Why oil? What makes Ressence TYPE3 so unique among oil-filled watches?

Does anyone have the same questions?

In the watch-making industry, Ressence is not the only brand producing oil-filled watch. So what makes it stand out and how Ressence justifies the price difference? When putting a loupe towards Type3, what could you see?

Therefore, we have written to Benoît Mintiens, founder and creative mind of Ressence.

“You compare a mass-produced-medium-range-car with a Formula 1. Yes, they both have an engine and 4 wheels…” Benoît Mintiens.

First and foremost, Ressence is the only mechanical watch ever with oil inside; while all others are quartz watches. This explains the most differences.

All quartz watches have bubbles, otherwise they will explode under heats. Thanks to the R&D input, Ressence has developed a bellow system to compensate oil dilatation and contraction caused by temperature changes between -5 degrees and +55 degrees Celsius. It is a self-equilibrating pressure-balance system, graphically representing by a temperature gauge on the dial.

The quartz movements are submerged in the liquid. On the contrary there is a titanium grade 5 membrane to separate the two sealed chambers in TYPE3. Ressence has developed a magnetic transmission system to pass the minutes information from the lower balance-wheel into the upper oil without any physical connection, as a physical connection would always start to leak.

Apparently, those quartz watches are 3 hands set-up. The highly recognisable dial of TYPE3 provides an intuitive reading of the time. Ressence has a specific time indication module with many more functions, all driven by the minutes and generated inside the oil.

If we disassemble a quartz watch, there are around 45 components. To be precise TYPE3 has 379 parts which are tailor-made in titanium, required 3D architectures, manufactured in Switzerland. The uniqueness of each component speaks the value for the watch.

Oil-filled is not just a gimmick. The 35ml oil obtains a never-before-seen visual effect, called water drop effect. It feels like the dials are projected onto the sapphire crystal surface and induce you to touch.

The oil eliminates the light refraction effect, getting rid of image distortion. A super clear legibility is resulted. Moreover, given that the ROCS movement is constantly suspended in the oil, friction between parts is reduced. Oil works well aesthetically and functionally.

Above all, the industrial design background of Benoît forces him to think in a holistic approach, and to break the rules, and to respect the essence of the object. Combining his industrial design insight and Swiss watchmaking craftsmanship, oil-filled TYPE3 speaks for itself.