Ressence MasterClass: Innovative Time Display

Mr.Orange · 2014-05-26T11:57:37Z

Explore Ressence's innovative time display and industrial design philosophy from a MasterClass review. Learn about Type 1, Type 3, and future models.

Mr.Orange

WPS member · Independents forum

15 replies3427 views19 photos

Mr.Orange provides an insightful review of a Ressence MasterClass, featuring the brand's founder, Benoit Mintiens. This article highlights Ressence's innovative approach to time display, emphasizing industrial design and the unique mechanical screen created by orbiting co-planar disks, offering a deep dive into the philosophy behind these independent timepieces.

This weekend I had the chance to join a Ressence MasterClass at Maison De Greef, presented by the founder and driving force behind his brand Benoit Mintiens.

Built up from a set of orbiting co-planar disks to create a mechanical screen without static hands, Ressence stands for a highly unique time display system in the world of haute horlogerie watches. As an industrial designer, Mr.Mintiens starts from the outside of the watch developing and determining parts, and at the same time, inventing a new but psychological natural way on how an individual reads time. The movement itself is hardly adjusted. An additional two pins connect the movement and the dial module. Despite the use of a so called basic movement, the design of the module part is a little state of art.

It takes highly skilled craftsmen to create adapted rotors and other parts to fit into the curved dial.

The first models had a crown, but the current series, Type 1 and 3, have already been designed so that individual can set time or wind the watch without the use of a crown. All action is put towards the backside of the watch. The type 3 model has a dial that is filled with oil, giving it that magnificent 'compass' look.

Projected visual on how the watch works : http://youtu.be/JZZp8VPi7r8

Quick video of a working dial : youtu.be I

Have a look at www.ressence.eu for more information on this beautiful innovating Belgian brand.

Lastly, this object caught my eye. What a great advertising idea. Try your own moving cardboard dummy in a jiffy ;o)

All the best, Mr.O

Key Points from the Discussion

Mr.Orange provided a detailed breakdown of Ressence's future models, including projected prices and distinguishing features like oil-filled dials and new liquid technologies.
The Type 3 model is oil-filled and includes a date function, while the Type 1 is not oil-filled and lacks a date function, raising questions about design advancement between the two.
Don Corson praised Ressence's industrial design, noting its power in creating new displays for mechanical watches and recalling his 'Best of the Fair' award for Ressence at BaselWorld 2013.
A member expressed excitement about seeing the Ressence module for the first time, highlighting the brand's unique approach to watchmaking.
The author emphasized the importance of experiencing a Ressence watch firsthand to fully appreciate its unique design and engineering.

The Discussion

foversta

May 26, 2014

Not at the same moment... I will also prepare a report. Thanks for your post, it was nice from Benoit to give us the opportunity to have a closer look on the module. Fx

amanico

May 26, 2014

Did you disassemble and reassemble the movement? I laways had problems with the pallet fork... ;) Best, Nicolas

DonCorson

May 26, 2014

This is the first image I have seen of the Ressence module. Ressence is a humbling lesson for many. The power of industrial design in making new displays for mechanical watches. As you certainly remember Ressence got my best of the Fair for BaselWorld 2013. I love it. Don

jmpTT

May 26, 2014

What a fantastic way to display the time. Coincidentally, the only authorized retailer in Canada is a ten minute drive from my office, so I will have to visit the store and see them up close.

gadgety

May 26, 2014

Thank you for posting this. Mr Mintiens really created something breathtaking. What's he like in person?

aardvarkbark

May 26, 2014

I know they introduced the 3 at Basel 2013, then the 1 this year, and I understand that the 3 is oil-filled, but the 1 isn't. The only functional difference I think I see is that the 3 has a date fxn while the 1 does not. Is the more recently introduced 1 an advanced design over that of the 3?

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