What We Know
Ressence, with its futuristic sci-fi approach to telling the time, doesn’t always come to mind when thinking about métiers d’art. After all, Ressence is a brand centered around an incredibly modern industrial aesthetic, which seems at odds with painstaking human-centered craft that often celebrates perfection within imperfection. But when done right, pairing these two ideas together spells a home run. The Ressence Type 8 ‘Indigo’ from 2024 for Japanese retailer Shellman comes to mind, which combined the UFO-like Type 8 design with a gorgeous dial made from hand-laid indigo-dyed silk thread.
Today, Ressence takes a different approach to handcraft with the new Type 9 IKE. The Type 9, Ressence’s simplest and most minimal design, is blacked out with DLC-coated titanium throughout. That includes the 39mm case, bezel, dial components, and caseback. But rather than leaning into an all-stealth look, the execution is meant to frame the Type 9 as a sort of dark canvas for the métiers d’art component. Here, Ressence founder Benoît Mintiens collaborates with Japanese artist and raden specialist Terumasa Ikeda for an absolute showstopper of a dial.
Ikeda-san, though relying on traditional Japanese urushi lacquering and raden mother-of-pearl inlaying techniques, has managed to establish quite a futuristic, almost Matrix-like aesthetic in much of his work. On this Type 9, he creates a dial that feels like it was plucked straight from an alien spaceship. But on closer look, the work required to place tiny fragments of vibrant mother-of-pearl cured with black urushi lacquer shines through.
The caseback features Ikeda-san’s signature.
Due to the curves of the Type 9 dial surface, Ikeda-san highlights the curvature of the Type 9 dial as the main challenge in the execution, requiring the fragments of shell to be soaked and then bent gradually over time to ensure that the pieces follow the slope of the dial. But it all culminates in an iridescent light show set in the void that is the all-black Type 9, slowly shifting throughout the day as the planetary dial system rotates around.
The Type 9 IKE is limited to 8 pieces and priced at CHF 32,000.
What We Think
I’m so glad to see Ressence continue to experiment with these very small runs of very special pieces. The Type 8 ‘Indigo’ was a winner in my book, and this Type 9 ‘IKE’ is very much the same. The combination of a mesmerizing Cyberpunk starfield from afar with fascinating craftsmanship up close is just perfect, and the simplicity of the Type 9 for a collaboration like this makes a lot of sense.
I’m curious to see if there will be much variation within each of the eight dials—I’d imagine there has to be, given how small these mother-of-pearl fragments are and how different the colors range on each piece. While the price tag is no laughing matter, running more than double what a standard Type 9 would cost, this run of eight pieces is for sure already striking the hearts of both die-hard Ressence collectors and those looking for a watch that truly feels unique in its artistic proposition.
The Basics
Brand: Ressence
Model: Type 9
Reference Number: Type 9 IKE
Diameter: 39mm
Thickness: 11mm
Case Material: Polished grade 5 titanium, DLC-coated
Dial Color: DLC-coated titanium w/ raden mother-of-pearl and urushi lacquer
Indexes: Mother-of-pearl
Lume: No
Water Resistance: 1 ATM
Strap/Bracelet: Black horse leather strap with water-repellent leather lining, titanium ardillon buckle
The Movement
Caliber: ROCS 9 module on top of ETA 2892 movement
Functions: Hours, minutes
Power Reserve: 36 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 VpH
Jewels: 31
Chronometer Certified: No
Pricing & Availability
Price: CHF 32,000
Availability: Select Ressence retailers
Limited Edition: Yes, 8 pieces.
For more, click here.
