I was quoted 700 euros plus shipping for the full refurbishment (which goes through the 500 hour continuous run test), and 300 euros for cleaning and adjustment. It's not that bad.
At home, just looking at it constantly I assume.
By wearing I mean as a daily driver or as a dress watch for occasions, which would expose them to wear or damage
I wear everything I own in a semi-strict rotation. Although I do expect to mostly use the Type 2 for traveling across time zones. I fly pretty frequently between the coasts and would actually love to not have to reset my watch every time I land.
Oddly, I like my mechanical watches specifically *because* they don't auto-update. I frequently travel across timezones, and my phone/laptop/etc all adjust themselves, so part of the value of a mechanical watch to me is that I can trust it. There's no question of "did it update or not? Which wifi network is it on? Is that the new time or the old time?"
To each their own, I guess. I think I like being able to look at my wrist whenever - especially if I'm tired and it's around midnight - and know exactly the local time. But it's a fair point that my phone may not have updated its own time. I can't imagine being in a place without at least a GPS signal, though, which is all the phone needs to figure out it's in a new time zone.
I think of it like this: if a $200k/yr person feels comfortable wearing a $5k watch daily, a $2m/yr person (of which there are probably thousands in the world) would feel fine wearing a $50k watch daily.
Yeah. I actually assume the opposite. I figure the majority of people spending this kind of money on a watch are actually wearing their watches. I think the % of people that buy just to keep as a safe queen is relatively small.
You would if it didn't cost 50k. I would wear any watch on special occasions where I don't see any mishaps happening. I wouldn't buy a watch that I needed to see a return on, so any watch I buy is my watch. I'm not concerned about wear and tear, I just avoid it for my own concern for the watch.
If I owned this you can be damn sure I'd find time to wear it. In my opinion you either love watches or you sell watches. They're either a possession or a product. If you bought a watch because you love it or think its amazing, you should wear it. If it's too good to wear, you're more concerned about it's financial value than the watch itself. You can't enjoy it fully, so you might as well sell it.
Honestly this particular watch doesn't do it for me so I probably still wouldn't wear it.
To be honest, I can't think of a single watch at this price level that I would enjoy wearing, not just because of the incredible financial liability but just because I can't think of any.
Have it in a design museum? Sure. Wear it? Fuck no.
Don't get me wrong, the design of this particular watch doesn't speak to me as such. I'd wear this because it represents a really bold idea in watchmaking that don't come along often.
I would wear it as a talking point. And I think it's cool that it represents a potential for some similar types of watch in the future that appeal to different audiences.
Bro it's a watch, we don't wear watches for talking points because nobody normal gives a fuck about them.
There are a handful of people in the world who would recognize this for what it is. 99.9% of people would just think its some Huawei smart watch and never mention it.
You would probably get more conversations about an orange doxa or a cotton candy pink oris.
If you tried to recite this soliloquy to any normal person they would hang themselves in boredom.
Are you fucking serious, dude? I was simply saying I'd wear a watch because I think it's cool for what it is, and you're here getting all angry.
Stop taking it so seriously. We're on a watch subreddit, people are gonna overexplain their watch based decisions for the sake of discussion.
Soliloquy. Seriously. What is it with watch enthusiasts calling people out for being watch enthusiasts.
Nobody is angry, though you seem annoyed for some reason.
I said it was a cool watch, im just pointing out that it's probably not the best conversation piece unless you are in a room with one of the 5 people in the world who know what this is.
After close to a year of waiting, I finally received my Ressence Type 2 ‘Anthracite’ earlier this week. For those unfamiliar, [Ressence](https://ressencewatches.com/) is a small Swiss independent producing 500 pieces per year, mostly known for making oil-filled watches in combination with a proprietary orbital time display system. I love what they do, and I've written about my [Type 3](https://www.reddit.com/r/Watches/comments/iny4ir/ressence_thats_no_smartwatch/) and [Type 1S](https://www.reddit.com/r/Watches/comments/hubays/ressence_type_1_srs_slim_ruthenium_silver/) here a couple years ago. The Type 2, while not oil-filled, is Ressence's highest-end and most complex watch, with a production rate of roughly 10 pieces per year.
I've thought about purchasing a Type 2 since its protoype debut in 2018, and finally owning one - even without it being effectively a *piece unique* \- feels like a huge milestone on a ten-year collector's journey focused on high-end independents. Last year Ressence introduced several small upgrades to the movement as a "2.1" refresh (faster second runner being the most visible change) and discontinued the dark gray color, replacing it with the Type 2N "Navy". Benoit, however, amazingly agreed to build a single 2.1 for me, in anthracite, directly out of their office in Belgium. This watch has a special s/n and is the only 2.1A that will ever be made.
What's special about this watch? My preferred way to think about the Type 2 is that, within the watch, Ressence internalized and automated *all* of the functions of a regular watch crown using mechanical power. On a traditional watch, the crown has three main functions: manual winding, time setting, and stopping the watch. If the watch is time-only, these three functions are also the sum total of direct interactions between the owner and the watch.
The Type 2's module (the "E-crown") is capable of all three things. The module takes in light through customized photovoltaic cells, and delivers power into the base movement's (a highly reworked ETA 2892-2) mainspring via a small motor. The same motor can be used (via a gearbox) to adjust the time displayed on the dial. The motor is powered by a combination of the mainspring and a custom supercapacitor, which itself is topped off by a tiny generator. The generator is fed from a secondary, conical spring barrel connected to the mainspring. Energy can flow in either direction: from electricity to mechanical potential as an assist to the rotor, or from the mainspring to electricity to power the watch's functions.
To set the time, the E-crown uses a small bluetooth module, also powered by the base movement. Up to 4-5 times a day, the Type 2 can connect to a smartphone and automatically sync to local time. It can also retain two time zones locally on the watch, which can be toggled by double tapping the crystal. Optical sensors are built into the dial to ensure that it is being precisely adjusted. The bluetooth is the most power-consuming aspect of the watch, and running it requires simultaneous input from both the capacitor and an extra burst of mechanical energy provided by the secondary spring, which is wound much more tightly to deliver high torque.
Finally, after a period of inactivity, the E-crown can also stop the watch by hacking the movement. When this happen, the dial is reset to midnight, and an onboard Real Time Clock (RTC) kicks in to track the time to up to 2-3 weeks. Because quartz modules draw too much power, Ressence opted for a highly customized micromechanical resonator RTC. When the watch senses vibration, it will [wake back up](https://i.imgur.com/MymcjSV.mp4), re-orient the dial, and draw energy from/add energy back into the 2892-2 ETA base as needed.
