Ressence Type 5 AI [SCUBA-esque]

Ressence wows with their latest piece of diving horology which takes it inspiration from Mother Nature. The 12-piece Limited Edition with "Art In Time" and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation is their way of returning to nature. Introducing the Type 5 AIT (Art In Time), Ressence’s newest oil-filled creation. The Limited Edition collaboration with their partners Art In Time in Monaco perfectly demonstrates the watchmakers contemporary approach to watchmaking. The Type 5 AIT is an extension of the TYPE 5 dive watch. It is characterized by its bold, organic case, oil-filled dial, excellent legibility as well as its bezel. You could not help but be drawn to the Type 5 AIT’s vibrant yellow notes on the dial, markers, and bezel. There will only be 11 watches, each unique and available exclusively at Art In Time. The 12th watch with a distinctive yellow Ressence logo will be sold at a charity event in September with all proceeds going to the Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco. Its case has been crafted entirely in Grade 5 Titanium, which contributes to its light weight in the hand and on the wrist (with the strap included, the watch weighs a mere 85 grams). The tapered case has a sandwich-style construction with a two-tone finish, showcasing both polished and satin finishing textures. Dial side, the hours’ disc (adorned with the Ressence logo) has a yellow index at the hour that the watch corresponds to. This will be unique to the owner. Below the oil-filled upper chamber is an air-filled lower chamber that houses the bespoke mechanical auto-winding movement - using a magnet transmission to drive the discs on the ROCS dial.

Seven bellows compensate for the expansion and contraction of the oil in the upper chamber as temperatures change. 

The use of oil has one ultimate advantage. It cancels out what is known as Total Internal Reflection.

Typically, underwater, a traditional diver’s watch needs to be viewed straight on in order to be read properly - otherwise refraction turns the glass into a mirror. 

However this is not true of the innovative oil-filled TYPE 5. The use of oil ensures complete legibility whatever the angle of view – a first for a mechanical watch.

The rear-mounted crown deploys the Ressence Compression Lock System (RCLS), a mechanism which closes the gasket sealing of the lower air chamber when the crown is pushed back into its resting position. 

The new new Ressence Type 5 AIT diver’s watch has an eye watering MSRP in the EU of 35,500euros incl. taxes.

Thoughts? You know how sometimes you look at something; maybe it’s a new car design, maybe it’s a watch and you think wtf is that? 

This thing allows for absolutely no ambiguity; it’s a clearly diver’s watch and one created in the highest forms. And speaking of form it offers a fresh perspective on what a dive watch’s form should / could be.

You can see the diver’s mask and regulator design cues and that’s very appealing. Meanwhile functionally it does something that no other watch can with its bonkers oil-filled dial. 

Imo Ressence cast yet another spell with yet more diving horological wizardry – only this time around they’ve truly captured the essence of SCUBA with the Type 5 AIT. But what do you think?