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Having unveiled a one-off, all-red version of its iconic oil-filled Type 3 in 2020 to benefit the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, Ressence continues to peddle the ecological cause with the launch of a limited-edition Type 5 in partnership with the Monaco-based retailer Art in Time. The brainchild of Chopard’s co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, Art in Time is a gallery boutique with a philanthropic mission, bringing together independent watchmaking houses who will develop limited editions that will be sold exclusively through the retailer in support of a local charitable initiative.

The Type 5 AIT is a fresh take on an already visually and mechanically exotic dive watch. It will be produced in a limited edition of 12 pieces with full proceeds of the 12th watch going to support the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation’s efforts in marine conservation and sustainable development.

In a departure from the monochromatic colour palette of the standard Ressence watch, the Type 5 AIT sports vibrant splashes of yellow against a slate grey dial, further emphasizing the watch’s contemporary character while maintaining unmistakable legibility. As depth increases underwater, the harder it is for light to penetrate. Hence, all colours begin to fade after a certain depth in the order they appear in the colour spectrum, beginning with red. Although high contrast is ultimately what prevails underwater, yellow is discovered to be relatively resilient.

The bold colour is smartly applied to distinguish important functions. The bezel’s triangular marker which allows elapsed time to be viewed at a glance as well as the minute chapter ring against which the latter is read are rendered in yellow. Further, the hour disc also features a single yellow index, the position of which will differ from watch to watch in the series, with the 12th watch having its logo at 12 o’clock marked in yellow instead. The seconds disc also features a yellow index on both the seconds scale and its revolving disc to serve as an indicator that the watch is running underwater.

Apart from its visage, the watch is still the very same Type 5, which arose to make the most of the brand’s ingenious oil-filled display. Made of titanium, the case measures 46mm but it sits surprisingly close to the wrist with a rather elegant profile – a testament to the brand’s impressive ergonomic interventions in case design which includes a rear-mounted crown.

Like the Type 3, the patented Ressence Orbital Convex System (ROCS) is entirely immersed in oil in the Type 5, filling the gap between the dial and crystal tightly. Because the refractive index of the oil nearly matches that of sapphire crystal, the gap seemingly vanishes and the dial appears propped up against it, creating the optical illusion of being three-dimensional yet planar.

This effect is particularly suited for a dive watch as it cancels out refractions that make a watch’s crystal appear as a mirror underwater, providing vivid legibility from any angle. Additionally, because liquid cannot be compressed, the oil chamber achieves pressure equilibrium underwater.

On top of that, the nature of the ROCS time display module also makes it extremely fitting for a dive watch as the minute hand takes the lead, offering great clarity when counting out the dive time, while the hour hand, unimportant on a bottom timer, is relegated to the background in a sub-dial.

In contrast to the air-filled Type 1 and 8, wherein the module is directly driven by the cannon pinion of the base movement, the minute wheel on the base movement – ETA 2824/2 in this case – is magnetically coupled to the module as both units had to be hermetically isolated to protect the escapement.

In addition to the hours, minutes and seconds, the watch incorporates a sub-dial for a mechanical thermal gauge. As oil is highly sensitive to temperature changes, the gauge is used to indicate the optimal running temperature with the safe operating range depicted in white while the danger zone for high temperature is in yellow. All indications on the dial are engraved and filled with SuperLuminova, ensuring optimum readability in darkness and depth.

Lastly, a locking system, dubbed the Ressence Compression Lock System (RCLS) prevents any accidental winding of the case back underwater while compressing the gasket to facilitate water resistance to a depth of 100 meters.