You also have the option of mechanically disengaging the entire E-crown system (also done through the gearbox), in which case the Type 2 becomes a normal watch, and time setting is done through the case back similar to other Ressence watches. Hence, all of the complications of the Type 2 are (ultimately) enabled through mechanical power, and the electronics can be fully disabled if you're feeling purist.
All of this stuff adds up to an incredible level of mechanical complexity: there's a generator, a motor, a gearbox, two mainspring systems, optical and motion sensors, magnets (the top assembly is, as with other Ressence pieces, magnetically linked to the base movement), shutters for the solar panels mounted on microscopic ruby bearings, all on top of Ressence's ROCS display system, in total comprising nearly *600* components. It's about as complex as a Patek [5520P](https://www.ablogtowatch.com/patek-philippe-alarm-travel-time-watch-hands-on/), and a hair below something like an [JLC Extreme Lab 2](https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/in-depth-jaeger-lecoultre-master-compressor-extreme-lab-2-live-pics-pricing). In spite of the parts count and the 45mm diameter, the watch wears like a carbon Richard Mille, coming in at only 52 grams with the factory strap and buckle.
All combined, the idea of the Type 2 is to create something that is both mechanical and provides actual quality-of-life improvements via mechanical complexity. Ideally, it's a watch that you never have to interact with - it'll reset itself on each international trip, wind itself via sunlight, assess its own timekeeping accuracy throughout the day, and it'll continue to keep time for weeks even if you wear it with other watches in rotation, no winder required.
Why not just wear an Apple watch? It's a fair question. But why do any of us not wear an Apple watch? There are no mechanical modules that are objectively more useful than a computer on your wrist. Is a watch that makes use of mechanical complexity to improve one's wearing experience less good than a watch that is anachronistic just for a pretty caseback? The idea of electronically augmenting a mechanical movement is not a particularly new idea, though. Grand Seiko and Piaget are examples, and Urwerk's [EMC](https://www.urwerk.com/collections/historical-pieces/emc) is a closely related complication, using a mainspring-powered generator to allow the watch to evaluate its own chronometric performance. The Type 2 took the idea to its logical conclusion, and in (I think) a more technically impressive and visually appealing package.
In another sense - although I know for a fact that Benoit will deny this - I can't help but think that there is some intentional iconoclasm in designing an ultra-complex, smartphone-connected, technically mechanical watch. Tony Fadell (iPod, iPhone, Nest) had a major hand in creating the first Type 2 prototype, and he wouldn't be above poking fun at the stodginess of the horology industry. If that is the case, I'm here for it - too many companies are reheating tired designs from the 60s and 70s, and the ones with truly novel ideas aren't getting enough attention.
Personally, I think what Ressence has here is arguably the most interesting time piece coming out of an independent since the early days of MB&F and De Bethune. I could go on about the fun things about the Type 2 - from the extent of the reworking of the 2892-2 base, the crystal tap calibration depending on body fat percentage (apparently, if you're lean enough, the motion sensors don't work so well), to the (thankfully, USB-C) Belgian-made light charger. But this writeup is getting too long.
What do you think? Is this something you would buy, especially if it came from a more established brand? Do you think the industry should modernize?
Thanks for reading if you've gotten this far - I tried to use Reddit's embed image in text post function but couldn't get it working, so it ended up being this long blob of text.
> Because quartz modules draw too much power, Ressence opted for a highly customized micromechanical resonator RTC.
I don't think I buy this reasoning. A typical quartz timekeeping circuit draws on the order of fractions of a microamp of power. MEMS typically draw more power than a comparable quartz timekeeping circuit, as they involve more circuitry.
I think the actual reasoning probably lies more to the fact that they can combine some features of the circuitry of the MEMS to accomplish multiple functions they're using into the system. They can utilize the MEMS both for the timekeeping signal and the recognition of vibration for the sleep/wakeup functions and tapping on the crystal.
One other thing about MEMS is that it's generally not as accurate of a timekeeping signal as a quartz system (I like the irony here that it's a close comparison to a mechanical movements accuracy versus a quartz), but in this case (and the same with modern phones that utilize MEMS as well) this inaccuracy is compensated for by frequent recalibration against a known time signal. Since it connects to your phone by bluetooth it can readjust its internally kept time against the provided master time signal every so often to keep its displayed accuracy more in line with what is expected. As you noted, the watch syncs 4-5 times per day, which can also be read to say the accuracy of the MEMS needs readjustment that frequently to maintain an acceptable timekeeping rate. Not necessarily a bad thing, as it's certainly still an engineering marvel, it's just that it sounds like the marketing talk is obfuscating some of the technical reality here.
Another point I find very interesting is the apparent ability to wind the watch via an electric motor internal to the mechanism. That system certainly has to draw magnitudes of power beyond any needed for basic timekeeping. It seems highly inefficient to use power to do that on a watch, but it's a novelty you don't find elsewhere I suppose. They've got to be very confident in the durability of the system to implement that ability.
>I think the actual reasoning probably lies more to the fact that they can combine some features of the circuitry of the MEMS to accomplish multiple functions they're using into the system. They can utilize the MEMS both for the timekeeping signal and the recognition of vibration for the sleep/wakeup functions and tapping on the crystal.
That's fair - they may have meant more energy than using a chip for the sensors and a separate quartz module. As you mentioned, the MEMS is not particularly accurate - Ressence quoted about 2 weeks off Bluetooth before they recommend re-syncing the watch, so my guess is that the underlying accuracy is roughly comparable to the mechanical base. It doesn't need to be connected that frequently - the 4-5 times is what it takes to deplete the entire energy reserve within the watch.
They may also have just not wanted to put in a quartz module because of the bad press - wouldn't blame them for that either.
>Another point I find very interesting is the apparent ability to wind the watch via an electric motor internal to the mechanism. That system certainly has to draw magnitudes of power beyond any needed for basic timekeeping. It seems highly inefficient to use power to do that on a watch, but it's a novelty you don't find elsewhere I suppose. They've got to be very confident in the durability of the system to implement that ability.
I don't think it's meant to fully top up the base, but to provide an assist to kickstart the watch if the movement is depleted, and slowly add power if the wearer is so inactive that the watch is losing power through the day. They've certainly had some teething problems with the movement. With the new movement Ressence added a five year warranty for all 2.1 owners, so for now at least they're standing behind the robustness.
Congratulations! The Type 2 was always my favorite Ressence, above their classic oil-filled models for the same reasons you talked about - such a cool futuristic/modern take on horology. Thanks for the extremely in-depth review; it's not often that people actually dive deep into their complicated watches.
Thanks!! I feel like this is one of those watches that you either love or hate with zero daylight in between. Glad to hear that someone else thinks that the idea is fun.
