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Bell & Ross Launches BR-X5

Bell & Ross’s newest collection, the BR-X5, offers a more technical version of its hot BR-05 collection, emphasizing a new multi-layer case, a new custom movement and a redesigned dial.

The black-dial version of the new Bell & Ross BR-X5.

The BR-X5 retains the BR-05’s round dial within a gently rounded square case and its integrated bracelet/strap, but extends the architectural appeal of the design with eye-catching multi-level case construction. The dial also underscores the technical focus of the new collection with its prominent power reserve indicator and an extra large aviation-style date aperture.

At 41mm in diameter, one millimeter larger than its forebear, the new BR-X5 case displays a hollowed-out central layer flanked by the watch’s square bezel and its caseback, both fixed to the two steel plates that form the top and bottom of the case.

Between the caseback and dial Bell & Ross fits a customized automatic Calibre BR-CAL.323 movement made by Kenissi. The Swiss movement maker was founded to create calibers for Tudor and, since 2016, has also supplied movements to Chanel, Breitling and others.

A chronometer 

The new movement is a COSC-certified chronometer that offers an impressive 70-hour power reserve. Also notable is the movement’s rapid date correction device, which allows for a quick date adjustment. Bell & Ross highlights the new movement’s long power reserve with a large power reserve indicator on the dial.

Look for two dial options, black and ice blue, for the steel-cased BR-X5. A third model, the BR-X5 Carbon Orange, is the sportiest of the new collection with its carbon fiber case that holds its automatic movement within a DLC titanium block.

The BR-X5 Carbon Orange is a limited edition of 500.

Bell & Ross has equipped all three models with a rotor designed to recall the shape of a race car wheel rim. The rotor is visible through clear sapphire on the steel BR-X5 and through a smoky sapphire glass on the BR-05 Carbon Orange.

To emphasize the new debut’s technical reliability, Bell & Ross is supporting the entire BR-X5 collection with a five-year warranty, which exceeding the previous Bell & Ross standard warranty of two years.

Prices: $7,400 (with steel bracelet) and $6,900 (rubber strap); $11,800 (BR-05 Carbon Orange, a limited edition of 500.) 

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Bell & Ross Adds Copper Brown Dial to BR 05

Bell & Ross adds a fourth dial color, copper brown, to the BR 05 collection, the watchmaker’s series of round-corner square-case watches with round dials and integrated bracelets.

The new Bell & Ross BR 05 Copper Brown.

The new BR 05 Copper Brown watch joins existing models in the collection with black, silver grey and navy blue dials. 

“You have to breathe life into a range”, explains Bruno Belamich, creative director and co-founder of Bell & Ross. “It can be achieved through technique (movement), materials, or details. For the BR 05 Copper Brown, we chose the color,” he adds.

Bell & Ross introduced the BR 05 in 2019 as a contemporary version of its well-known square-cased BR 03 collection. BR 05 signaled the brand’s entry into the expanding field of Swiss-made 1970s-style steel watches with integrated bracelets.

The new watch’s golden-brown dial is finished with a sunburst pattern. Made specifically for the new model, the dial finish and color requires Bell & Ross artisans to micro-engrave the metal plate of the dial in a circular pattern. Then, technicians add several coats of transparent brown varnish to the metal plate, creating a sense of depth.

Bell & Ross then adds the same metallic color to the indexes, which creates “the effect of a block of metal simply adorned by its sunburst brown dial,” according to Bell & Ross. The dial’s hands, indexes and numerals are coated with SuperLuminova.

The watchmaker will offer the BR 05 Copper Brown with either an integrated polished and satin-finished steel bracelet or on a sporty brown rubber strap.

Bell & Ross powers the watch with its Sellita-based BR-CAL 321 automatic movement. With the watch’s sapphire case-back the owner can view the caliber’s oscillating weight with sports-car-rim-inspired design.

Prices: $4,600 on rubber strap and $5,100 on a steel bracelet.

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Bell & Ross Dives Into the Ice

Bell & Ross says that its 42mm BR 03-92 Diver White, which debuted earlier this year, is inspired by frozen watery worlds. And with a dial adorned with white, a shade rarely seen at Bell & Ross, we see why.

The Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver White, which debuted earlier this year.

Bell & Ross has released numerous dive watches since the first of this square-cased series debuted in 2017. Prior to the series, Bell & Ross offered several barrel-shaped BR 02 dive models, and years earlier, in 1997, Bell & Ross debuted its round-cased Hydromax, a deep-diver water resistant to 11,100-meters.

