparatively new addition to the Ressence catalogue (first launched in 2024), features a perfectly proportioned 39 mm diameter and a weight of just 39 grams. The mathematical alignment of these two figures couldn’t be more Ressence.
The TYPE 9 is an exercise in minimalism, stripping ROCS down to its core functions, indicating only hours and minutes. Unusually for a Ressence watch, the minute indicator is here positioned outside the dial as a fixed bezel with engraved indexes, further highlighting that the TYPE 9 is a watch focused on offering the essentials in the most elegant way.
Signature Features
In each edition of The Watches We Love, we outline a few signature design elements that have made the watches in question so noteworthy. These might come down to a case, a movement, or a bracelet, an overall aesthetic, or an innovative piece of engineering that challenges the horological norm.
This time around, we’ll look at the state-of-the-art ROCS platform that defines the Ressence experience as well as the immaculate case designs that house it. Plus, each inclusion below features insight from my fascinating discussion with Mintiens, the man behind it all.
1. Ressence Orbital Convex System (ROCS)
At the risk of labouring the point, ROCS is an engineering triumph. Its seamless, elegant motion is both a mesmerising sight and an effective way of communicating the time at a glance. It may take a moment to get used to after years of engaging with traditional watch design, but once you have it, don’t be surprised if you struggle to go back.
As Mintiens put it when we spoke, “Mechanical watches have a dial and hands that turn around on top of the dial to show the time. At Ressence, we have another way. We have a set of discs that are all coplanar, and they rotate around each other—otherwise they would not be able to turn—and that’s the way a Ressence watch shows the time. So, there are hands on a Ressence, but they are graphical hands printed on the discs. The graphical result of that is you have a one-surface indication of the time.”
2. Minimalist Design
A key way Ressence sets itself apart from the rest of the watchmaking world is through its commitment to creating products with minimalist designs that mask the incredible complexity within. While many watch brands want to exhibit the technical wizardry that goes into each one, Mintiens’ background as an industrial designer compels him to go in the opposite direction, creating something absolutely seamless.
“That’s a logical thing for a designer to do and a lot less logical for a watchmaker,” the Ressence founder revealed. “When you’re a watchmaker, the beauty of your craft lies in the fact that you’re able to solve, develop, or create a very impressive, technically complicated mechanism. But the whole idea for us is to focus on the final functionality of a watch. We try to hide everything that is not helping you to read the time in the most efficient possible way. That means that we hide the technicity. It’s there, I can tell you it’s very complex, but we hide it because you just want to know the time.”
3. Organic Form
The Ressence philosophy is all about the relationship between the watch and wearer, and for that reason, Mintiens and his team are committed to giving their releases a form that reflects this. As the saying goes, nature doesn’t work in straight lines, but it does work in curves, the kind perfectly embodied by each Ressence release.
“It’s for the relationship; we are cavemen still in our brains,” Mintiens wryly explained. “The idea here is to say that our natural tendency is that we feel more attracted to organic shapes than to geometrical shapes. That is why Ressence watches have an organic shape. The relationship is just better.”
As Worn By…
As a brand for the discerning few who don’t feel the need to flex, it should come as no surprise that Ressence wearers are those whose work speaks for itself, occupying positions at the top of a wide range of industries. From professors, CEOs, designers and artists, to chefs, comedians, founders and writers, the Ressence watch family is an elite group whose members demand of themselves the same high standards Mintiens does of his creations.
Christopher D. Harvey
With his research into decision making and time perception at Harvard Medical School, Professor Christopher D. Harvey spends his days exploring how our brains work, particularly when it comes to the way we navigate spaces. While furthering our understanding of the function and organisation of neuronal circuits in the mammalian cortex, Harvey can be seen wearing a Ressence TYPE 1 Squared RS, launched in 2018.
Shantell Martin
A multidisciplinary artist renowned for her black-on-white drawings, grand murals, and engaging installations, Shantell Martin is a cultural force of nature with an enormous body of work. She was recently awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) “For services to the British Arts and to Charity”, and she chooses to wear a Ressence TYPE 1° Round, fittingly reflecting her chic aesthetic.
Tom Segura
One of the world’s top comedians for over a decade, Tom Segura has developed a reputation for his devil-may-care attitude, frequently demonstrated by his willingness to push boundaries within his comedy. In his time at the pinnacle of the comedy world, Segura has also earned a reputation as a watch enthusiast of the highest order, and prized among his formidable collection is a Ressence Type 3 in Eucalyptus.
Where Can I Buy Ressence Watches?
As we arrive at the end of our best instalment of The Watches We Love yet, it’s time to ask the question on everyone’s mind: where can I buy my own Ressence masterpiece?
Of course, you can explore the full Ressence catalogue at the brand’s online boutique via the link below, but to experience the watches in person (something I highly recommend), allow me to direct you to your local The Hour Glass location, where you can go hands-on with this true horological outlier at your leisure.
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