astronomy-inspired watch by ressence and terumasa ikeda has dials that move like planets

"Using the brand's ROCS system, the design shows time through rotating discs instead of hands. The dials move in circles as if they were a system in space, and in fact, the artist uses this movement as the highlight of the visual language. He builds and crafts art as the composition and structure of the watch itself."

"Terumasa Ikeda works with urushi lacquer and raden. Urushi is a traditional coating method from Japan, while raden uses pieces of shell. These shell pieces then sit inside the surface of his watch with Ressence. For this model, he cuts very thin shell parts and places them onto the curved dial."

"The TYPE 9 IKE watch by Terumasa Ikeda and brand Ressence shows a layout that connects to heliocentrism. The artist says the moving discs remind him of planets and therefore links this idea to early astronomy. At that time, people searched for truth through observation and data. This thinking forms the design concept of the model."

The TYPE 9 IKE represents a collaboration between watchmaker Ressence and artist Terumasa Ikeda, featuring a revolutionary time display using rotating discs instead of traditional hands. The design draws inspiration from heliocentrism and early astronomy, with hours and minutes moving in orbit-like paths across layered dials. Ikeda employs traditional Japanese techniques including urushi lacquer coating and raden shell inlay work. The delicate raden pieces are carefully soaked and bent onto the curved dial surface to prevent breakage. The titanium case features DLC coating, creating a frame for the intricate dial work. Limited to eight pieces, the watch merges artistic vision with horological innovation.

Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine