As a leading figure in industrial design, Australia’s Marc Newson has left a distinct mark on watchmaking. From the playful charm of his 1990s Ikepod creations to the clean, iconic lines of the Apple Watch—which emerged as the best-selling watch globally after 2015—his vision is unmistakable.
Ressence and Newson now present the TYPE 3 MN, an 80-piece limited edition timepiece that merges Newson’s soft futuristic aesthetics with Benoît Mintiens’ refined minimalist approach to timekeeping.
“I wanted to merge our universes,” explains Mintiens. “Knowing Marc Newson’s design universe, I saw a pioneer of industrial-design thinking in fine watchmaking, and that really interested me. I wanted to bring Marc’s and Ressence’s vision of watchmaking into one perfect product.” – Benoît Mintiens
The Case: A Futuristic, Pebble-Like Silhouette
At first glance, the new Type 3 MN evokes Newson’s Ikepod era with its smooth, pebble-like silhouette that challenged conventional watch design, while preserving the core elements of a classic Type 3.
The 45mm‑wide, 15mm‑high Grade 5 titanium case might look imposing, but its lug‑free round construction slots the strap into the case ends, giving the sides an inherent downward tilt. Inside, two hermetically sealed sections separate 4.15ml of oil in the upper half from the mechanical base movement in the lower half.
Dial and Movement: Oil-Filled Mechanics
The sleek case serves as a quiet canvas for the intricate dial, keeping every Type 3 detail but filtered through Newson’s style. The scheme is largely greyscale with bold yellow pops.
White‑on‑black marks the outer date and 60‑minute scales, the ROCS disc is a soft grey, and the weeks, hours, seconds and oil‑temperature sub‑dials are black‑white with yellow hands, reminiscent of the high‑contrast warning graphics found in factory safety signage.
The timepiece runs on an ETA 2824/2 movement integrated with the ROCS module. Its 36‑hour power reserve looks modest, yet it has to sustain the entire orbital display, so the duration is justified.
Price, Availability, and Specifications
Limited to 80 examples, the Type 3 Marc Newson carries an asking price of CHF 46,000 (ex. VAT) and can be purchased on Ressence’s website or through the brand’s dealer network.
Technical Specifications:
- Diameter: 44 mm
- Height: 15 mm
- Material: Grade 5 titanium
- Crystal: Sapphire
- Water resistance: 10 m
- Movement: ETA 2824‑2 with in‑house time‑display module (ROCS)
- Functions: Hours, minutes, day, date, running indicator, oil‑temperature indicator
- Winding: Automatic
- Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
- Power reserve: 36 hours
- Strap: Rubber with titanium buckle
- Limited edition: 80 pieces
- Availability: Ressence boutiques and authorized retailers — starting December 2025
- Price: CHF 46,000 (approx. $57,438 USD) — excluding taxes
Related Reading: If you appreciate the rounded, organic design of this collaboration, you might also like our look at the revival of Ikepod watches.
Images Courtesy of Ressence
