The Ressence Type 5 Diver 

Ressence Type 5 Diver  is a unique new direction for Benoit Mintiens and his team at Ressence. A direction which incorporates some of the knowledge acquired with the development of the Type1 and Type3 and some new developments unique to Type5. Ressence-Type5 had the design goal to create a unique sport diver in the Ressence style, as only Benoit Mintiens and his team can do. Of course, this means orbital time keeping where a set of dials function within a rotating “mother dial” to have all time on the dial(s) in motion.Type5 is an oil filled model, just as Type3. Type5 features hours, minutes, seconds and a thermal gage which indicates the ambient temperature of the oil under the lens.
The Type5 starts as a 45mm Titanium case. The “case” itself is flat backed and not a convex back, as with the Type1 and Type3. Further, the upper sapphire is designed with a unique parabolic shape, with more thickness in the center to withstand the rigors of sport diving usage. The lens is milled from manufactured sapphire, which is the thickest Ressence has chosen to use on any watch so far. The set of dials are all integrated. In order to “paint” the dial markings, the markings for each dial are milled 0.3mm deep. Each marking on each dial is then hand lain with Superluminova. The Superluminova chosen is the latest offering from the long time industry standard in lume technology. The result is a luminous set of dials that are brighter and with longer lasting power than the former Grade-A Superluminova, a new strength of luminova only released this year to watchmakers.
As with Type3, under the graduated parabolic lens is oil. The oil is actually the same type of oil used in vintage nautical compasses.The oil specifically alters the refraction angle on the dial, so the dials and time appear to be floating in space. The added benefit for a sport divers model is that the watch may be read, literally, from any angle while submerged. A feature which is completely unique to Ressence-Type5 within the World of sport divers watches. Most sport divers must be viewed face on while submerged. You may say, “How does the oil work inside of the watch?” The watch is composed of a lower half, which contains the mechanical movement and air. The upper half of the watch is responding to the lower mechanical half via an integrated transmission, which is coupled with a magnet gear. So the dial set is responding and moving in relation to the peripheral motion of the mechanical movement in the “dry space”. Behind the dials are a set of spring baffles. The baffles allow for the thermal expansion an contraction of the oil while the Type5 adapts thermal changes in the environment. A thermal gage, which operates with via a bi-metallic coil (two unlike metals pushing and pulling one another) connected to the indicating dial indicates the operating temperature of the oil inside of the top half of the watch. The oil inside Type5 serves several other design advantages. Ressence has developed a system featuring a “bottleneck” valve system. The bottleneck valve helps to maintain the flow of oil in the top half of the watch, which reduces the affects of external shocks on the inner motion systems. Additionally, the oil acts as an internal structural component which resists the external pressure of water at depth. The Type5 (like the Type3) is assembled in a room which is -5 degrees Celsius. The watchmakers’ “bench” is not a the traditionally wooden variety, yet an an oil submersion tank! Yes, that’s right the watches are assembled while submerged in oil, so that no air is present when the lens is sealed over the “wet” system.
The grade 5 titanium case has a milled uni-directional, rotating divers timing bezel.The caseback features integrated, locking backring. When engaged, the locking mechanism keeps the transmission to the dials running, ready for sport diving. When disengaged, the watch is free to be set via a unique dimpled setting ring.. Rotating the dimpled setting ring either clockwise or anti-clockwise allows for free setting of the orbital dials/handset.
Benoit (Mintiens) explains, “The Ressence Type5 finds a natural, organic shape just as the marine turtle. The turtle has developed this unique hydro-dynamic shape over many thousands of years of evolution. I’m convinced it’s the sleekest shape to be worn in the water.” Further, Benoit states, “When worn over a neoprene wetsuit, the Type5 blends with it’s environment and the organic shape becomes and extension of the divers body.”
Type5 is another brilliant addition to the groundbreaking horological catalog of art, which is Ressence! Bravo Benoit (and team)!

For more information: https://ressencewatches.com/watches/type-5

US$ price $35,800

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