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Bell & Ross Expands Cockpit-Inspired Collection

Bell & Ross adds a colorful new model to its Flight Instruments collection. The new BR 03-92 Radiocompass is the latest model in the series, which Bell & Ross debuted in 2010 to display time through the lens of cockpit tool designs and layouts.

The Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Radiocompass.

Named to echo the on-board radio receiver that defines the position and direction of an aircraft via beacons on the ground, the BR 03-92 Radiocompass offers the wearer a matte black dial with three primary indications. Its innermost dial circle features the hour numerals, which are surrounded by the minute indexes. On the flange you’ll find the seconds numerals.

All the numerals here are turned towards the center of the dial just as they are on a navigation instrument. Their ‘isonorm’ typography is a technical typeface used within the navigation instrument industry.

At the top of the dial you’ll see a white triangle, an aviation cockpit fixture.

Unusual hands

Bell & Ross has spent a considerable amount of effort to create unique hands for this new watch.

Influenced by Pop Art, the hands are brightly colored to heighten readability and each is shaped to clearly associate itself to a specific time indication. The largest hand indicates the hours and is painted orange with an H at its tip. The long baton minute hand is fit with an M just below its tip, and the thin seconds hand is painted green.

Bell & Ross also plays with the watch’s SuperLuminova accents. At night, the luminescent indexes take on blue tones as the minutes appear green. The hour hand first turns yellow and then ends its luminescence in green.

This 42mm by 10.4mm matte black ceramic watch is water resistant to 200 meters and is powered by an ETA-based automatic BR-CAL302 caliber.

Previous watches in the Bell & Ross Flight Instruments collection include:

–The BR 01 Radar (2010), which inaugurated Bell & Ross’s rotating disc display.

— BR 01 Red Radar (2011), and avant-garde dial that reproduces the sweeping light beam of an air traffic control radar.

— The HUD (Head Up Display) from 2020, which combined rotating discs and analog hands.

Bell & Ross will make the BR 03-92 Radiocompass as a limited edition of 999 pieces. Price: $4,100.

 

 

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Bell & Ross Dives in Brown and Bronze

Bell & Ross expands its BR 03-92 bronze dive watch collection with a new model that matches a brown dial, bezel and strap to the brand’s well-known rounded square bronze case.

The new Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver Brown Bronze.

The new Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver Brown Bronze joins existing red, blue and green-dialed models in the 42mm collection. And, with a matte brown leather strap with beige top-stitching, the watch carries on the retro, nautical vibe of the full collection.

Indeed, the collection benefits from Bell & Ross’s inspired bronze alloy, which uses a mix of 92% copper and 8% tin, giving the metal its rosy glow. As with most bronze alloys, the wearer of this model will over time note a patina unique to his or her watch. This means each of the 999 examples Bell & Ross makes will take on a slightly different appearance.

Bell & Ross caps the bronze case with a hypoallergenic stainless steel back and anodized aluminum unidirectional bezel. The back is stamped with a diver’s helmet symbolizing scuba diving.

To fully equip the watch for underwater or at-sea escapades, Bell & Ross equips its BR 03-92 Diver Brown Bronze with 300 meters of water resistance and a second strap, made of black braided rubber.

Inside Bell & Ross fits the watch with its Sellita-based BR-CAL 302 automatic caliber powering hour, minute and seconds functions, as well as the date. Not surprisingly, the crown is screwed down and includes an extra rubber insert to ensure the watch’s impressive 300 meters of water resistance.

Price: $4,700

Bell & Ross delivers the watch in its own waterproof ‘Pelican Box.’

Specifications: Bell & Ross BR 03 92 Diver Brown Bronze

(Limited Edition of 999 pieces)

Movement: Automatic Sellita-based BR-CAL.302.

Case: 42mm by 12.05mm satin-finished and polished CuSn8 bronze. Unidirectional rotating solid bronze bezel with 60-minute scale and brown anodized aluminum ring. Screw-down crown, crown guard and steel case-back. Water resistant to 300 meters.

Dial: Brown with rose gold-plated applique indices with SuperLuminova inserts. Gold-plated metal skeletonized SuperLuminova-filled hour, minute and seconds hands.

Strap: Brown calfskin leather and woven black rubber Buckle: pin. Satin-finished and polished bronze.

Price: $4,700.

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Bell & Ross Brightens BR 05

Bell & Ross expands its popular, brightly accented Horolum series with a new model based on the watchmaker’s BR 05 collection. The latest model, the BR 05 Horolum, features extra-bright C5 Superluminova coating on its hands and indexes, echoing the extra luminescence added to all models in the Horolum series.

The new Bell & Ross BR 05 Horolum features the collection’s extra-bright C5 Superluminova coating on its hands and indexes.

This newest Horolum model recalls the very first Horolum from 2017 that placed extra luminous coating on the markers of a matte-dialed BR 03-92 design. For the new model, Bell & Ross not only includes the extra lume, but also continues to emphasize the series’ matte metallic dial and steel bracelet.