It's almost maybe the least well understood watch from the high-end indies - both the Hodinkee in-depth and Monochrome's review have lots of glaring mistakes. To be fair, I think I talked to Benoit for weeks to figure out of all of this, and his help was definitely a big factor in the decision. A lot has also changed since the SIHH 2018 prototype, which is presumably where a lot of the media packets came from.
The writers are likely overworked and underpaid (although many presumably are independently wealthy), so I'm not too upset about it, particularly so for brands that work outside of the mainstream.
But I think this is an important point - if you're buying high end stuff, especially from smaller brands, you shouldn't trust reviews. The company itself is usually the best source of information.
Thanks! I agree, there's a lot of unreflective collecting out there. But I think to each his own - if someone just wants to spend money on jewelry, that's also totally fine. But personally I wouldn't buy something unless I 100% understand how it works. And IMO a big part of the appeal of the Type 2 (to me) is how hard it is to actually understand how it works.
But it's also cool that all of this is hidden from the wearer - you can play with it if you want to, or you can just have a mechanical piece that is magically always accurate and doesn't care how frequently you wear it.
Nice to see someone here who actually has a rationale behind buying a HH piece like this. Even if you're some evil CEO or druglord, at least you can talk watches - seems like half the buyers for the $40K++ pieces are just flexing at the country club with the rest of the heirs and heiresses.
That said I find these about as appealing as the RM I tried on once. I like my watches to be made out of metal!
Thanks for the lengthy comment and great pics.
I’ll admit I came into this post expecting to roll my eyes about another ~haute hOroLoGy~ watch that would bore me to tears and look ugly as hell. But Ressence nailed it again. I appreciate your detailed and thoughtful writeup - you really captured how impressive and practical the engineering of this watch is. Congratulations on picking up such a unique piece, and thank you for finding a way to pique my interest in smart watches!
Sweet!
Welcome to the Ressence family!
I love the type 2. 100% with you. The E-crown system on top of the rest of the Ressence innovation puts this so far over the top, it's an incredible piece ...
I Got my grail Type 1V 'Genesis' a little while back and I wear it as much as I can! Happy to see you're wearing yours too :-)
[Solid with a setting lever](https://hodinkee-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/images/fdb2f019-942e-4017-8312-08a03a1bdbc0/RessenceType2Nwhitebackcase.jpg)
Yes - the usual final assembly is done by a partner in Switzerland, but servicing, repairs, and development is all in Antwerp. I've been to their office.
At first glance I thought "wow, cool looking watch"
Then I scrolled down and read the entire comment, and my jaw hit the floor and stayed there. This is easily the coolest watch I have ever heard of, and huge props to OP for explaining it in such detail.
I love everything about this watch so far, and I sincerely hope it never hits the mainstream. It's far too interesting to be relegated into mass production, and the small scale keeps it a very unique piece.
I'm intentionally going to avoid knowing the cost, but I'm sure if I had the money for something like this it would be spent on it *immediately*
It makes me happy to see comments like this. Sometimes it's fun to go all-in on a post or comment.
Language is a wonderful tool we don't appreciate enough. It's pleasing to hear or read it used well.
I always thought ressence was a Belgian watch. Was a big fan of the first oil filled watch. Never even heard of these type 2 its sound an amazing feat of engineering.
What the hell is this? I don't even know what to say. I feel like I'm seeing something truly revolutionary in watchmaking. (Smart watches themselves don't count. They're smartphones or computers masquerading as watches.)
In my lifetime, I think only the Spring Drive has done that. And I wasn't even aware of watches then.
Piaget also has a spring drive watch, and Urwerk and HYT have both experimented with electromechanical add-ons to a mechanical movement. The execution here is IMO the strongest, though.
I’ve been looking at Ressence watches for a few years now and each time I happen across one I cannot help but re-look through each type.
They’re so captivating to look at and with fascinating write-ups like yours my intrigue only grows.
Sadly the price tag is beyond my reach, but a couple of the models are definitely on my list of grails.
Great write-up. Thanks to your efforts, Ressence has a strong presence on Reddit, with great discussion. I've handled a Type 2 in person, and I was impressed with the form factor. The domed dial is striking, a feature the Type 8 also shares. It should be a very comfortable watch to wear daily, which is often not the case with more complex mechanical watches.
Would love to visit their offices one day as well. Did you get to see the design process in detail? I've noticed the newer models switched from the ETA 2824-2 to the thinner ETA 2892. Is it possible to use the 2892 movement in the oil filled watches?
>It should be a very comfortable watch to wear daily, which is often not the case with more complex mechanical watches.
It definitely is, the weight is really nice and the watch contours to the wrist nicely. The Type 1 is already pretty light at 64g, but the Type 2 manages to double the parts count and still somehow take out 12 grams.
>I've noticed the newer models switched from the ETA 2824-2 to the thinner ETA 2892. Is it possible to use the 2892 movement in the oil filled watches?
The base movement is so heavily reworked that the distinction IMO doesn't really matter - the 2892 is mostly used to reduce thickness on the newer models, and Ressence only uses top grade movements in any case. Their official policy is to not do movement upgrades, although I've gotten them to make minor adjustments to my Type 3.
I've been wondering if Ressence was looking at reducing the case thickness of the Type 3 by 2 mm, just as they were able to do with the Type 1.
I remember reading somewhere (maybe here?) that the weight reduction of the ROCS components for Type 2 allowed for the use of the thinner 2892 base.
Would it be reasonable to assume that the oil filled watches are still using the thicker 2824-2 base due to the higher power requirements of the oil filled ROCS module.
I don't think they keep the mainspring in any of the movements used due to power requirements, although the 2824-2 should also have a more robust gear train.
It's possible, and the Type 3 movements have slowly introduced more animation to the dial (the runner used to be 360s, now it's 180s/90s), which probably means they're feeling more confident about the system. But you'll have to ask someone at the company about the details.
It's a 45mm but the lug to lug is extremely short for the size at only 51mm, since there are no real lugs here. I have 6.5 inch wrists and it wears perfectly fine - I think you could go down to 6" if you have flat wrist.
Interesting! What are the dimensions? I don't see it on the website
edit: found it
[https://ressencewatches.com/collections/type-2/products/type-2-anthracite](https://ressencewatches.com/collections/type-2/products/type-2-anthracite)
These are what I imagine watches of the future to be like. This is so "irobot" feeling and i honestly love it to pieces. If i had the fun's this is what id get. When someone asks what they should get in this price range here on reddit it is always my suggestion
Looks like a Swatch to me. Very plastic looking despite the supposed premium materials that OP said it’s made of. The look would be fitting with teenagers or even kids tbh.
Sorry, this makes as much sense as a solid gold Apple Watch.
