Ressence, the watch company devoted to challenging the status quo of mechanical watchmaking, is excited to announce the release of the Type 3BBB, a new example of the award-winning Type 3 watch in an exclusive monochrome design.
The Type 3BBB is a continuation of the evolution expressed by the Type 3B and Type 3BB and as such, is the ultimate monochrome execution of the revolutionary oil-filled mechanical watch that first launched in 2013. The name stands for ‘Black, Black, Black’ in reference to the reduced colour palette of the watch; the Type 3BBB will be produced for just one year, ending on 31 December 2022.
Drawing on the inherent qualities of Ressence’s crown-free case design and the edge-to-edge sapphire crystal found on both front and back of the watch, the Type 3BBB resembles a perfectly smooth, black pebble, worn by time and water into its rounded, ergonomic form. For the first time in the Type 3 range, the Type 3BBB features a polished black DLC-coated titanium case, to match the glossy sapphire.
For maximum impact, Ressence has made a number of changes to the Type 3 dial. All colour has been removed from the indicators, leaving only white and light grey to contrast with the black background. For a more minimalist approach, the running seconds indicator has been removed (a change that makes the Type 3BBB more reminiscent of the brand’s GPHG-winning original design), and in a departure from existing Type 3 models, the SuperLuminova has been changed from blue to green.
On the caseback, a similar procedure: the interior of the sapphire has been DLC coated, then engraved with the necessary text, which is painted in high-contrast white. Finally the Type 3BBB comes on an anthracite ‘honeycomb’ strap, previously found on Ressence’s Type 2A.
The shiny, pebble-like appearance of the Type 3BBB is a natural complement for the watch’s unique approach to timekeeping. Ressence’s Orbital Convex System (ROCS) sees the various elements of the dial swirl around each other, given unmatched legibility by the oil-filled chamber between the sapphire crystal and the dial.
The other revolutionary element of the Type 3 is its oil-filled dial. A true achievement in fine watchmaking, the Type 3 is designed with a “water drop” effect in order to achieve crystal-clear dial legibility for the wearer, achieved by applying basic scientific principles. Because oil and glass share very similar responses to light refraction, when the space between dial and glass is filled with oil, the eye is tricked into momentarily losing its depth perception. The result is that the watch’s dial seems ever closer, one’s vision of it apparently unimpeded by glass at all.
Beguilingly simple to behold on the wrist, unexpectedly complex and innovative within: the Type 3BBB is a perfect example of Ressence’s philosophy of 21st century watchmaking. This new edition retains all the practical and mechanical improvements honed over the last nine years, while adding a bold new aesthetic that emphasises simplicity, legibility and modernity. The result is a truly contemporary watch that draws on decades of watchmaking and design expertise to create something unparalleled in the world of watchmaking.
The Ressence Type 3BBB retails for S$56,600 with tax.