As a 40mm BR 05 design, the new watch inherently includes a steel bracelet, which for this collection is integrated directly into the steel case. Bell & Ross adds a contemporary bead-blasted finish throughout. Of course, Bell & Ross also offers an optional black leather bracelet for its steel BR 05 Horolum. 

Bell & Ross explains that its Horolum series features matte finishing to adopt “more urban and more mineral references. Its lines and finish draw on contemporary architecture.”

Whatever your take on the design, it’s clear from the images of the new watch that its photo-luminescent indexes result in perfect clarity in darkness when reading the time.

The watch’s sapphire crystal back allows a view into the automatic Sellita-based CAL.321 with a metal 360-degree rotor designed to echo the look of wheel rims on sports cars.

The Bell & Ross BR 05 Horolum is a limited boutique edition of 250 pieces and is available online or in the fifteen Bell & Ross boutiques around the world. Price: $5,400.

 

 

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The Watches

Bell & Ross Cases its Cyber Skull in Clear Sapphire

Bell & Ross adds a new member to its family of ten BR 01 Skull watches with the new fully translucent BR 01 Cyber Skull Sapphire.

The new fully translucent Bell & Ross BR 01 Cyber Skull Sapphire.

The new watch might look a bit familiar as Bell & Ross earlier this year created a Cyber Skull Sapphire Only Watch 21 for the Only Watch charity auction.

That model also boasted an impressive sapphire crystal, but did so as it framed an orange-tinted skull. That watch sold at Only Watch for CHF 220,000 (about $240,000), all of which is donated to battle Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Bell & Ross calls the new BR 01 Cyber Skull Sapphire the “general public” version of that unique piece. Instead of the orange-tinted skull within its 43.5mm by 45mm full sapphire case, the faceted skull is almost as clear as the case.

The well-defined edges of the sapphire case create both reflections and refractions play with any nearby light, which will undoubtedly animate the watch on any wrist. The metallic skull and crossbones appear to float between the case’s two sapphire crystals.

Bell & Ross explains that its designers drew on several sources of inspiration when designing the new case. The include avant-garde design (note the somewhat pixelated skull), origami and, of course, the brand’s historic eye on military shapes. Bell & Ross says the “case is shaped like the fuselage of an American F117 stealth bomber.”

While that latter jet design inspiration is meant to make the Stealth bomber disappear from radar, the shape and makeup of the BR 01 Cyber Skull Sapphire create a watch that, even when worn with its clear rubber strap, is quite unlikely to avoid attention.

Inside Bell & Ross fits its BR-CAL.209 manual-wind automaton movement specifically developed for the watch. The plate and bridges are built to create skull shape, which are held by metallic and sapphire crossbones. And while many watchmakers refer to the spring balance as the ‘heart’ of their mechanical calibers, Bell & Ross calls the exposed balance on the BR 01 Cyber Skull Sapphire the ‘brains’ of its unusual caliber.

Bell & Ross will make ten examples of the BR 01 Cyber Skull Sapphire. Price: $117,000.

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Bell & Ross Adds Luxury to BR 05

Bell & Boss expands its BR 05 collection with two models that offer luxurious options within the BR 05 design, which features a round-edged square case, wide bezel and round dial notably held together with a fully integrated bracelet.

The new Bell & Ross BR 05 Skeleton Gold, here on a black rubber strap.

One model, the BR 05 Skeleton, is now available with a full gold 40mm case and gold bracelet. While we’ve seen gold models within the BR 05 collection, this debut finds the skeletonized version with the precious dress for the first time.

This new gold case underscores the BR 05’s mono-case design. Fully 155 grams of gold encase the openwork dial, which gleams with its own gilded attributes.

All the dial’s appliqué indexes and skeletonized hour and minutes hands are coated with gold, as is the movement itself. Bell & Ross then smartly inlays a strip of white SuperLuminova on the hands and indexes with to enhance nighttime visibility.

The movement, a Sellita-based Bell & Ross BR-CAL.322, is wound by a 360° rose gold-plated oscillating weight that has been open-worked. And finally Bell & Ross and imprinted a metallized logo on the watch’s sapphire case-back.

Bell & Ross will make ninety-nine BR 05 Skeleton Gold models with the new gold case. The watch will be offered on the integrated gold bracelet ($34,700) and also with a black rubber strap ($23,700).

BR 05 Diamond

Those who prefer diamonds to gold for their luxury statement can now choose from among three steel-cased Bell & Ross BR 05 Diamond models, which sport the gem set into the bezel around a sunray black BR 05 three-hand dial with date.

The new Bell & Ross BR 05 Diamond, here on a rubber strap.

Bell& Ross offers three options, all with a fully diamond-set bezel. One model sports a black rubber strap ($10,700) while another attaches a steel bracelet ($11,200). The third new Bell & Ross BR 05 Diamond adds includes the steel bracelet but also adds diamonds to the bracelet’s central links ($21,500).

Inside Bell & Ross places its automatic Sellita-based BR-CAL.321 wound with a 360° oscillating weight visible through a sapphire back.

 

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