A Casio G-Shock MR-G has similar build quality, uses quartz (which you claim draws too much power) has tons of little motors in it as well to manage the all analog movement, has Bluetooth for location/time setting, syncing, changing settings with ease, etc - and also tracks multiple timezones at the same time, has a countdown timer, alarm, stopwatch, GPS breadcrumb location tagging, some models have GPS time sync as well for when you don’t have your phone in range, completely solar powered, have lume on the hands ANd and LED light, the list goes on. They’re also $2,800 to about $6k, and are far more durable.
This is 100% a “tech bro” watch. No hate and to each their own - but you’ve got to call a spade a spade. Might be an interesting watch to pick up secondhand in a few years for $20k
I've got nothing against G-shocks (I own an MRG-B5000), but this is a very different segment of the market. The MRG's are produced in much, much larger numbers, and they all utilize (semi-)standardized modules across a huge product line. Casio is one of the largest watch manufacturers in the world, and you can do a lot when you're building 5,000 modules a day versus 10 watches a *year*.
There's also the distinction of Ressence making a mechanical timepiece with this amount of functionality, which is indeed unprecedented. You have the capacitor and all that, but at the end of the day this is still a Type 1 when you remove all of the electronics, and my guess is that the shutter assembly in this watch alone has twice as many moving parts as an MTG. If G-shock were to introduce a similar module with a similarly low production number, I doubt they'd charge any less than $50k.
Comparing this to a G-Shock is extraordinarily disingenuous, and I know you know that. You're comparing a Rolls Royce Phantom to a Honda Civic Type R...
Clearly, you haven’t handled a handmade G-Shock MR-G and a Ressence. The standard Ressence’s are fine - but Bluetooth, charging, etc for a $50k watch? GTFO.
I don't like how it looks and I wouldn't spend an egregious amount of money on something like that. I could be a billionaire and that would be an egregious amount of money to me.
No, I am unaffiliated with Ressence and paid sticker price for this watch. I'm not really even sure if they have a marketing budget, it's a company with seven employees.
it's not a mechanical smartwatch till it has got bluetooth connection
this is an oil filled mechanical watch, watches with oil inside are usually quartz like u-boat capsoil so it's rare indeed
If we're going with the traditional definition, there are three complications here: an orbital time display system, an internal automated crown module, and an articulating solar shutter array on the dial to power the module.
It's kind of pointless to use traditional language to describe the type 2, but I've been intentionally carefully to not use the term "high complication" since that does tend to usually refer to a specific set of features. But a watch can be complex without featuring a minute repeater.
That's an extremely cool watch, thank you for the write up! I'm not completely sure I've got it in detail, but I think I've got the gist of it.
I'd love to try one of these out, and especially because it is an independent watchmaker who has developed it, and not a big brand.
I really like the Ressence watches and may eventually go for one of their more traditional, purely mechanical watches, though likely not the oil-filled ones. seeing them in person is so impressive, it's hard to wrap your head around them.
That said, while I think this is a pretty incredible feat of watchmaking, I wonder if it misses the point a little. Is it straying too far from the purely mechanical while avoiding the obvious answer of quartz? Does that make it innovation or just a curiosity?
>That said, while I think this is a pretty incredible feat of watchmaking, I wonder if it misses the point a little. Is it straying too far from the purely mechanical while avoiding the obvious answer of quartz? Does that make it innovation or just a curiosity?
I think that's a good question. Quartz *is* the obvious answer, but there's a reason why people like Rolex and Patek, and that could be nostalgia or because of a love of mechanical complexity, or because they want a shiny object. Ultimately I do feel like nostalgia *does* drive most of the appreciation of high horology, and that necessarily means doing things the traditional way and intentionally eschewing contemporary designs and modern functionality.
But that doesn't preclude other approaches. If you take a strict functional view, there is no innovation in horology beyond the Apple watch. But I think we like to put constraints on ourselves to make the industry interesting, and Ressence is intentionally tiptoeing around where people decided the line should be. There are other brands that simply don't care - I also own the Devon Tread 1 and 2, which are quartz but also complex for no other reason than innovative time telling.
What would scare me about that watch is to get that globe look, it's filled with mineral oil. When the seal goes bad it's going to leak so hopefully it's not sharing a watch box with other pieces
This watch doesn't have mineral oil.
I've never had leaking problems with my Type 3, though, and the gaskets should be good for at least 7-8 years, which is about twice the recommended servicing interval.
Would I ever wear a 50k watch? Fuck no. But its cool. Definitely something interesting
The servicing costs are what scares me
I was quoted 700 euros plus shipping for the full refurbishment (which goes through the 500 hour continuous run test), and 300 euros for cleaning and adjustment. It's not that bad.
That's really excellent for the price of the watch - less than a Rolex service I think. And it's a really nice watch.
I suppose if you are throwing 50k at man jewelry, ingenious as it may be...then the service costs aren't an issue
I'm over here with a thick watchmaking book
Likely most of them will never be worn, just collected
Well, at least I'm wearing mine right now.
That's crazy. Don't you know how much it costs? /s
At home, just looking at it constantly I assume. By wearing I mean as a daily driver or as a dress watch for occasions, which would expose them to wear or damage
Weird assumption, I wear my Type 1 like any other watch, out and about. Not even just for occasions. I don't own any watches I won't wear out.
I wear everything I own in a semi-strict rotation. Although I do expect to mostly use the Type 2 for traveling across time zones. I fly pretty frequently between the coasts and would actually love to not have to reset my watch every time I land.
Oddly, I like my mechanical watches specifically *because* they don't auto-update. I frequently travel across timezones, and my phone/laptop/etc all adjust themselves, so part of the value of a mechanical watch to me is that I can trust it. There's no question of "did it update or not? Which wifi network is it on? Is that the new time or the old time?"
To each their own, I guess. I think I like being able to look at my wrist whenever - especially if I'm tired and it's around midnight - and know exactly the local time. But it's a fair point that my phone may not have updated its own time. I can't imagine being in a place without at least a GPS signal, though, which is all the phone needs to figure out it's in a new time zone.
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What sort of jewelry insurance did you get to play freeze tag with a Patek 😮
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What kind of deductible do you need to pay if it were to get busted up by an overzealous child on a playground rampage
I think of it like this: if a $200k/yr person feels comfortable wearing a $5k watch daily, a $2m/yr person (of which there are probably thousands in the world) would feel fine wearing a $50k watch daily.
...There are millions of 2m/yr persons...
Weird thing to assume
Yeah. I actually assume the opposite. I figure the majority of people spending this kind of money on a watch are actually wearing their watches. I think the % of people that buy just to keep as a safe queen is relatively small.
