Ressence Type 3 features a dial filled with oil

This revolutionary solution is just one of many Ressence's brilliant innovations

Ressence Type 3 won the Horological Revelation prize at GPHG 2013, and we certainly could get behind this pick. One of its unique features is a dial filled with 3.75ml of oil, a decision that helps to eliminate light refraction thus vastly improving legibility. It provides a crystal clear display regardless of the angle and light conditions.

Additionally, instead of traditional hands, time is displayed by revolving co-planar convex discs operated by an in-house module called Ressence Orbital Convex System or ROCS. The convex discs give the watch a nice pebble-like shape.

Above Ressence Type 3 EE in eucalyptus green. The big hand indicates the minutes while the counter with the hand logo at ‘8’ indicates the hour.

According to Benoit Mintiens, founder and CEO of Ressence, the whole idea began with the dial “because that is where all the information is. At the same time, we also want it to be mechanical because we have more empathy for mechanical things.”

The Type 3 has no crown. Instead, “the crown takes up the whole caseback, making it easier to wind,” notes Mintiens.

Above Benoit Mintiens at The Hour Glass boutique in The Gardens Mall, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

ROCS is driven by a customised 2824/2 calibre. And since the calibre has to be properly shielded from the oil-filled chamber above, Ressence kept both chambers separated by developing an ingenious magnetic transmission to convey information from the base calibre to ROCS. Indeed, Type 3 displays not just the time, but also the day and the date.

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Above The days of the week counter, with the red line emphasising that it’s the weekend

Type 3 was previously offered in black and white. The new Type 3 EE comes in a therapeutic shade of eucalyptus green, along with a more minimalist dial design. The hour disc has been simplified, while the weekend days and oil temperature indications come in new pastel tones.

Above The oil temperature indication with the blue and yellow accents; the smallest counter is the shock absorber indicator; the yellow dot in the outer ring points to the date

“I’m always thinking how I can improve the relationship between the wearer and their watch,” says Mintiens, who was trained as an industrial designer. “I put the user's interests at the centre, which is a very design-centric approach. A product is only relevant because of its function.”

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Ressence Benoit Mintiens

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Why Ressence Type 3 watch is filled with oil