The Ressence TYPE 3 BB2 is a 2024 black-on-black edition of the brand’s oil-filled mechanical watch. Its rotating display appears to sit directly beneath the crystal, while a modified ETA 2824-family movement and Ressence’s ROCS module drive the indications. The reported launch specifications include a 44 mm Grade 5 titanium case, 36-hour power reserve and only 10 m / 1 ATM water resistance.
What is the Ressence TYPE 3 BB2?
Introduced around Geneva Watch Days in August 2024, the TYPE 3 BB2 is the second black-on-black version of the Ressence Type 3, following the Type 3 BBB, according to Fratello Watches. It is a mechanical watch, not a digital screen: the indications are mechanically driven through Ressence’s ROCS (Ressence Orbital Convex System) display module.
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The BB2’s defining contrast is between its subdued black exterior and a display designed to seem almost flush with the domed crystal. Black DLC-coated titanium and a largely black dial keep the look restrained; limited color accents distinguish oil-temperature and weekend indications. Fratello describes four biaxial satellites with engraved, Super-LumiNova-filled markings and an outer date indication.
Why does the display look as if it floats?
The upper chamber is filled with oil, and the dial’s indications rotate on eccentric discs rather than sitting on a conventional flat dial. The 1916 Company explains that the oil’s refractive index is similar to sapphire’s, reducing the visible boundary between the display and the front crystal. The result is an unusual surface-like effect: the moving markings can appear to float just beneath the glass. That is an optical effect, not a projection or electronic display.
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- Stainless Steel case with Black Resin Band
- Black Dial with date window at 3 O'clock
- Luminous markers and hour hands; sweep second hand
- Anti-reverse bezel
- Water-resistant to 200 M (660 feet)
Fratello reports 3.57 ml of oil in the display chamber. The oil-filled construction is central to the appearance, but it also makes the case architecture more involved than that of a conventional three-hand watch.
How the movement and display work
Reports describe a modified ETA 2824-family automatic base paired with Ressence’s ROCS module. Fratello uses the designation ETA 2824-2, while Monochrome and the Japanese release report use 2824/2 or Cal. 2824-2. The sources describe a magnetic transmission between the movement and the display module, allowing the rotating indications to be driven without a conventional visible hand arrangement.
The oil chamber’s volume changes with temperature. A bellows system accommodates that expansion and contraction. Monochrome reports seven bellows, 47 jewels and a 215-part ROCS module; it also specifies a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour. Fratello and Monochrome both report a 36-hour power reserve.
Rank #2
- Stainless Steel Bracelet Watch
- Quartz
- Japanese-quartz Movement
- Case Diameter: 40mm; Operating Temp.: -10°C to +60°C
- Water resistant to 100m (330ft): in general, suitable for swimming and snorkeling, but not diving
The cited descriptions do not show a conventional crown. Winding and setting are performed through the case back, as described by Fratello and Monochrome. The design puts the setting and winding controls out of sight while preserving the watch’s clean exterior.
Case, strap and water resistance
The launch coverage gives the BB2 a 44 mm diameter and 15 mm thickness, in Grade 5 titanium with a matte black DLC coating. Domed sapphire crystals are fitted front and back. Monochrome additionally reports a convex Grade 5 titanium dial plate with a 125 mm radius.
- Case: Grade 5 titanium with matte black DLC coating
- Dimensions: 44 mm across and 15 mm thick, as reported by Fratello and Monochrome
- Crystal: Domed sapphire, front and back
- Strap: Black 22 mm honeycomb synthetic strap, as described by Fratello and Monochrome
- Water resistance: Reported as 10 m / 1 ATM
That water-resistance rating is modest. The BB2 should not be treated as a swimming or diving watch; its reported rating is 10 m / 1 ATM, rather than a diver’s specification. Fratello lists 1 ATM, while Monochrome and the 1916 Company give 10 m.
Rank #3
- Case Width: 1.4 inches (36 mm)
- Wrist Circumference: 5.5 - 7.5 inches (140 - 190 mm)
- Automatic
- Day Date RPA2023 Skeleton Back
2024 launch price and availability reports
Launch-era prices differ by market and tax basis, so they should not be collapsed into one universal figure. These reports date from August and September 2024 and are not verified current quotes.
| Source and report date | Reported launch price | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Fratello Watches, 29 August 2024 | €38,200 | Excluding VAT |
| Monochrome Watches, 30 August 2024 | CHF 38,200 | Swiss-franc price as reported; tax basis not stated |
| WatchMediaOnline, 18 September 2024 | ¥6,723,200 | Including tax in the Japanese release report |
WatchMediaOnline also reported that the BB2 received the Red Dot Design Award 2024 “Best of the Best.” That distinction is attributed here to the Japanese report; the cited award claim was not independently confirmed against the award organizer’s listing.
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The TYPE 3 BB2 combines a relatively large black titanium case with an oil-filled, mechanically rotating display. The display architecture is the main point of difference: it replaces the familiar arrangement of hands over a dial with moving indications that appear to occupy the crystal’s surface. Its visual subtlety comes with trade-offs: a 15 mm-thick case, a complex mechanism, and low water resistance.
Ressence’s description, reproduced by PRJKT8, calls the black edition a way to showcase “the magic of our flush rotating discs, acting like a mechanical screen, tricking the viewer’s senses and provoking wonder.” The quote is attributed to Ressence, not to an identified individual.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
