A Closer Look at the Ressence Type 3BBB Watch

Ressence is a relatively new contender in the luxury watch industry. Its home is in Antwerp, Belgium, established in 2010 by Benoit Mintiens. The brand name combines the words Renaissance and essence, describing the brand's intention behind every production piece. Ressence has been around for a mere twelve years, but it's established a brand that produces unique watch designs. The Ressence Type 3BBB Watch is an example that takes minimalism to a new level of the adage "less is more." The watchmaker employs simple design elements in an eye-catching example in black and white, adding plenty of whimsy combining form and function. The timepiece is worthy of a closer look and inspection.

The Ressence Type 3BBB at a glance

Before an explanation, the first thing you notice about the Ressence Type 3BBB is its nontraditional styling. The name of the watch describes its Black theme with triple emphasis, according to Uncrate. It's an all-Black watch with white accents that stand out, lending exceptional legibility to the dial. The indices appear to float with a unique rounded crystal lens that wraps around a bubble over the case. Ressence deleted all colors save the black and white scheme and a bit of light grey. It's minimized and simplified, but there's nothing plain or ordinary about this timepiece. The model is set apart by its lack of hands replaced by continuously rotating discs to show seconds, minutes, hours, and days. Although minimalist, the watchmaker's usage of texture and form draws the eyes in for a more intimate inspection.

Innovative technology

The Ressence Type 3BBB comes from research and the development of new technology. The brand's design team created the Ressence Orbital Convex System is called ROCS. The makers patented its reinvention of magnetic transmission and advanced micromechanical technologies. They've arrived at a brilliant example of features that are unimitable. An impressive array of tech features exist in the inner workings. The upper half of the dial is filled with oil, creating enhanced legibility from any viewing angle. The ROCS system exists in the oil-filled upper half. The movement remains securely housed in the lower part of the case, where it's kept dry. Since temperature variations may potentially create changes in oil volume, the system utilizes seven bellows as compensation.

A closer look at the Ressence Type 3BBB watch

The Ressence Type 3 BBB achieves unique floating characters through an oil-filled dial with a curved bubble-styled sapphire crystal set firmly over the case, sealing the fluids inside. The oils effectively clarify the markers on the dial and give them the appearance of slight magnification. The timepiece is almost more interesting when viewed from the side with its high bubble crystal. Ressence explains their intention with the design elements is to engage with physics in ways that no other watchmaker has accomplished. The choice to place the edge-to-edge sapphire over the top achieves multiple objectives, first eliminating all distortions of visual perception by flooding the dial chambers with 35.7 ml of clear oil. Light refraction that occurs naturally from the air through the sapphire crystal gets effectively canceled. This innovative strategy enhances performance by reducing friction. It promotes visual clarity while delivering a novel appearance that is an even blend of whimsy and brilliant sophistication.

The case and crystal

The case is diamond-like carbon-coated metal. It creates the black coloring while giving the grade five titanium case extra strength. The case measures 44 mm in diameter and is protected from corrosion, thanks to the hardened varnish. The Ressence Type 3BBB has no crown because of the edge-to-edge sapphire crystal. It would merely interfere with the function and aesthetic. The crystal is mirrored on the case back to create the appearance of a black pebble.

The movement

The Ressence Type 3BBB features a 2824 caliber beating a rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour. The in-house manufactured caliber has a power reserve of 36 hours. Functions of the movement are hours, minutes, and a display of the date. The seconds' hand has been removed from this special edition of Type 3 to achieve a minimalist effect. The Robb Report explains that the Ressence Type 3BBB is the third model in the collection, which has won awards for its innovative designs features. It's a limited edition with production ending after one year on December 31, 2022.

Other features of the Ressence Type 3BBB

Unlike its predecessors, the Ressence Type 3BBB is devoid of any colors other than black, white, and light gray for a monochrome aesthetic and the sophistication of the predominantly black theme. The indices feature SuperLuminova treatment producing a bright green glow in darkness and low light environments. Other members of the Type 3 family feature splashes of color on the dial with blue SuperLuminova treatment and a seconds' hand. The Ressence Type 3BBB consists of 215 parts with day and date functions with dial elements swirling around one another through time passage. The back of the case has white engraving with a bubble appearance. The Ressence Type 3 received the Horological Revelation Award in 2013, presented at the Grand Prix d'Horologerie. The strap is another component of the watch. Its anthracite honeycomb design in black adds another element of design and texture to the overall appearance, with a pin buckle closure to keep the timepiece firmly affixed to the wrist. The Ressence Type 3BBB is available to collectors for $39,000. It's a reasonable cost when you consider that it's a limited edition that takes innovation to new levels of modernity.

Final thoughts

Ressence is the new kid on the block in the luxury watchmaking community. It's made an impressive entrance into the industry with innovative technologies and a research and development division to continue its quest for delivering high on tech and uniqueness. It's a brand that is likely to be around for a while. We anticipate their next adventure, but for now, it's satisfying to enjoy their latest contribution to novel collectibles.