Ressence - Type 3 Marc Newson
"I wanted to merge our universes. How often do designers work together on one product? In my eyes, one plus one can become more than the sum of its parts."
- Benoît Mintiens
Marc Newson and Benoît Mintiens Rewrite the Rules of Time
Two design universes have collapsed into a singularity. The TYPE 3 MN isn't merely a collaboration—it's a gravitational fusion of Marc Newson's industrial-design DNA with Ressence's horological revolution. The result is a timepiece that appears to suspend physics itself.
What emerges is the perfect distillation of both minds: an ergonomic elliptical case containing Ressence's patented oil-filled technology, where time appears to float weightlessly beneath a domed sapphire crystal.
Form Follows Feeling
Newson's signature elliptical silhouette—refined over decades of industrial design—wraps around the wrist with organic precision. The domed sapphire crystal isn't just aesthetic; it's a lens that magnifies the illusion of time displayed directly on the glass. Bold, minimal hands offer a playful nod to Newson's iconic Ikepod designs from the 1990s, instantly recognizable to those who witnessed his earlier horological impact.
The color palette operates with surgical restraint: celadon green, grey, black, and a single vibrant yellow. This isn't decoration—it's visual clarity that preserves the watch's essential elegance.
The Dematerialized Dial
At the heart beats Ressence's ROCS 3 (Ressence Orbital Convex System)—a mechanism of magnetically driven titanium discs with four eccentric biaxial satellites inclined at varying degrees. The discs appear to orbit each other like a miniature solar system.
"The vision for the TYPE 3 was to have a dematerialised watch," explains Mintiens. "You only see the time. It's as pure as can be."
This purity is achieved through 4.15 ml of silicone oil flooding the upper chamber, canceling light refraction and creating a magnified projection effect. The result: information appears to hover beneath your fingertips. Engraved indications are filled with blue and green Grade A Super-LumiNova®, ensuring legibility while maintaining the ethereal quality.
The Architecture of Simplication
The TYPE 3 MN embodies Ressence's philosophy of 'Simplication'—creating clarity without losing soul, functionality without sacrificing beauty. "In watch design, you can manage every dimension yourself—aesthetics, technique, ergonomics, economics, mechanics—and push each to a higher level," Mintiens notes. "The real challenge is coherence between them. When everything aligns, you get a logic of its own—a new reality."
Newson echoes this: "Drawn from my established timepiece design ideology, the formal process proved deeply rewarding: one which underlined my longstanding joy and fascination in this area. I would like this watch to connect with those for whom purity of form, quality of material, and complex engineering is prioritised."
Technical Specifications
Functions
Hours, Minutes
Runner (180 seconds)
Day
Date
Oil Temperature
Movement
Patented ROCS 3.6 - Ressence Orbital Convex System - module driven by the minute axle of a customised automatic base calibre
Caseback winding and day/date/time setting
Magnetic transmission
Compensating Bellows System
Self-winding
36 hours power reserve
28,800 vibrations per hour
47 jewels
44 gears
4 ball bearings
Dial
DLC and PVD coated Grade 5 titanium
Convex Grade 5 titanium discs (125 mm radius) with four eccentric biaxial satellites inclined at 3° (hours), 4.75° (oil
temperature and days of the week), and 6.25° (runner)
Engraved pad-printed indications filled with blue and green Grade A Super-LumiNova
Case
Grade 5 titanium
Two separate sealed chambers with upper half filled with 4.15 ml of oil holding the ROCS
Double-domed sapphire crystal (top) with anti-reflective coating inside, titanium bottom, 45 mm (diameter) x 15mm (thickness)
1 ATM splash-resistance
Buckle & Strap
Titanium ardillon buckle
Synthetic rubber
Components & Weight
387 components / 95 grams (buckle & strap included)
Price: HKD $460,000