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

ressence and terumasa ikeda create ‘astronomy’ watch

Ressence presents the TYPE 9 IKE, a watch made with Japanese artist Terumasa Ikeda that has dials moving 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. Because raden is flat and can break, the pieces need soaking before use, and only then can he bend them step by step on soft sheets. This process helps the shell follow the round dial, avoiding any kind of breakage from this fragile material.

all images courtesy of Ressence

Moving discs tell the time instead of hands

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 display gives a time-reading system without hands. Instead of fixed parts, the whole dial shifts. Hours and minutes move together in orbit-like paths, and this motion works with the layered craft.

On the back of the watch, Terumasa Ikeda adds his signature to seal his watch collaboration with Ressence. The watch case uses titanium, with the surface bearing a DLC coating. The case, bezel, dial parts, and back all share this finish, and all of these create the frame for the dial. Inside this frame, the lacquer and shell work interact with the rotating display. The TYPE 9 IKE is limited to eight pieces, with each unit following the same process of layering lacquer and shell on a moving dial. At the moment, the TYPE 9 IKE watch by Terumasa Ikeda and Ressence is available from selected Ressence retailers from February 26th, 2026.

Ressence presents the TYPE 9 IKE, a watch made with Japanese artist Terumasa Ikeda

the model has dials moving like planets

the artist places pieces of shell (raden) on the surface of the model

the artist also applies Urushi, which is a traditional coating method from Japan

the model uses the TYPE 9 unit of the brand as a base

detailed view of the surface

the caseback reveals the artist and brand’s names

project info:

name: TYPE 9 IKE

artist: Terumasa Ikeda | @terumasaikeda

brand: Ressence | @ressence_watches