Introducing the Ressence Type 9 Jules Wittock
Ressence's Latest Art Watch Has a Hidden Meaning
By Blake Buettner
Ressence is introducing a new chapter of their art series this week in the Type 9 Jules Wittock, which is being offered in two variations. As a brand, Ressence has long been a patron of the arts, offering their platform as a canvas to a range of artists, from Daniel Engelberg to Terumasa Ikeda to Marc Newsome. Each has brought their own perspective to the rotating two dimensional dials of Ressence references to amazing effect. With this Type 9, Ressence has partnered with Belgian artist Jules Wittock, who has created a hand drawn maze that integrates into both the hour and minute discs of the dial. Like much of Wittock’s work, there is a hidden message here as well.
Artist collaborations are nothing new in the watch industry, though Ressence manages to differentiate themselves from other brands in how they select artists to work with. “We look for a visual language that translates physically onto the watch” says founder Benoît Mintiens, who continues about Wittock’s work, “Jules’s labyrinths are engraved into the dial and filled by hand, so the drawing lives in depth. His line stays extraordinarily consistent across every path — remarkable mastery, given that he draws each one freehand.”
Each of these dials, one rendered in black, and the other in emerald green ALD-coated titanium, bring a wholly unique personality out of the Type 9. The organic lines draw the wearer in for a closer look to engage with the resulting negative space, while at a distance they blend to form an abstract distillation of the shape as a whole. There is a near hypnotic quality about the design when viewed as a whole, which is something that carries over from Wittock’s more conventional work. There is also a Keith Haring-esque vibe to the lines that provide an unmistakable energy to the watches.
Wittock explains that he likes to hide things within his work, and that “There’s always a mystery within the maze.” To that end, when the dial of this Type 9 hits midnight, there is an alignment that happens which reveals a hidden message, which is known only to the artist and the wearer. The inspiration comes from Wittock’s habit of making a wish at 11:11 as a child. This is the message within the maze, and the wearer can use the handy “In” and “Out” notches in the bezel to guide their discovery.
The art series of watches from Ressence transcend the typical collaborations we see elsewhere thanks to this unique integration. The watch becomes a natural extension of artistic expression, and does so in living fashion, as the art is changing with each passing minute. The result is a watch that you can engage with emotionally just as much as you can technically. These visions also show just how versatile the Ressence design language is.
The Type 9 JW is being produced in two variations, both in polished grade 5 titanium, with one getting a black coating. This marks the first use of a polished black case from Ressence. Both examples will be limited to 30 pieces each, for a total of 60 units produced. The watches use Ressence’s patented ROCS 9 system to bring the rotating dials to life, and like all Ressence watches, there is no crown, as winding and setting is handled entirely through the caseback.
Collective is an authorized retailer of Ressence watches, so you can find the Type 9 JW along with their full line at collectivehorology.com