Ressence Type 3

Type 3 is an oil-filled revolving dial watch from Belgian watchmaker Ressence introduced in 2013.

Overview

Founded by Belgian industrial designer Benoît Mintiens, Ressence released their first watch in 2010. The limited-production Zero Series was equipped with a completely new dial, which, including subdials, moves in a circular motion that is said to be analogous to the motion of time. The Ressence Zero Series was limited-production proof-of-concept model and was replaced by the full-production Type 1 in 2014.

The next major advance for Ressence was unveiled in 2013. Although the dial of the "Type 3" is similar to the earlier Zero Series, it is flooded with oil between the dial and domed sapphire crystal. This causes the dial to appear to float near the surface. The dial is isolated from the movement using magnets, with added anti-magnetic protection added as well. The crown is replaced by a dial on the back of the case. Turning the case clockwise winds the movement, while inverting the case causes the movement to be set. Once again, the base ETA 2824/2 movement is used for the ROCS 3 movement.

Once again, the time is displayed as in a regulator, with separate hands for hour and minute. Hours are shown on a large subdial with the Ressence "hand" logo at 12. The minutes display is the entire rotating dial, with a large hand pointing to the customary dial positions. Running seconds are shown on a subdial on a scale of 360 (6 minutes) with numerals at each minute.

The watch features new complications as well: The Type 3 also features date and day in its larger dial. Day of the week is displayed using a pointer in a subdial at 9:00, with each day indicated by a simple white line and Saturday and Sunday suggested by ovals. AM/PM is indicated by the location of the pointer in the day zone. Date is shown using an outer ring around the dial, with the current date indicated by a marker at 6:00.

The original Type 3 (version 3.0 and 3.1) was updated shortly after to become the Type 3.2. The main difference was the day pointer, which now features circumferential white lines for each day and Saturday and Sunday being open ovals.

An updated Type 3.3 appeared in 2015 at Baselworld, adding an oil temperature gauge and modifying some other dial indicators. The oil temperature gauge has a "blue" and "orange/red" zone for cold and warm. The running seconds subdial was reduced in size with eight simple lines. Saturday and Sunday are now indicated by white lines with a box around them. Type 3.4 appeared sometime after.

For Type 3.5, the running seconds scale changed to 180 (3 minutes), though still indicated with eight small line markers.

The white-dial Type 3W was introduced in 2019.

Models

• Ressence Type 3.1 - 44 mm x 15 mm, ROCS 3 movement (ETA 2824/2 base)
  • Ressence Type 3 "Zero" - Black dial and grey leather strap (limited to 50 pieces)
• Ressence Type 3.5 - 44 mm x 15 mm, ROCS 3.5 movement (ETA 2824/2 base)
  • Ressence Type 3B "Black" - Black dial and black barenia leather strap, titanium case
  • Ressence Type 3BB "Black Black" - Black dial and black barenia leather strap, black DLC coated titanium case
  • Ressence Type 3W "White" - White dial and grey "carbon like" strap, titanium case