Ressence Introduces A New Family With The Time-Only Type 8 C

Ressence made waves from the moment it dropped its first watch, the ZeroSeries, back in 2011. The Belgian brand had developed a new and unique display for its watches that instantly became its signature. Prices for Ressence watches, however, have not always been accessible for many people. With prices somewhat fairly reflecting the level of watchmaking and engineering involved, Ressence has now managed to introduce a new family that breaks that mold. The new Ressence Type 8 C is the sixth family in the brand’s catalog and it comes in at a much more wallet-friendly price. As a result, it also opens the brand up to new audiences.

While the Type 8 C essentially forms the brand’s “entry-level” offering, I must iterate that this is still quintessential Ressence. The signature rotating dial, which uses Ressence’s patented mechanical ingenuity, the ROCS (Ressence Orbital Convex System), is still front and center. The Type 8 C doesn’t use a dumbed-down version either. This is full-on Ressence, but with a much lower price tag!

Same, same but different

So, how is Ressence able to drop the price of the Type 8 C if it uses the same movement technology as the previous, more expensive models? Good question. Obviously, the brand has had to make some departures from the more expensive models. And how has Ressence done this? Well, by simplifying the information that the dial displays. In doing so, the movement is easier and cheaper to produce.

Gone are the date, power reserve, and oil temperature gauge. Instead, the Ressence Type 8 C just displays hours and minutes on its cobalt blue dial. This makes the Type 8 C the simplest watch that Ressence has ever produced, but the cleanliness of the dial is striking. I don’t feel like any of the watch’s character is lost. It’s still a beautiful watch! Simple white baton markers present the time with total clarity, with the Ressence logo at 12 o’clock on the hours sub-dial the only additional detail. The hands and the hour and minute scales are highlighted using Super-LumiNova, which glows bright blue for perfect low-light legibility.

Titanium is my type

Crafted entirely from Grade 5 titanium, the 42.9mm case is incredibly lightweight. To quantify, the watch weighs just 42 grams with the strap included. In the words of Ned Flanders, “It feels like I’m wearing nothing at all!” As with all Ressence watches, the Type 8 C silhouette is lean yet hyper-modern. The sleek, tapered case curves remain uninterrupted thanks to the novel integration of the crown into the case back — another of Ressence’s signature touches.

The case uses a sandwich-style construction with a wonderful mix of polished and satin textures. If you’re wondering where the lugs are, wonder no more! Ressence hid them behind a small “skirt” extending from the round case body. This allows the strap to extend out from under the pebble-line case, not too unlike the old hockey-puck case designs. However, the Type 8 C is a lot sleeker in shape and execution.

The Type 8 C still uses ROCS technology

As with all Ressence watches, the dial of the Type 8 eschews the traditional concept of centrally mounted hands. Instead, the main dial, a domed piece of titanium, rotates to indicate the minutes. Set within it, on the same plane, a smaller dial rotates to mark the hours. Thus, the entire dial is everchanging but still presents an intuitive at-a-glance display that’s legible from any angle. If you remain even remotely unconvinced, you only need to see a Ressence watch in the metal to change your mind.

As mentioned, the ROCS (designated ROCS8) module works the magic within the Type 8 C. It is powered by a traditional mechanical automatic movement based on an ETA caliber 2892-2 with a 36-hour power reserve. Still, it has been extensively customized and reinforced to suit Ressence’s needs. Ressence designed it using a series of jewel ball bearings to ensure long-lasting, oil-free operation. While the oil-filled dial is somewhat iconic for Ressence, the Type 8 C is indeed one of the non-oil-filled models. While I love the aesthetic of the oil-filled dials, I prefer not being bound by their operating temperatures.

Ressence Type 8 C price and availability

The Ressence Type 8 C will be available worldwide starting March 30th, 2022 via Ressence’s official retailer network. If you’re lucky enough to attend the Watches & Wonders fair in Geneva from March 30th to April 5th, 2022, you can pop down to Ressence’s booth and see it too. The cost? A much more “affordable” CHF 12,500 (excluding taxes). You can find out more on the official Ressence website.

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