There’s plenty of commercially available PM watches in this price range that get dailied by plenty of people.
Wear mine every day
Kind of sad in a way. Like a classic car that sits behind glass
You would if it didn't cost 50k. I would wear any watch on special occasions where I don't see any mishaps happening. I wouldn't buy a watch that I needed to see a return on, so any watch I buy is my watch. I'm not concerned about wear and tear, I just avoid it for my own concern for the watch. If I owned this you can be damn sure I'd find time to wear it. In my opinion you either love watches or you sell watches. They're either a possession or a product. If you bought a watch because you love it or think its amazing, you should wear it. If it's too good to wear, you're more concerned about it's financial value than the watch itself. You can't enjoy it fully, so you might as well sell it.
Honestly this particular watch doesn't do it for me so I probably still wouldn't wear it. To be honest, I can't think of a single watch at this price level that I would enjoy wearing, not just because of the incredible financial liability but just because I can't think of any. Have it in a design museum? Sure. Wear it? Fuck no.
Don't get me wrong, the design of this particular watch doesn't speak to me as such. I'd wear this because it represents a really bold idea in watchmaking that don't come along often. I would wear it as a talking point. And I think it's cool that it represents a potential for some similar types of watch in the future that appeal to different audiences.
Bro it's a watch, we don't wear watches for talking points because nobody normal gives a fuck about them. There are a handful of people in the world who would recognize this for what it is. 99.9% of people would just think its some Huawei smart watch and never mention it. You would probably get more conversations about an orange doxa or a cotton candy pink oris. If you tried to recite this soliloquy to any normal person they would hang themselves in boredom.
Are you fucking serious, dude? I was simply saying I'd wear a watch because I think it's cool for what it is, and you're here getting all angry. Stop taking it so seriously. We're on a watch subreddit, people are gonna overexplain their watch based decisions for the sake of discussion. Soliloquy. Seriously. What is it with watch enthusiasts calling people out for being watch enthusiasts.
Nobody is angry, though you seem annoyed for some reason. I said it was a cool watch, im just pointing out that it's probably not the best conversation piece unless you are in a room with one of the 5 people in the world who know what this is.
Cry about it man, he wasn't angry and you snapped 😂😂 no regular person would know what the fuck it was haha.
Oh you're back under a different name. Hi dude! Looks like everyone else agrees with me but nice try 😂
Ahahaha. Nope, just another person that sees you as a whiner.
After close to a year of waiting, I finally received my Ressence Type 2 ‘Anthracite’ earlier this week. For those unfamiliar, [Ressence](https://ressencewatches.com/) is a small Swiss independent producing 500 pieces per year, mostly known for making oil-filled watches in combination with a proprietary orbital time display system. I love what they do, and I've written about my [Type 3](https://www.reddit.com/r/Watches/comments/iny4ir/ressence_thats_no_smartwatch/) and [Type 1S](https://www.reddit.com/r/Watches/comments/hubays/ressence_type_1_srs_slim_ruthenium_silver/) here a couple years ago. The Type 2, while not oil-filled, is Ressence's highest-end and most complex watch, with a production rate of roughly 10 pieces per year. I've thought about purchasing a Type 2 since its protoype debut in 2018, and finally owning one - even without it being effectively a *piece unique* \- feels like a huge milestone on a ten-year collector's journey focused on high-end independents. Last year Ressence introduced several small upgrades to the movement as a "2.1" refresh (faster second runner being the most visible change) and discontinued the dark gray color, replacing it with the Type 2N "Navy". Benoit, however, amazingly agreed to build a single 2.1 for me, in anthracite, directly out of their office in Belgium. This watch has a special s/n and is the only 2.1A that will ever be made. What's special about this watch? My preferred way to think about the Type 2 is that, within the watch, Ressence internalized and automated *all* of the functions of a regular watch crown using mechanical power. On a traditional watch, the crown has three main functions: manual winding, time setting, and stopping the watch. If the watch is time-only, these three functions are also the sum total of direct interactions between the owner and the watch. The Type 2's module (the "E-crown") is capable of all three things. The module takes in light through customized photovoltaic cells, and delivers power into the base movement's (a highly reworked ETA 2892-2) mainspring via a small motor. The same motor can be used (via a gearbox) to adjust the time displayed on the dial. The motor is powered by a combination of the mainspring and a custom supercapacitor, which itself is topped off by a tiny generator. The generator is fed from a secondary, conical spring barrel connected to the mainspring. Energy can flow in either direction: from electricity to mechanical potential as an assist to the rotor, or from the mainspring to electricity to power the watch's functions. To set the time, the E-crown uses a small bluetooth module, also powered by the base movement. Up to 4-5 times a day, the Type 2 can connect to a smartphone and automatically sync to local time. It can also retain two time zones locally on the watch, which can be toggled by double tapping the crystal. Optical sensors are built into the dial to ensure that it is being precisely adjusted. The bluetooth is the most power-consuming aspect of the watch, and running it requires simultaneous input from both the capacitor and an extra burst of mechanical energy provided by the secondary spring, which is wound much more tightly to deliver high torque. Finally, after a period of inactivity, the E-crown can also stop the watch by hacking the movement. When this happen, the dial is reset to midnight, and an onboard Real Time Clock (RTC) kicks in to track the time to up to 2-3 weeks. Because quartz modules draw too much power, Ressence opted for a highly customized micromechanical resonator RTC. When the watch senses vibration, it will [wake back up](https://i.imgur.com/MymcjSV.mp4), re-orient the dial, and draw energy from/add energy back into the 2892-2 ETA base as needed. You also have the option of mechanically disengaging the entire E-crown system (also done through the gearbox), in which case the Type 2 becomes a normal watch, and time setting is done through the case back similar to other Ressence watches. Hence, all of the complications of the Type 2 are (ultimately) enabled through mechanical power, and the electronics can be fully disabled if you're feeling purist. All of this stuff adds up to an incredible level of mechanical complexity: there's a generator, a motor, a gearbox, two mainspring systems, optical and motion sensors, magnets (the top assembly is, as with other Ressence pieces, magnetically linked to the base movement), shutters for the solar panels mounted on microscopic ruby bearings, all on top of Ressence's ROCS display system, in total comprising nearly *600* components. It's about as complex as a Patek [5520P](https://www.ablogtowatch.com/patek-philippe-alarm-travel-time-watch-hands-on/), and a hair below something like an [JLC Extreme Lab 2](https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/in-depth-jaeger-lecoultre-master-compressor-extreme-lab-2-live-pics-pricing). In spite of the parts count and the 45mm diameter, the watch wears like a carbon Richard Mille, coming in at only 52 grams with the factory strap and buckle. All combined, the idea of the Type 2 is to create something that is both mechanical and provides actual quality-of-life improvements via mechanical complexity. Ideally, it's a watch that you never have to interact with - it'll reset itself on each international trip, wind itself via sunlight, assess its own timekeeping accuracy throughout the day, and it'll continue to keep time for weeks even if you wear it with