By James Phang
Ressence has slowly gained a following among watch collectors for their originality and uniqueness of displaying time “beyond hands” and bold experimentation with oil as an element. For Baselworld 2016, the young brand has launched a new stealth version, the Ressence Type 5BB with a full black outfit.
First a little background about how they managed to make the watch readable underwater from all directions. While designing the earlier versions of Ressence Type 1 and 3, Benoît Mintiens (the founder) realized that there was no reflection on the dial when the watch was plunged underwater, due to the dial being filled with oil which helped to refract the light from various angles. This discovery naturally led to the design of the Ressence Type 5, their first sports diving watch to fully utilize this advantage, at the same time bringing the sportiness element to the brand while achieving real diving aptitudes (ISO 6425 norm).
Note: For typical dive watches, wearers will realize that when they look at the dial of the watch underwater, it double as a mirror when not viewed directly in a straight line, making it necessary for the wearers to tilt their watch in a specific angle to ensure readability.
The new Ressence Type 5BB is a visual update from its predecessor, sharing the same 46mm case and design, using a titanium base coated with Black DLC (Diamond-like Carbon) instead of nude titanium in its first version. The result is a stealth version of the original Type 5 as the case and the dial appears to merge into one. However, the contrast between the matte black case and the glossy black dial emphasizes the presence of oil into the dial. The other features of its predecessor (Type 5) were kept intact, such as the rotating bezel which is unidirectional and engraved with a 60-minute scale, as well as the no-crown concept, meaning that time adjusting and winding are made via the rotating caseback.
The rotating caseback has a system for the locking and compression of the gasket, with two positions, ‘lock’ and ‘setup’ to ensure maximum water resistance.
The Ressence Type 5BB also retains its base movement, a highly modified ETA 2824 calibre.
It comes paired with 2 black straps, one leather strap for casual wear and an additional black fabric strap for use in in humid conditions.
The new “all black” Ressence Type 5BB will be revealed during Baselworld 2016, and priced at the same range as its original edition in titanium at 31,500 Euros (inc. taxes). For more info, please visit ressencewatches.com
JAMES PHANG – CONTRIBUTING WRITER
James Phang is a young watch enthusiast from Singapore and is a self-professed fanatic of independent brands for their unique avant-garde designs. Some of his favorite brands include MB&F, Urwerk, Romain Jerome, Sarpaneva, Peter Speake-Marin and Azimuth. His love for art extends out to all things handmade, and he has made it his personal mission to find the best handmade straps and buckles worldwide for his humble collection. Read his articles here
