Hands-On: Ressence Introduces Its Most Compact Design With The Type 9
Last week, while the number of turkeys consumed in the US rivaled the total human population of Canada, Ressence decided to drop a new watch – the Type 9. From a conceptual standpoint, it’s quite simple – it’s the Belgium-born brand’s smallest watch to date, coming in at 39mm.
The Type 9 looks a bit like a mashup of the Type 8 (of which the brand also just announced a stunning edition with Shellman in Japan) and the brand’s more traditionally shaped offerings—the case is round and smooth, but instead of the shrouded, Disco Volante-style case of the Type 8, we see a return to traditional lugs.
The dial, available in Grey and Aqua variants, is the most minimalist we’ve seen yet, though functionally, it’s the same as the one found on the Type 8. But the effect is exaggerated here. For the first time in a Ressence, the minute markings are engraved on a fixed, circularly-brushed bezel – making the overall surface area of the dial seem even smaller than the reduction in case diameter would suggest. I actually think the addition of a fixed bezel is such a great move here. For a compact and light watch, the contrast added by the bezel manages to still give the watch a bit of presence on the wrist. The hands and engravings on the bezel and dial are filled with Super-Luminova, making this watch quite legible at night despite its unconventional time readout.
The dial is finished in a media-blasted metallic texture, while the disc surrounding the inner hour hand is circularly brushed to mirror the outer bezel. Ressence’s unique numerals work very well here, but I wish the Ressence hand-shaped logo was not on the dial. With the dial and case proportions, I think the logo stands out in a bit of a distracting way. The thinner lines of the hand logo interrupts the consistency of every other engraved element’s thickness on the dial. While a critique, I think it’s one that considers the design language of the brand to be so strong that I don’t think a logo is necessary.
The case is made entirely out of polished grade 5 titanium and measures 39mm in diameter (keep in mind the very short lugs) and 11mm thick. As with the brand’s other watches, the fully-brushed caseback serves as the crown – winding is accomplished by rotating the caseback clockwise while setting the time, which can be done bi-directionally with a quick engraved reference guide. This watch is delivered on a 20mm metallic grey textile strap with a calfskin leather lining. It’s very well crafted and comes with a polished grade 5 titanium buckle with the Ressence logo on the tang.
Powering the watch, like most Ressence watches, is a highly modified ETA 2892 caliber with the patented ROCS 9 (Ressence Orbital Convex System) module on top. One thing that I really wish the brand worked on is to figure out how to make their rotors quieter. It didn’t seem to distract me as much when trying on more complicated models, as a certain mechanical fussiness worked with the more complex visuals, I suppose, but on this very clean watch, having the noise of the rotor be pretty audible seemed to detract from my overall very enjoyable wearing experience with the Type 9. It’s certainly easier said than done, and I’ve also found that titanium as a case material always seems to exaggerate noises from the movement in the watches I’ve owned.
With the simplification of design and reduction in size, the Type 9 certainly feels like the most elegant Ressence ever produced, and one that works for a majority of wrists out there. I have to admit, I’m very impressed that they continue to balance forward-thinking, futuristic design with a certain industrial charm.
The Type 9 also marks the lowest price point of Ressence to this date, at 12,500 CHF. Owning a Ressence has never been inexpensive, but to see the brand try to come out with more versatile designs while simultaneously pushing down the price point is certainly a move that should be commended. The brand, with Benoît Mintiens at the helm, continues down a strong path that has remarkably felt cohesive through its entire product lineup, with this release being no different. I really believe that, with this new Type 9, we may be approaching a price point and aesthetic appeal that may convince a lot more people to put a Ressence on their wrist.
The Ressence Type 9 has a grade 5 titanium case measuring 39mm in diameter with a thickness of 11mm. It is “splash-resistant” to 1ATM, and powered by the ROCS 9 module on top of a modified ETA base caliber, beating at 28,800 VpH and offering a 36-hour power reserve. Delivered on a 20mm x 18mm strap, materials dependent on dial color. The “Grey” dial, photographed here, is available through retailers now, while the “Aqua” dial will be available in February of 2025. Retail price is CHF 12,500. For more, visit Ressence.
Hodinkee
