IntroducingRessence TYPE 9 ARM ‘Scattering Sun’ with The Armoury

We've long been fans of Ressence at Hodinkee, thanks to their unusual domed dials with interesting displays, and their creative approach to the use of magnets, ball bearings, and other uncommon technical approaches that together make for a watch that looks completely unlike anything else on the market. Leave it to the fan of classic design — The Armoury's founder, Mark Cho — to bring in an extremely classic design cue by adding a high-polish fluted titanium bezel to Ressence's smallest watch ever.

The Ressence Type 9 features a case measuring 39mm in diameter, weighing just 39 grams, and only 11mm thick. The sandblasted Grade 5 titanium dial features another classic twist: a salmon-colored PVD coating. The watch displays the time through two satellites that indicate the hours (on the subdial) and minutes, rotating on jewel ball bearings inclined at 9.75° and adding dimension to the domed dial. 

The watch is powered by the ROCS 9 movement (standing for Ressence Orbital Convex System) module driven by the minute axle of a customised automatic base caliber. You can use the caseback to wind and set the watch, but both need to be done slowly. The movement has 36 hours of power reserve. The case has minimal splash resistance at 10m.

The watch has a retail price of $19,000 and is limited to 20 pieces. For more information or to order, you can visit The Armoury's stores or their website.

I was a bit incredulous about the combination of a salmon dial, a fluted bezel, and a high-polished case, all alongside the very outside-the-box design of Ressence. I feel like there's always a risk when you look at the design panel and pull too many "watch lover" levers to crank up the amount of greatest hits you put into one watch. But I saw the watch in person when I bumped into Mark Cho at Geneva Watch Days (and again, yesterday), it all comes together in a nice package.

At first glance, the watch looks like platinum, at least before you pick it up and feel the surprising lightness in your hand. With the weight and size being significantly reduced, the watch is comfortable to wear, and it certainly fits the bill of a Ressence watch that can be dressed up or down and worn with a suit—Cho's reason for designing this collaboration. The use of salmon has seen a cycle of trends, from deep cuts to growing popularity, then overplaying, and now it's being used more sparingly, fortunately. This is the right tone of salmon and the right use-case, i.e., an unexpected one.

The design of the fluted bezel as a functional minute track is a clever choice. To shrink the watch, you need to move the minute indication to the bezel, and this is an elegant and creative way to do so. But more than that, the play between highlight and shadow helps the watch from looking too over-polished or flat. Finally, the collaboration is about $3,500 more expensive than when the model launched last year, so I imagine people will have to decide how much they are willing to pay for the new bezel and dial. But I do think it works quite well.

Brand: Ressence
Model: TYPE 9 ARM 'Scattering Sun'

Diameter: 39mm
Thickness: 11mm
Case Material: Polished Grade 5 titanium case with polished Grade 5 titanium fluted bezel
Dial Color: Sandblasted Grade 5 titanium dial with salmon colour PVD coating
Indexes: Engraved indications, bezel functioning as the minute track.
Lume: Green Grade A Super-LumiNova
Water Resistance: 10m (splash-resistant)
Strap/Bracelet: Suede chocolate strap (20/18mm) with titanium ardillon buckle

Caliber: ROCS 9
Functions: Hours, minutes
Power Reserve: 36 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 vibrations per hour
Jewels: 31
Chronometer Certified: No
Additional Details: 39 grams (strap included)

Price: $19,000
Availability: Now at The Armoury
Limited Edition: Yes, 20 pieces

For more, click here.