The case on this latest edition BR 03-92 diver is water resistant to 300 meters and its unidirectional rotating bezel, notched to calculate decompression stops, is graduated over sixty minutes with a luminescent dot at 12 o’clock. The anti-reflective sapphire crystal on this diving watch is very thick, and the back is reinforced.

A crown protector prevents accidental manipulations of the crown while the watch’s hands and indices are coated with a SuperLuminova, emitting a bright green color in the dark. Finally, Bell & Ross includes a black rubber strap suitable for underwater use.

All these specs underscore the fact that the BR 03-92 Diver White meets the specifications of the Swiss diving watch as it meets complying the ISO 6425 dive watch standard.

Price: $3,990

Specifications: Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver White

Movement: BR-CAL.302, a Sellita-based automatic.

Case: 42mm by 12.05mm satin-finished and polished steel. Unidirectional rotating steel bezel with 60-minute scale and black anodized aluminum insert. Screw-down crown, sapphire crystal. Crown guard. Water resistant to 300 meters.

Dial: Silver opaline with applique indices, Super-LumiNova inserts, skeletonized applique Super-LumiNova-filled hour, minute and seconds hands.

Strap: Woven black rubber and a second strap of ultra-resilient black synthetic fabric. Pin buckle with satin-finished and polished steel.

Price: $3,990.

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Bell & Ross Races With Formula 1

Bell & Ross adopts the new colors of its racing partner BWT Alpine F1 Team on the BR 03-92 A522, the watchmaker’s  latest Formula 1 watch.

The new Bell & Ross BR 03-92 A522.

As a partner the Renault F1 Team (now BWT Alpine) since 2016, Bell & Ross has launched watches that represent the colors and materials found on partner race cars. Bell & Ross says it was inspired this year by the steering wheel, chassis and graphics on the new Alpine A522 racing car.

The new Bell & Ross BR03-92-A522 is attached to the wrist with an ultra-breathable micro-perforated rubber strap.

“Beyond the style and the colors, we conceive above all a tool at the service of the driver, an ally at all times,” explains Bruno Belamich, Bell & Ross creative director and co-founder. 

The new BR 03-92 A522, a limited edition pf 999 pieces, features a 42mm matte-black ceramic-case with a black dial accented with white and blue, taking design cues from the speedometer of an Alpine racecar.

Also referencing the car is the counterweight of the central blue chrono seconds, which references the A of Alpine. The small blue, white and red flag echoes Alpine’s colors, while Alpine’s signature blue is used on the flange. 

Inside Bell & Ross fits its Sellita-based automatic BR-CAL.302 movement. Price: $4,500.

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Bell & Ross Decorates BR 05

Bell & Ross dresses up its BR 05 with 1930s-era industrial design accents to create the new BR 05 Artline, a limited edition of 250 pieces.

The new Bell & Ross BR 05 Artline.

The Franco-Swiss watchmaker introduced the “round within a square” BR 05 design with integrated bracelet in 2019 and it quickly became a best seller. Now, Bell & Ross adds new artistic style to underscore the fluid lines of the collection.

Called Artline, the new décor accents the case and bracelet of the watch with distinctive aerodynamic lines.

“This name indicates that it incorporates an artistic dimension (art) in its design (line). When you look at it, you immediately think of the American style of the Stream-Line,” explains Bruno Belamich, co-founder of Bell & Ross. The new finish appears on the one-piece bezel, which is fixed to the case with four screws, and on the central bracelet links, uniting the overall style.

Belamich, who is also creative director for the brand, explains that the somewhat ornate BR 05 Artline design was inspired by air travel and architecture.

The folded metal, he explains, recalls the first transport planes of the 1940s, which were known for their corrugated aluminum fuselage. The technique instilled lightness and resistance to deformation to the airplane.

The BR 05 Artline’s architectural inspirations can also be seen in the aluminum facades of buildings and on avant-garde lighting and furnishings.

The new watch also utilizes a new dial color for Bell & Ross: sunburst ruthenium grey. The result of metallization process, the dial nicely complements the steel case, especially with its generous use of Superluminova on the hands and markers.

Bell & Ross powers the BR 05 Artline with its Sellita-based automatic BR-CAL 321 caliber, which is visible through a sapphire caseback. The movement’s rotor is designed to echo the look of a sports car rim.

The new BR 05 Artline is a limited edition of 250 pieces and is on sale online in Bell & Ross boutiques. Price: $5,500.

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