Independents

DonCorson
[AHCI]
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BaselWorld 2015 - Ressence

Industrial designer Benoit Mintiens continues to enchant us with his brand Ressence.  Five years ago at its first presentation the Type 1 was full of ideas, but rough in its execution.  Every year it has improved and added a member to its family, the Type 3, which successfully creates the illusion that the dial is on the surface of the crystal.  Now Ressence is presenting us watches that leave no wishes open.

Note how the case of the Type 1 is now machined in one piece, the lugs for the bracelet one integral piece with the case band, with a soft and flowing transition between the band and the lug.  This year the new dial variants are all brushed, the circular brushing accentuating the different parts of the dial.  A particularly stunning version, I find, is the guilloché dial.  The marriage of industrial design with old school finishing is particularly successful in my eyes.

For the first time this year we get to see the mechanic which drives the dial indications. Fascinating.

The Type 3 has undergone some major changes internally, to better the reliability and manufacturability, without changing the visible design except for one new indiction, the temperature.  This indication is fallout from the new system to compensate the expansion and contraction of the oil under the dial with temperature changes.  The effect that the dial is really on the surface of the crystal, caused by the oil filled display, is very present.

As each year that they have been at the fair, Ressence is one of the major highlights the BaselWorld.  My congratulations to Benoit Mintiens for taking on the challenge of starting his  own watch brand with his remarkable designs providing us some real fresh air in the often stuffy watchmaking world.


Type 1

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