People Don’t Buy Watches, They Buy Brands: Ressence Founder Benoît Mintiens

On this episode of Superlative, host and founder of aBlogtoWatch, Ariel Adams, sits down with Benoît Mintiens, the founder of Ressence, for an in-depth conversation on what it truly means to rethink modern watchmaking. Marking 15 years of Ressence, Benoît reflects on the emotional and strategic weight of watch trade shows like Watches and Wonders, the enduring importance of in-person experiences in a digital world, and how human connection continues to drive enthusiasm for mechanical timepieces. The discussion moves into the realities of running an independent watch brand, from the unexpected “show business” demands placed on founders to the challenges of building a company without becoming its sole personality. Benoît explains Ressence’s core philosophy of applying industrial design thinking to fine watchmaking, detailing how starting from the user experience rather than the movement has led to radical ideas such as oil-filled dials, crown-less cases, and the groundbreaking e-Crown system. Ariel and Benoît explore why most consumers buy watches for the brand rather than the products themselves, how independent brands operate at the edge of the industry’s ecosystem, and why disruption often comes from designers and engineers willing to challenge century-old norms. Listen in on their conversation as the two look at the fragile industrial supply chain behind high-end watchmaking, the cost and complexity of true innovation, and why Ressence’s future-focused approach continues to