November 13, 2018
Belgium-based Benoit Mintiens, the man behind watch brand Ressence is “curious” about the reception his timepieces are likely to receive in India. As the luxury brand aims to excite watch lovers here, quite a few Indians are already wearing Ressence according to him.
“One of my first clients in 2010, when the brand was born, was an Indian collector. He ordered the first one without even seeing and owns a few pieces now,” says Mintiens in an exclusive interview with Vishawatch.com, sharing his familiarity with Indians given a large diaspora in Antwerp, including diamond merchants.
He also has a piece of advice for connoisseurs here. Mintiens, who went to school with a couple of ‘rich’ Indian kids in Antwerp, is of the opinion that there may be a tendency to focus on pricing, instead of acquiring what the heart truly desires.
“Because Indians are very sensitive to pricing, sometimes I have the feeling that they get more satisfaction from getting a good deal rather than buying something they really love,” he says adding, “Follow your heart!”
Benôit Mintiens, Gründer von Ressence Watches im Atelier Ressence in Antwerpen
Mumbai-based importer of luxury watches, Regalia Luxury, has recently introduced Ressence Type1 timepieces priced at Rs 15 lakh and above. The brand’s original concept, summed up by its motto #beyondhands, is to replace the conventional horological hands with rotating discs for an intuitive reading of the Time.
All Ressence watches share the same inimitable DNA. Their sub-dials continually revolve, as does the main disc into which they are set – like moons in orbit around a planet. This means that the watch’s uncluttered dial is ever-changing – as is everything in Time. That’s the Ressence philosophy. At the heart of a Ressence watch is ROCS, or the Ressence Orbital Convex System.
The Type1 comprises 212 components, assembled by a dedicated team of master watchmakers. The discs have a 125 mm radius sphere shape and require specific know-how and tools to be produced. The convex guilloche finishing for instance is and can only be manufactured by one renowned atelier in the world.
The Type3 and Type5 mechanical watches have liquid inside. The entire upper part containing the ROCS is immersed in 35 ml of oil. Invisible to the eye, the fluid eliminates the refraction between the glass and the dial, making the watch truly unique. These will also be soon brought to India. But now is the time to test waters with the Type1.
According to Mintiens, Ressence is for leaders, not followers. It is a brand for those who do not care about what others are wearing. “We do not have a brand name on the dial, and our clients do not need that,” he says, adding “I guarantee you’ll feel special with it!”
Words: Vijaya Rathore