Latest Review
A couple of days before we left for Geneva, Ressence surprised us all by releasing their sole Watches and Wonders novelty. This was a smart move, as it allowed them to avoid the deluge of press releases, and have the moment they deserved. The watch they released, the Ressence Type 8C, is the simplest Ressence to date, if a Ressence can ever be called “simple.” It’s their most stripped-down, minimal, and, relatively speaking, most affordable. Although we already covered the watch here, visiting Ressence was high on our list to see the Type 8C in person, as well as a handful of other models from the last couple of years we’ve missed.
And, it did not disappoint. The Type 8C is the kind of watch that brings an immediate smile to your face. Alien to what we expect a watch to look like, its fluid domed form, odd case footprint, and lack of standard hands are a new experience. Broken down to the basics, hour and minute, the dial is extremely clean and easy to read. This is true with all Ressence watches thanks to the unique Ressence Orbital Convex System (ROCS). The dial layout itself, at any moment, is the time. It’s ever-changing by the second, reconfiguring itself to new positions, providing subtly different designs and experiences.
Crafted out of titanium, the Ressence Type 8C is also light as a feather at 42g, despite all that is there from the automatic movement (heavily modified 2892 base), the ROCS module, etc. Though a watch with such an alternative time-telling concept wouldn’t likely seem to be a daily-wear candidate, that’s exactly what it is designed to be. It’s ergonomic, it’s legible, and somehow, it’s understated. That’s perhaps the most amazing thing about Ressence’s timepieces, despite their engineering and technological sophistication, their distinctive looks, and frankly their price tags, they are incredibly tasteful and reserved.
