Considering how complex its rotational dial mechanism is, Ressence’s watches are, for all intents and purposes, pretty minimalist. That said, we’ve seen the Belgian watchmaker play within that arena very well, with timepieces made with real sand and even a scaled-turquoise dial reminiscent of stained-glass windows.
But we’ve never seen Ressence put on the kind of dynamic display they’ve achieved with their latest Type 9 model, taking inspiration from sci-fi and bringing a whole new type of energy to their repertoire.
The ROCS as a Canvas
When Benoît Mintiens founded Ressence in Antwerp back in 2010, he set out to solve a problem most watchmakers weren’t even thinking about: pure readability. No hands, no crown, just a series of rotating discs driven by the brand’s patented Orbital Convex System (ROCS) that displays time the way your brain actually processes it. By the time the Type 9 arrived in late 2024 as the brand’s smallest and most accessible model at 39mm, the ROCS had already become a household name among watch enthusiasts. But the Type 9 IKEDA pushes the platform somewhere it’s never been before.
Old Craft, New Universe
The collaboration with Japanese artist Terumasa Ikeda isn’t your standard “art dial” treatment. Ikeda works out of a refurbished machiya in Kanazawa, applying traditional urushi lacquer and raden (mother-of-pearl inlay) to objects in ways that look unmistakably futuristic. His reference point for this watch was heliocentrism, the once-radical idea that the Sun is at the center of the solar system. That philosophy is perfect for a dial that literally orbits like a planetary system.
Typically, raden pieces are flat and fragile, closer to eggshell than shell. Attaching them to the Type 9’s curved convex dial meant soaking each ultra-thin sliver and bending it gradually over rubber sheets until it could follow the dial’s curvature without breaking. The result is a swirling, luminescent composition of concentric lines and iridescent color bursting out from a vortex at the dial’s center. It’s deep, layered, and constantly shifting under light as the ROCS mechanism does its thing. Mintiens says you feel it before you understand it.
The Hardware
The DLC-coated Grade 5 titanium case and bezel are all-black, which is the perfect choice. Without that contrast, the dial’s rainbow palette wouldn’t hit the same. At 39mm wide and 11mm thick, the flying-saucer silhouette is as wearable as the standard Type 9. Like usual, the ROCS 9 module rides on a customized ETA automatic base running at 28,800 vph with a 36-hour power reserve. Time-setting is handled via the caseback, as always, keeping the crownless profile completely intact. Ikeda’s signature is displayed on the back too.
Spec Sheet
Model: Ressence Type 9 IKEDA
Case Size: 39mm
Case Thickness: 11mm
Case Material: Grade 5 titanium with black DLC coating
Dial: Convex Grade 5 titanium, hand-applied urushi lacquer and raden (mother-of-pearl)
Movement: Patented ROCS 9 module on customized ETA automatic base
Water Resistance: 10m splash-resistance only
Strap: Black shiny horse leather with titanium ardillon buckle
Limited Edition: 8 pieces
Pricing & Availability
The Type 9 IKEDA is priced at CHF 32,000 (~$41,307) and is available now through select Ressence retailers worldwide. With only eight pieces in existence, this one won’t be around for long.
Recap
Ressence Type 9 IKEDA
Ressence teamed up with Japanese artist Terumasa Ikeda to create the Type 9 IKE, an 8-piece limited edition that layers traditional urushi lacquer and mother-of-pearl inlay onto the brand’s signature rotating dial for a result that looks equal parts ancient craft and deep-space sci-fi.