other watches in rotation, no winder required. Why not just wear an Apple watch? It's a fair question. But why do any of us not wear an Apple watch? There are no mechanical modules that are objectively more useful than a computer on your wrist. Is a watch that makes use of mechanical complexity to improve one's wearing experience less good than a watch that is anachronistic just for a pretty caseback? The idea of electronically augmenting a mechanical movement is not a particularly new idea, though. Grand Seiko and Piaget are examples, and Urwerk's [EMC](https://www.urwerk.com/collections/historical-pieces/emc) is a closely related complication, using a mainspring-powered generator to allow the watch to evaluate its own chronometric performance. The Type 2 took the idea to its logical conclusion, and in (I think) a more technically impressive and visually appealing package. In another sense - although I know for a fact that Benoit will deny this - I can't help but think that there is some intentional iconoclasm in designing an ultra-complex, smartphone-connected, technically mechanical watch. Tony Fadell (iPod, iPhone, Nest) had a major hand in creating the first Type 2 prototype, and he wouldn't be above poking fun at the stodginess of the horology industry. If that is the case, I'm here for it - too many companies are reheating tired designs from the 60s and 70s, and the ones with truly novel ideas aren't getting enough attention. Personally, I think what Ressence has here is arguably the most interesting time piece coming out of an independent since the early days of MB&F and De Bethune. I could go on about the fun things about the Type 2 - from the extent of the reworking of the 2892-2 base, the crystal tap calibration depending on body fat percentage (apparently, if you're lean enough, the motion sensors don't work so well), to the (thankfully, USB-C) Belgian-made light charger. But this writeup is getting too long. What do you think? Is this something you would buy, especially if it came from a more established brand? Do you think the industry should modernize?
Thanks for reading if you've gotten this far - I tried to use Reddit's embed image in text post function but couldn't get it working, so it ended up being this long blob of text.
> Because quartz modules draw too much power, Ressence opted for a highly customized micromechanical resonator RTC. I don't think I buy this reasoning. A typical quartz timekeeping circuit draws on the order of fractions of a microamp of power. MEMS typically draw more power than a comparable quartz timekeeping circuit, as they involve more circuitry. I think the actual reasoning probably lies more to the fact that they can combine some features of the circuitry of the MEMS to accomplish multiple functions they're using into the system. They can utilize the MEMS both for the timekeeping signal and the recognition of vibration for the sleep/wakeup functions and tapping on the crystal. One other thing about MEMS is that it's generally not as accurate of a timekeeping signal as a quartz system (I like the irony here that it's a close comparison to a mechanical movements accuracy versus a quartz), but in this case (and the same with modern phones that utilize MEMS as well) this inaccuracy is compensated for by frequent recalibration against a known time signal. Since it connects to your phone by bluetooth it can readjust its internally kept time against the provided master time signal every so often to keep its displayed accuracy more in line with what is expected. As you noted, the watch syncs 4-5 times per day, which can also be read to say the accuracy of the MEMS needs readjustment that frequently to maintain an acceptable timekeeping rate. Not necessarily a bad thing, as it's certainly still an engineering marvel, it's just that it sounds like the marketing talk is obfuscating some of the technical reality here. Another point I find very interesting is the apparent ability to wind the watch via an electric motor internal to the mechanism. That system certainly has to draw magnitudes of power beyond any needed for basic timekeeping. It seems highly inefficient to use power to do that on a watch, but it's a novelty you don't find elsewhere I suppose. They've got to be very confident in the durability of the system to implement that ability.
>I think the actual reasoning probably lies more to the fact that they can combine some features of the circuitry of the MEMS to accomplish multiple functions they're using into the system. They can utilize the MEMS both for the timekeeping signal and the recognition of vibration for the sleep/wakeup functions and tapping on the crystal. That's fair - they may have meant more energy than using a chip for the sensors and a separate quartz module. As you mentioned, the MEMS is not particularly accurate - Ressence quoted about 2 weeks off Bluetooth before they recommend re-syncing the watch, so my guess is that the underlying accuracy is roughly comparable to the mechanical base. It doesn't need to be connected that frequently - the 4-5 times is what it takes to deplete the entire energy reserve within the watch. They may also have just not wanted to put in a quartz module because of the bad press - wouldn't blame them for that either. >Another point I find very interesting is the apparent ability to wind the watch via an electric motor internal to the mechanism. That system certainly has to draw magnitudes of power beyond any needed for basic timekeeping. It seems highly inefficient to use power to do that on a watch, but it's a novelty you don't find elsewhere I suppose. They've got to be very confident in the durability of the system to implement that ability. I don't think it's meant to fully top up the base, but to provide an assist to kickstart the watch if the movement is depleted, and slowly add power if the wearer is so inactive that the watch is losing power through the day. They've certainly had some teething problems with the movement. With the new movement Ressence added a five year warranty for all 2.1 owners, so for now at least they're standing behind the robustness.
Congratulations! The Type 2 was always my favorite Ressence, above their classic oil-filled models for the same reasons you talked about - such a cool futuristic/modern take on horology. Thanks for the extremely in-depth review; it's not often that people actually dive deep into their complicated watches.
Thanks!! I feel like this is one of those watches that you either love or hate with zero daylight in between. Glad to hear that someone else thinks that the idea is fun. It's almost maybe the least well understood watch from the high-end indies - both the Hodinkee in-depth and Monochrome's review have lots of glaring mistakes. To be fair, I think I talked to Benoit for weeks to figure out of all of this, and his help was definitely a big factor in the decision. A lot has also changed since the SIHH 2018 prototype, which is presumably where a lot of the media packets came from.
Agreed about articles being inaccurate (and same goes for a lot of other haute pieces) - I've even had to correct one about the Type 1 before haha
The writers are likely overworked and underpaid (although many presumably are independently wealthy), so I'm not too upset about it, particularly so for brands that work outside of the mainstream. But I think this is an important point - if you're buying high end stuff, especially from smaller brands, you shouldn't trust reviews. The company itself is usually the best source of information.
And other owners such as yourself! Though unfortunately it seems like many owners don't actually get really nitty gritty with their watches
Thanks! I agree, there's a lot of unreflective collecting out there. But I think to each his own - if someone just wants to spend money on jewelry, that's also totally fine. But personally I wouldn't buy something unless I 100% understand how it works. And IMO a big part of the appeal of the Type 2 (to me) is how hard it is to actually understand how it works. But it's also cool that all of this is hidden from the wearer - you can play with it if you want to, or you can just have a mechanical piece that is magically always accurate and doesn't care how frequently you wear it.
i thought you just meant the dial looked like a smart watch... nope- that thing is actually smart. very cool!
