THE HOME OF WATCH CULTURE

Club
Ressence give their entry-level Type 8 a distinct sage-green treatment with new Type 8S Ressence give their entry-level Type 8 a distinct sage-green treatment with new Type 8S
Introducing
i/trending 1660

Ressence give their entry-level Type 8 a distinct sage-green treatment with new Type 8S

Zach Blass
  • The Ressence Type 8 is the independent brand’s entry-level timepiece at CHF 12,500
  • Type 8 offers purely the essentials, just the hours and minutes via their proprietary ROCS system
  • The Ressence Type 8S Sage dial joins the previous Type 8C Cobalt Blue as the second entry into the Type 8 line

A clear requisite for any successful watch manufacture is a clear and distinct design DNA, something that allows your product to be immediately recognisable. Success can certainly be had by brands through imitating the aesthetic codes other manufactures have made prominent and successful, but the path to glory and true praise is creating something marketable and attractive while being irrefutably your own – recognisable from across the room. Herein lies where Ressence has built a name as a respected independent manufacture, their patented ROCS display is a distinct means of expressing the time in an intriguing and fun way. Of course, such proprietary watchmaking, attention to detail, and scale of production inevitably leads to a higher price point. But at Watches & Wonders 2023, Ressence came to the fair with a second sage-green entry into their minimalist Type 8 collection – which, through offering just the essentials, is Ressence’s most affordable watch at CHF 12,500.

The Ressence Type 8 is a highly wearable and legible timepiece that oozes modernity, offered within a rather lug-less 42.9mm grade 5 titanium case just 11mm thick including its domed dial and sapphire crystal. Previously offered in cobalt blue, the new sage green dial, crafted from matte-finished grade 5 titanium, offers a distinct shade to collectors that is also versatile. Its entirely polished case front, and brushed base band, offer the elegance of mixed finishes, but my impression of the piece, especially on its 20mm/20mm grey leather strap is that this watch is the ultimate smart-casual conversation piece for office-bound daily wear. With its rather meagre 1 ATM depth rating, you are safe against rain and splashes. But, you certainly do not want to push it further.

Everything about the watch truly is curved, like a handsome modern UFO for the wrist. And, with its effectively lug-less design the lug-to-lug length of the case is friendly to wrists of all sizes.

For those unfamiliar with Ressence’s ROCS system and display, the Type 8 offers the simplest take on the proprietary system and is super easy to read and understand. Think of the outer minutes track, and the hour indices ring of the sub-dial as fixed chapter rings. The discs within rotate throughout the day, creating a satellite display of the hours and minutes. For example, the time indicated above is 10:10 – with the hours hand pointed at the 10th hour index and the minutes hand pointed at the 10th minute marker. As the minutes disc rotates throughout the day, the hours sub-dial will rotate around the dial with it – making the display very dynamic. But, ultimately, the hours hand disc will make one full rotation every 24 hours and the minutes hand disc once every hour.

This is all driven, for the Type 8S, by the brand’s automatic ROCS 8 movement which, like their other movements, is built upon a tried and true 2892/2 base Ressence intricately customises and modifies to their needs. There is no breathtaking view of a decorated calibre, nor does it offer a record-breaking amount of power reserve at 36 hours, but do not underestimate the engineering involved to create their distinct inclined eccentric satellite display driven by inclined and jewelled ball bearings. Also, a neat quirk of the watch, as the caseback clearly states through its engraving, is that the crown-less watch is manually wound and set by rotating the caseback.

Ressence Type 8S pricing and availability:

 

The Ressence Type 8S is available now for purchase. Price: US$14,800 / CHF 12,500

Brand Ressence
Model Type 8S
Case Dimensions 42.9mm (D) x 11mm (T)
Case Material Grade 5 titanium
Water Resistance 1 ATM splash-resistance
Dial Matte Metallic Sage Green grade 5 Titanium convex dial (75mm radius) running on a jewel ball bearing with eccentric satellites rolling on jewel ball-bearings inclined at 9,75° (hours). Engraved indications filled with SuperLuminova® grade A
Crystal Sapphire
Strap Grey 20mm/20mm leather strap with polished grade 5 titanium ardillon buckle
Movement Patented ROCS 8 – Ressence Orbital Convex System – driven by the minute axle of a customised and reinforced automatic 2892/2 base calibre
Power Reserve 36 hours
Functions Hours, minutes
Availability Now
Price US$14,800 / CHF 12,500