The New Ressence Type 2 (With e-Crown)

The mechanical watch just got a bit smarter, with this new Ressence Type 2 watch with e-Crown. Belgium based independent watchmaking brand Ressence comes up with a new Type 2 watch, just before the SIHH 2019 will be hosted next week. It will be there where we can see and try the watch ourselves, so for now, just a few highlights of this Type 2 with a touch of magic.

Ressence Type 2

When you are not familiar with Ressence at all, let me suggest you take a look at some of the articles we did in the past about them, like this hands-on review of their Type 1 and Type 3 watches. Interestingly enough, Ressence is one of the very few independent watchmakers that I’ve come across in the flesh a little while ago. Most of these watches go to collectors and connoisseurs of independent watchmakers, so what are the odds you run into one outside exhibitions or events.

This new Type 2 watch with e-Crown (a registered trademark), is the first mechanical watch with a crown that is considered ‘smart’. As in smartwatch, as in digital, not a crown that you might know from some mechanical watches that switch the gears in a certain mode (winding, setting, etc.).

The development of the e-Crown came down to one simple but fundamental question: “What if I could trust and rely on my mechanical watch as much as I do for my phone.” As said, I have to see it in the flesh, but according to Ressence, the e-Crown of the new Type 2 watch works as follows:

With the e-Crown, it automatically sets and adjusts the watch to the correct time when this is needed. It actually combines mechanics with digital engineering. You activate and control this new crown (and watch) by tapping the crystal, much like you would do with an all-digital Tissot T-Touch for example. Then, you will see on the dial which mode you are currently in (time zone 1, time zone 2, app and e-Crown off).

The Type 2 is manually set via the lever on its case back. By double tapping the crystal, the manually set time is digitally registered by e-Crown. When the watch is not actively used (for over 3 months even), you can put on the watch, tap the crystal and the watch will correct itself to the current time.

If you are a regular traveller (to and from different time zones), this watch is pretty convenient as well. You can use two time zones with the new Type 2 and switch between them using the mode selector (tapping the dial). Then, there’s an app (hence the app mode) that you can use via Bluetooth to connect with the Ressence Type 2 watch and make you select a time zone from a list of cities in the world.

Another interesting feature is that you don’t need to wind the new Type 2 anymore after every time of inactivity (for a longer period). The new Type 2 has a power save function, the e-Crown will hold the barrel of the mechanical movement. When you start using the watch again, the watch will start running again after double tapping the crystal (as it will release the barrel). Ressence wants to stress that this watch does not have GPS or is not being radio controlled. The watch can be set using the lever on the back or by using the e-Crown app, and meanwhile, the time is also being registered digitally inside the watch.

Pretty cool eh? We are looking forward to see it in the flesh next week at the SIHH.

Ressence Type 2 e-Crown Specifications

More information via Ressence online.