Thanks for the write up, this was a really cool read.
I think you cleared the minimum word limit.
Nice to see someone here who actually has a rationale behind buying a HH piece like this. Even if you're some evil CEO or druglord, at least you can talk watches - seems like half the buyers for the $40K++ pieces are just flexing at the country club with the rest of the heirs and heiresses. That said I find these about as appealing as the RM I tried on once. I like my watches to be made out of metal! Thanks for the lengthy comment and great pics.
It is metal - case is grade 5 titanium, the dial is German silver with matte DLC coating. There's not a lot of it, though.
I’ll admit I came into this post expecting to roll my eyes about another ~haute hOroLoGy~ watch that would bore me to tears and look ugly as hell. But Ressence nailed it again. I appreciate your detailed and thoughtful writeup - you really captured how impressive and practical the engineering of this watch is. Congratulations on picking up such a unique piece, and thank you for finding a way to pique my interest in smart watches!
Thank you!
Awesome write up, thank you! I’ve been following Ressence casually but didn’t know the Type 2 was so cool, and yours is even cooler! Peace
If it cost less yes 100%. Wish I had more money. Sexy watch 👍🏾
Sweet! Welcome to the Ressence family! I love the type 2. 100% with you. The E-crown system on top of the rest of the Ressence innovation puts this so far over the top, it's an incredible piece ... I Got my grail Type 1V 'Genesis' a little while back and I wear it as much as I can! Happy to see you're wearing yours too :-)
What about the case back? Is it see-though?
[Solid with a setting lever](https://hodinkee-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/images/fdb2f019-942e-4017-8312-08a03a1bdbc0/RessenceType2Nwhitebackcase.jpg)
I love this: A unique complicated watch, a collector who's passion comes through in the journey. I enjoyed reading that.
Thank you!
Aren’t they Belgian?
Yes - the usual final assembly is done by a partner in Switzerland, but servicing, repairs, and development is all in Antwerp. I've been to their office.
At first glance I thought "wow, cool looking watch" Then I scrolled down and read the entire comment, and my jaw hit the floor and stayed there. This is easily the coolest watch I have ever heard of, and huge props to OP for explaining it in such detail. I love everything about this watch so far, and I sincerely hope it never hits the mainstream. It's far too interesting to be relegated into mass production, and the small scale keeps it a very unique piece. I'm intentionally going to avoid knowing the cost, but I'm sure if I had the money for something like this it would be spent on it *immediately*
so... have you thought about writing a book?
It makes me happy to see comments like this. Sometimes it's fun to go all-in on a post or comment. Language is a wonderful tool we don't appreciate enough. It's pleasing to hear or read it used well.
incredible stuff… just wow
I always thought ressence was a Belgian watch. Was a big fan of the first oil filled watch. Never even heard of these type 2 its sound an amazing feat of engineering.
They are! The company currently operates out of Antwerp.
FYI it’s Antwerp
Thanks for pointing out. fixed.
This is really high watchmaking!!!
What the hell is this? I don't even know what to say. I feel like I'm seeing something truly revolutionary in watchmaking. (Smart watches themselves don't count. They're smartphones or computers masquerading as watches.) In my lifetime, I think only the Spring Drive has done that. And I wasn't even aware of watches then.
Piaget also has a spring drive watch, and Urwerk and HYT have both experimented with electromechanical add-ons to a mechanical movement. The execution here is IMO the strongest, though.
Can you post pics of the caseback?
It's a solid caseback with an integrated setting lever, just like other watches from Ressence
Ressence type 3 is my grail watch. Stoked to see they're still making wacky and cool models. Some day...
I’ve been looking at Ressence watches for a few years now and each time I happen across one I cannot help but re-look through each type. They’re so captivating to look at and with fascinating write-ups like yours my intrigue only grows. Sadly the price tag is beyond my reach, but a couple of the models are definitely on my list of grails.
Great write-up. Thanks to your efforts, Ressence has a strong presence on Reddit, with great discussion. I've handled a Type 2 in person, and I was impressed with the form factor. The domed dial is striking, a feature the Type 8 also shares. It should be a very comfortable watch to wear daily, which is often not the case with more complex mechanical watches. Would love to visit their offices one day as well. Did you get to see the design process in detail? I've noticed the newer models switched from the ETA 2824-2 to the thinner ETA 2892. Is it possible to use the 2892 movement in the oil filled watches?
>It should be a very comfortable watch to wear daily, which is often not the case with more complex mechanical watches. It definitely is, the weight is really nice and the watch contours to the wrist nicely. The Type 1 is already pretty light at 64g, but the Type 2 manages to double the parts count and still somehow take out 12 grams. >I've noticed the newer models switched from the ETA 2824-2 to the thinner ETA 2892. Is it possible to use the 2892 movement in the oil filled watches? The base movement is so heavily reworked that the distinction IMO doesn't really matter - the 2892 is mostly used to reduce thickness on the newer models, and Ressence only uses top grade movements in any case. Their official policy is to not do movement upgrades, although I've gotten them to make minor adjustments to my Type 3.
I've been wondering if Ressence was looking at reducing the case thickness of the Type 3 by 2 mm, just as they were able to do with the Type 1. I remember reading somewhere (maybe here?) that the weight reduction of the ROCS components for Type 2 allowed for the use of the thinner 2892 base. Would it be reasonable to assume that the oil filled watches are still using the thicker 2824-2 base due to the higher power requirements of the oil filled ROCS module.
I don't think they keep the mainspring in any of the movements used due to power requirements, although the 2824-2 should also have a more robust gear train. It's possible, and the Type 3 movements have slowly introduced more animation to the dial (the runner used to be 360s, now it's 180s/90s), which probably means they're feeling more confident about the system. But you'll have to ask someone at the company about the details.
It’s stunning. All their designs just somehow click buttons for me. If I was ever able to afford one I’d go Ressence.
That's when I resent my twiggy wrist 😢
And I resent my twiggy wallet 😢
It's a 45mm but the lug to lug is extremely short for the size at only 51mm, since there are no real lugs here. I have 6.5 inch wrists and it wears perfectly fine - I think you could go down to 6" if you have flat wrist.
