One of my favorite stops at Watches & Wonders is always Ressence. Located in the hall of smaller booths that mostly house independent brands, their clever and unique designs always stand out. This year, they didn’t have any novelties to speak of, though it was my first opportunity to see their most recent releases: the Type 1 Round Multi-Color, and Type 3 Eucalyptus. Both left an impression, but the subtly whimsical hues in the Type 1 Round Multi-Color won me over, becoming one of the watches I’ve thought about most since the fair.

Since there weren’t any releases just for Watches & Wonders, we decided to sit down with brand founder Benoit Mintiens and discuss what Ressence does. We talked a bit about their approach to design and the concepts behind their simple-on-the-surface timepieces. Their watches are truly different from anything else, so, unsurprisingly, so are their goals. Check that conversation out below.