Oil-filled watch by marc newson and ressence
Marc Newson designs Ressence’s TYPE 3 MN watch with the time hands appearing suspended in a removable oil-filled chamber. The timepiece design uses Ressence’s ROCS system (Ressence Orbital Convex System), which is a display mechanism that moves the accessory’s discs instead of its standard hands. These discs rotate around multiple axes, and on TYPE 3 MN with Marc Newson, four biaxial satellites hold Grade 5 titanium discs, each of them moving at a set angle that allows the hours, minutes, and seconds to be clearly read.
There is also a runner disc engraved into the discs, illuminating to help the user see the markings in bright or dark environments. The watch’s mechanism uses magnets to drive the movement of the discs. Inside, one part of the watch is kept separate from another, and this upper chamber is filled with silicone oil. The lower chamber, on the other hand, holds the movement. The oil removes the usual bending of light that happens inside watches, and because of that, the time on the discs looks close to the glass and clear from all angles. The sapphire crystal is curved to support this effect, making the time look like it is floating under the fingertips.
all images courtesy of Ressence
Titanium case secures the oil within the timepiece design
TYPE 3 MN uses a shape that follows the wrist, which is elliptical and smooth. A domed sapphire crystal covers the face of the watch, and there are no ‘traditional’ hands placed above the dial because of the oil-filled chamber under the glass. The color palette includes celadon green, grey, black, and yellow, courtesy of the designer Marc Newson, and these shades also appear at the timepiece design’s watch bands, which are connected seamlessly to the case. This shape creates a continuous line when worn, made to improve wearing comfort.
The case of the oil-filled watch by Marc Newson and Ressence is formed from titanium. All the surfaces are treated to match one visual language to keep each part consistent even when viewed up close. The battery inside TYPE 3 MN is mechanical rather than electronic, so it stores energy through movement. The seals between sections are carefully designed so the oil stays in place and the mechanism inside stays dry. The concept behind the watch design is called Simplication, a process Ressence uses and one that Marc Newson’s design language resonates well with. It removes anything unnecessary while keeping function and care in the product. In fact, in TYPE 3 MN, it shows only the time and nothing extra. So far, only 80 units of the model will be produced.
Marc Newson co-designs Ressence’s TYPE 3 MN watch
the discs on the timepiece design rotate around multiple axes
there is also a runner disc engraved into the discs, illuminating to help the user see the markings
one part of the watch is kept separate from another, and this upper chamber is filled with silicone oil
the oil removes the usual bending of light that happens inside watches
the time on the discs looks close to the glass and clear from all angles
detailed side view of the timepiece design
detailed side view of the timepiece design
project info:
name: TYPE 3 MN
designer: Marc Newson | @marcnewsonofficial
brand: Ressence | @ressence_watches
The post marc newson crafts ressence’s watch with hands suspended in removable oil-filled chamber appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.