In 2010, Antwerp-based industrial designer Benoît Mintiens pioneered one of the most mechanically intriguing and aesthetically unique time displays of the 21st century. The Ressence Orbital Convex System (ROCS) as it is known deconstructs time into units with a flush-mounted revolving dial plate that displays the minutes while housing a nested set of satellite disks for the hours and seconds, driven by planetary gears below the dial.

What’s equally intriguing is that his concept stems from a broader, deep-seated motivation to improve a wearer’s relationship with a watch. This led to numerous interventions not just in readability but also ergonomics and utility, from the watch’s organically shaped case to its rear-mounted crown, making a Ressence timepiece singular on many levels.