Ressence Celebrates Anniversary with Type 5X

Ressence was born in 2010 with a clear purpose in mind: improving the function of the mechanical watch in the 21st-century context. After refining legibility, daily wearability and overall intuitiveness, the innovative company’s next pursuit is dedicated to being more conscious of the passage of time.

Ressence wants us to make better use of our time by focusing on our relation to it. This purposeful ambition continues now with the new Type 5X, a limited-edition motoring focused creation to mark its 10th anniversary.

The first decade of a brand is always an important milestone. For Ressence it has been a meaningful journey so far, with a multitude of important moments. Memorably the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève award in 2013 gave Ressence an international resonance. Becoming a member of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie in 2016 was recognition from industry insiders. It anchored the brand in the Fine-Watchmaking category. But it is the successful launch of Ressence’s patented electronic crown, the e-Crown, that was, without doubt, the most challenging and rewarding step. Demonstrating that the brand will relentlessly move forward, out of its comfort zone and continue to approach fine watchmaking differently.

Ressence continues to change the way and the why we experience watches by introducing the second piece in its X collection. Collection X marks the first 10 years and brings the brand manifesto to life. Visually Ressence created a dedicated symbol for the collection that is the fusion of an X, or ten in Latin, and an hourglass. It sits proudly on the hour disc of the Type 5X. Each of the four watches of the Collection X is limited to 40 pieces, with the dark olive-green color being the common thread linking all pieces. The collection focus continues to be the better utilization of time through design – graphically making us more aware of the importance of passing time.

A speed-loving racing driver, eclectic collector, Eugenio Amos is an Italian man of many passions – as long as they are related to cars and watches. Eugenio is an entrepreneur and a visionary. The best combination. A notable feat was his creation of a car that the international automotive community instantaneously fell in love with: the Automobili Amos Lancia Delta Futurista. It made its debut in 2018 at the Grand Basel motor show. The Futurista utilizes an original Delta chassis as a base and is completed with state-of-the-art technology and design practices. Italians do it better. Certainly, when it comes to cars. For watches, we all know its Belgians. The collaboration started in the form of a question when Eugenio Amos came to visit the Ressence studio in Antwerp: “Would it be possible to make a genuine driver watch that has a function related to time and cars?” That was the challenge.

If you were around in the 1980s, you’ll remember that no car could be truly cool unless it had a turbo bolted to its engine. Turbocharged cars, like Group B (and A) World Rally Cars and the Lancia Delta Integrale, became automotive icons. But what does a turbo really do? In a nutshell, a turbo forces more air into the engine, increasing power and torque.

Every racer knows that it’s essential to warm up your car and turbos up before racing. Allowing the engine to run sees the oil rise up to a suitable temperature before taking off. The same is true when you finish a drive, you can’t simply switch the engine off immediately. You need to let it cool down. After racing, the turbos are still significantly hotter than your engine oil temperature. If you shut off the engine, the oil no longer flows, and thus pockets of oil heat up to very high temperatures, leaving behind heavier oil that won’t have ideal flow characteristics.

The bezel on the Type 5X is a prominent part of the design. The markings on the bezel are original and directly related to the collaboration with Automobili Amos and the functioning of the turbos. This adjustment was key when considering the focus of being more conscious of the passage of time. The bezel is divided into two distinct parts. The first one is dedicated to the warmup of the engine (15min) – the S stands for Start, D for Drive and R for Race – while the other one is dedicated to the cooling of the Turbos (10 min). Like all rituals in life, from coffee to journaling, this is a distinct process that provides a new framework for drivers to prepare and decompress from races – on the track and in life.

The dial and sub dials have also evolved to be more car-oriented and inspired by the Lancia Delta Futurista graphics. With the addition of new colors such as red and yellow, the olive-green softens and darkens in the Type 5X with the presence of oil. The Type5 was a world first, allowing divers to read time underwater. Developed for water, it is now set free on four wheels.

On the steering wheel of the Lancia Delta Futurista, you find the “levati” button, useful for blinking at those in front of you and inviting them elegantly to get out of your way (the Italian way). The Type 5X is already highly legible from low angles thanks to the oil but the levati rubber accessory adds a new dimension of function, enabling the driver to wear his watch on the side of his wrist. A perfect fit while driving. This limited edition Type 5X also comes with two straps as standard. One being made by the same Alacantara found in the Lancia Futurista and a second in green rubber.

Built on the expertise of yesterday, crafted with today’s technology, Ressence watches are designed for tomorrow. The Type 5X is not just the perfect racing co-pilot, but a reminder that your time at the wheel is precious.