Benoît Mintiens: How Ressence Is Rethinking the Wristwatch

A mechanical watch that reads like a screen sounds like a contradiction until you hear how Ressence pulls it off. I’m joined by Benoît Mintiens, the founder and CEO of Ressence, a brand famous for doing the things most watch companies won’t touch: no hands, no crown, rotating disc displays, and oil-filled dials that seem to float on the crystal.Benoît explains how an industrial design background (trains, aircraft cabins, medical devices) reshaped his view of watchmaking. We talk about the “mechanical screen” philosophy, why flat 2D information is easier for the human eye, and how the ROCS module keeps familiar time-reading patterns while rebuilding the mechanics underneath. Then we get technical on the Type 3: splitting the watch into air and oil sections, using magnetic transmission to avoid leaks, and why an oil temperature gauge and bellows system are essential engineering, not decoration.We also go behind the scenes on what it takes to stay independent: building a high-complexity Belgian watch brand without Swiss infrastructure, fighting for supplier capacity against mega-groups, protecting long-term service and resale value, and why cash flow can be the biggest design constraint of all. If you love independent watchmaking, modern horology, and product design thinking applied to timekeeping, this one goes deep.If you enjoyed the conversation, subscribe, share it with a fellow watch nerd, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What’s the most user-friendly watch you’ve ever worn?Checkout Ressence online: https://ressencewatches.com/Send us Fan MailSupport the showSupport the show: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2237102/supportVisit our Blog: https://lonelywrist.comWatch our Youtube: http://youtube.lonelywrist.com100% Viewer Funded: Donate Here