There are a million ways to display the hour. From postmodern, deconstructed watch faces of Richard Mille to the timeless classics of a Rolex, how the time is displayed in the watch face is often as important as the watch construction itself. Stefan Sagmeister, a renowned watchmaker, based out of New York, has always looked at horology from an interesting perspective, and his new Type 3X Watch by Ressence is no different.
This timepiece is not your standard titanium watch. No — this is something special. Suspended in a bubble of oil, this watch’s unique time-keeping face floats and rotates effortlessly. This limited edition watch is not for everyone, but if the initial images pique your interest, read on.
Type 3X Watch Construction
The intention of the build in the Type 3X Watch is to replicate the sensation of observing a single droplet of water. There’s no bezel on this timepiece; rather, the bubble that covers the face is a convex cut. From the side, it appears as if there’s essentially nothing separating the rotating face from the outside world. However, below that crystal sits a pool of oil, and atop that bubble rests a slowly rotating watch face, which indicates time to its owner, amongst other things.
The movement chamber of the watch sits below the bubble face, hermetically sealed and free from oil. A magnetic transmission system sits between the two complementary hemispheres and drives the watch’s motion through the magic magnetic fields.
Amid the Type 3X Watch’s sleek dial and interwoven colorations that reflect the date, time, and temperature of the oil inside the watch is a carefully integrated message from the watchmaker: “Now is Better.” Though it hardly seems the case for many in the time of a pandemic, Sagmeister’s attempt here is to remind the viewer that modernity is a far better era to live than those that preceded it. Such is evidenced by life expectancy and modern technology. That’s an arguable position to take at this moment, but we appreciate his positivity.
Type 3X Price and Availability
Sagmeister’s Type 3X Watch is available with a green leather strap and a titanium ardillon buckle in the back. Limited to only 40 pieces globally, this model will soon sell out, even at the asking price of $51,175 (before import taxes).
