“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”
-Leonardo Da Vinci
Today iW revisits a classic, Ressence’s Type 3 was first released in 2013. The watchmaker has only released one other model, the Type 5 since the Type 3’s introduction. With its discs displaying hours, minutes, seconds and days that continuously revolve the watch made a mark at Baselworld 2013, where it was released. The patented module alone contains 287 components, and the total number is 407.
What sets the watch apart is the mechanism that is enclosed in an upper compartment filled with a naphtha-type (hydrocarbon mixture) liquid that has a more similar index of refraction to the sapphire crystal than air does. With this dial, refraction is greatly minimized, which tricks the brain into eliminating the impression of depth. A thermal valve automatically adjusts for any expansion or contraction of the fluid.
The watch retails for $42,200.
About Ressence
Ressence stands for the rebirth of what is essential to a watch: the display of time. The avant-garde design distinguishes itself through minimalist design and time module partly mounted inside the sapphire glasses that are flush mounted with the case. The Ressence design is founded on the observation that, when trained, reading time on hand dials is faster than reading digits. Beniot Mintiens introduced Ressence at BaselWorld in 2010 with three functional prototypes.