Today, Ressence debuts their first dive watch. At 46 mm x 15.5 mm, it is larger than the Type 1 (42 mm x 13 mm) and Type 3 (44 mm x 15 mm), however, its case and dial are crafted in grade 5 titanium so for its size – it is relatively light at just 87 grams.
Not one to follow traditional techniques, the Ressence Type 5 utilizes a ROCS system (the brands proprietary system) immersed in 37.5 ml of oil.
According to Ressence, “Since the laws of hydraulics state that a liquid cannot be compressed, this oil compensates for pressure underwater. And there are other advantages too: the oil keeps those components constantly lubricated. And since they are suspended in a liquid, they are lighter and hence require less power to move, which in turn improves time-keeping. The result is a watch both more ergonomic and considerably lighter than traditional diver’s pieces too.”
In addition to the aforementioned benefits of using oil, there is one more advantage: it cancels out the reflection off the crystal allowing the watch dial to be viewed even from an angle.
The Type 5’s curved dial is made in grade 5 titanium with a 125mm radius and with 3 eccentric biaxial satellites inclined at 3° (for the hours), and at 4.75° (for the thermal gauge and seconds). Indications are engraved and filled with blue and green luminous material.
Internally, the mechanics are comprised of two halves – the upper chamber, comprising the ROCS 5, filled with oil; and a lower, dry chamber containing the movement, divided from the upper by way of a grade 5 titanium, hermetically-sealed membrane.
In order to connect the two chambers, the Type 5 uses connected micro magnets, which are designed in a way that protects the regulator from any potentially harmful magnetic affects.
The watch is fitted with a system of seven small bellows that control the volume of the oil inside the watch, which fluctuates with temperature changes.
The bellows compress when the temperature rises, the oil volume increases or expand if the temperature drops and the volume decreases – the result perfectly stabilizes the fit of the oil within the watch, according to Ressence. Further, the system is directly connected to the oil temperature gauge on the dial – so the TYPE 5 owner can see a representation of the bellows capacity in action.
As with previous Ressence timepieces the Type 5 has no crown, instead the caseback is used both for winding and setting the time of the watch. However, because this is an ISO 6425 certified dive watch, a new caseback system (called the Ressence Compression Lock System, or RCLS) for locking and compression of the gasket was developed, with two positions: “lock” and “set.”
The Ressence Type 5 is paired with a black barenia leather strap (24 mm/22 mm) and a grade 5 titanium buckle. Water-resistance is 100 meters. The retail price is 26,250 EURO.