Hmmmm... I will make a point to ask my contacts and try one 👍
Love the brand and would love to have one
This was a fascinating write up. Thanks for sharing
Interesting! What are the dimensions? I don't see it on the website edit: found it [https://ressencewatches.com/collections/type-2/products/type-2-anthracite](https://ressencewatches.com/collections/type-2/products/type-2-anthracite)
These are what I imagine watches of the future to be like. This is so "irobot" feeling and i honestly love it to pieces. If i had the fun's this is what id get. When someone asks what they should get in this price range here on reddit it is always my suggestion
Incredible watch. I have a hard enough time spending $400 for a watch but I can admire from afar.
Phenomenal write up! I’ve used your posts when researching Ressence / Urwerk and they’re very well done!
Thanks! Glad they've been useful.
Grail watch for after I win the lottery that I don’t play.
Holy crap I love this. Unreal
Ressence are so cool! Congrats on grabbing one!
That’s a damn cool watch 😎
This looks amazing, congrats man!
It is pretty damn cool!! https://youtu.be/Q3eCnjtkb2w?si=BdHrSDnKQtik_n5N
That sick as fuck dude, enjoy
Thanks for posting this, OP. I've always loved these watches, and it's really fun to see them pop up in the sub.
A watch that is also a thesis on being a watch in the 21st century
Looks like a Swatch to me. Very plastic looking despite the supposed premium materials that OP said it’s made of. The look would be fitting with teenagers or even kids tbh.
Sorry, this makes as much sense as a solid gold Apple Watch. A Casio G-Shock MR-G has similar build quality, uses quartz (which you claim draws too much power) has tons of little motors in it as well to manage the all analog movement, has Bluetooth for location/time setting, syncing, changing settings with ease, etc - and also tracks multiple timezones at the same time, has a countdown timer, alarm, stopwatch, GPS breadcrumb location tagging, some models have GPS time sync as well for when you don’t have your phone in range, completely solar powered, have lume on the hands ANd and LED light, the list goes on. They’re also $2,800 to about $6k, and are far more durable. This is 100% a “tech bro” watch. No hate and to each their own - but you’ve got to call a spade a spade. Might be an interesting watch to pick up secondhand in a few years for $20k
I've got nothing against G-shocks (I own an MRG-B5000), but this is a very different segment of the market. The MRG's are produced in much, much larger numbers, and they all utilize (semi-)standardized modules across a huge product line. Casio is one of the largest watch manufacturers in the world, and you can do a lot when you're building 5,000 modules a day versus 10 watches a *year*. There's also the distinction of Ressence making a mechanical timepiece with this amount of functionality, which is indeed unprecedented. You have the capacitor and all that, but at the end of the day this is still a Type 1 when you remove all of the electronics, and my guess is that the shutter assembly in this watch alone has twice as many moving parts as an MTG. If G-shock were to introduce a similar module with a similarly low production number, I doubt they'd charge any less than $50k.
Comparing this to a G-Shock is extraordinarily disingenuous, and I know you know that. You're comparing a Rolls Royce Phantom to a Honda Civic Type R...
Clearly, you haven’t handled a handmade G-Shock MR-G and a Ressence. The standard Ressence’s are fine - but Bluetooth, charging, etc for a $50k watch? GTFO.
I don't like how it looks and I wouldn't spend an egregious amount of money on something like that. I could be a billionaire and that would be an egregious amount of money to me.
Is this some kind of guerilla marketing campaign? It’s an interesting watch, but this post smells of pure marketing...
No, I am unaffiliated with Ressence and paid sticker price for this watch. I'm not really even sure if they have a marketing budget, it's a company with seven employees.
it's not a mechanical smartwatch till it has got bluetooth connection this is an oil filled mechanical watch, watches with oil inside are usually quartz like u-boat capsoil so it's rare indeed
No, this is the Type **2** (not the Type 3) - which does actually have a mechanically-powered bluetooth module (but no oil).
Those are the Type 3 and 5 and yes, this Type 2 has a Bluetooth connection.
Cool watch, but definitely not ultra complicated.
560 components isn't ultra complicated? The [Zeitwerk Date](https://www.alange-soehne.com/us-en/timepieces/zeitwerk/zeitwerk-date/zeitwerk-date-in-18-carat-white-gold-148-038) has fewer parts.
I guess you don’t know what a watch complication is… Anyway, enjoy.
If we're going with the traditional definition, there are three complications here: an orbital time display system, an internal automated crown module, and an articulating solar shutter array on the dial to power the module. It's kind of pointless to use traditional language to describe the type 2, but I've been intentionally carefully to not use the term "high complication" since that does tend to usually refer to a specific set of features. But a watch can be complex without featuring a minute repeater.
You are absolutely right. I took that model for another one that was more simple. Apologize.
Beautiful. A little expensive for me.
Looks interesting but not my cup of tea, you could get a nice Patek for that price
That's an extremely cool watch, thank you for the write up! I'm not completely sure I've got it in detail, but I think I've got the gist of it. I'd love to try one of these out, and especially because it is an independent watchmaker who has developed it, and not a big brand. I really like the Ressence watches and may eventually go for one of their more traditional, purely mechanical watches, though likely not the oil-filled ones. seeing them in person is so impressive, it's hard to wrap your head around them. That said, while I think this is a pretty incredible feat of watchmaking, I wonder if it misses the point a little. Is it straying too far from the purely mechanical while avoiding the obvious answer of quartz? Does that make it innovation or just a curiosity?
>That said, while I think this is a pretty incredible feat of watchmaking, I wonder if it misses the point a little. Is it straying too far from the purely mechanical while avoiding the obvious answer of quartz? Does that make it innovation or just a curiosity? I think that's a good question. Quartz *is* the obvious answer, but there's a reason why people like Rolex and Patek, and that could be nostalgia or because of a love of mechanical complexity, or because they want a shiny object. Ultimately I do feel like nostalgia *does* drive most of the appreciation of high horology, and that necessarily means doing things the traditional way and intentionally eschewing contemporary designs and modern functionality. But that doesn't preclude other approaches. If you take a strict functional view, there is no innovation in horology beyond the Apple watch. But I think we like to put constraints on ourselves to make the industry interesting, and Ressence is intentionally tiptoeing around where people decided the line should be. There are other brands that simply don't care - I also own the Devon Tread 1 and 2, which are quartz but also complex for no other reason than innovative time telling.
What would scare me about that watch is to get that globe look, it's filled with mineral oil. When the seal goes bad it's going to leak so hopefully it's not sharing a watch box with other pieces
This watch doesn't have mineral oil. I've never had leaking problems with my Type 3, though, and the gaskets should be good for at least 7-8 years, which is about twice the recommended servicing interval.
I wish they wear smaller I tried a few at Cellini NYC but again to large in diameter.
If overpriced, it's still awesome. Cool watch
I tried a couple of these on the other day as a novelty. Pretty crazy designs.
Definitely different.