Category: Bell & Ross Watch

Bell & Ross BR 03-93 GMT

The latest addition to Bell & Ross‘ pilot’s watch squadron, the BR 03-93 GMT Blue, comes with a blue dial and blue-grey aluminum rotating bezel. It offers the display of a second time zone via the 24-hour additional hand, which can be moved forward and backward in hourly increments. The bidirectional bezel allows for the setting of another time zone. The stainless steel case measures 42mm by 42mm in diameter and is water resistant to 100 meters. The BR 03-93 GMT Blue is powered by the automatic caliber SW 330.
Bell & Ross might not have been a part of Watches & Wonders, but who says you always need to go to the party to have fun? Instead, the Parisian brand has been slowly unveiling its 2021 novelties on its own terms – a new watch coming every few weeks, a steady drip of takes on the classic square shapes and unorthodox designs it’s best known for. Taking a look at what has been unveiled thus far, one model in particular stands out. The BR 03-93 GMT, was unveiled at the start of this month and uses that famed square silhouette. Importantly, this GMT features a bi-directional 24-hour bezel, updating the previous BR 03-93 GMT design unveiled in 2016 which opted for a fixed bezel. It also follows up on the success of the 2018 BR V2-93 GMT, which was the first of the brand’s designs to use an external rotating 24-hour bezel, though with a more traditional rounded case as its outline.Two features quickly catch your attention. The first is, of course, the familiar square watch design, deriving from an aviation-inspired style which Bell & Ross has come to dominate over its almost 30-year history. The other is its “Coke” bezel, which draws its influence from the ever-renowned Rolex GMT-Master and GMT-Master II collections that’ve famously featured the colorway.

It goes without saying that the watch is not a Rolex, but what’s significant is this is the first square GMT watch from Bell & Ross to use an external rotating bezel. This is particularly noteworthy because the French watchmaker has been producing GMT designs since 2007, when it launched the BR 03 51 GMT Titanium which featured a second time-zone sub-dial directly on its face. So, in the course of a 29-year history of making square watches, and 14-year history of making GMT watches, only now does the brand bring one of the most popular GMT styles— i.e. an external rotating 24-hour bezel—to the square shape. Furthermore, it is doing so in one of the most popular colorways in the industry for its launch, the red and black “Coke” look, which is only secondary to the red and blue “Pepsi” style.
Significance for the brand aside, the BR 03-93 GMT is, at its core, still a solid new novelty from the brand. With a sturdy 42mm case opting for a layered look with four corner screws, beveling along its edge, an uncommon knurled crown on its right side, and a mixed use of satin finishing and polish throughout, the watch from its case alone reads as a highly durable tool watch – a fact further showcased via its 100-meter water resistance and much talked-about bezel.

Heading underneath its curved sapphire crystal, the dial is straight forward and well executed, with the clear focus on legibility. Along its outer edge is a simple curved white ring marked from 5 to 60 in Arabic numerals for the passing minutes, while applied and lume-filled markers sit within for the hours and smaller printed markers for the remaining minutes. The only flourish to this look comes in a subtle rounded date window towards the 4:30 position. At the center of the dial are a large set of lume-filled hands, the two passing over oversized applied Arabic numerals at each quarter hour and altogether making the process of telling time at a glance highly efficient. These hands are accompanied by a simple tapered seconds counter and, of course, the red-tipped and lume-filled arrow pointer for the watch’s second time-zone. Inside the GMT is Bell & Ross’ modified ETA 2893-2, which they dub the BR-CAL.303. The automatic movement is modular and derives from the highly popular non-GMT ETA 2892-2, and like that movement, features a hacking seconds mechanism, 42-hour power reserve, and frequency of 28,800 vph – all alongside an independently operated GMT hand. Like the GMT it powers, it’s an easily serviceable, no-nonsense caliber able to keep time efficiently without much flourish.

Bell & Ross BR 05 Skeleton Gold

In the few short years since its introduction in 2019, the Bell & Ross BR 05 has quickly become one of the cornerstone offerings within the brand’s catalog. Unlike the various models that make up the “Instruments” series, which almost look like they came directly from the cockpit of an aircraft, the BR 05 is part of the “Urban” lineup, which offers a more refined and streamlined take on the classic Bell & Ross signature aesthetic. A skeletonized version of the BR 05 has been part of the range since the very beginning, and Bell & Ross has released a new iteration of it in a different color every year since its launch. The classic clear version was the inaugural model from 2019, and it was followed by a blue one in 2020, a smoked variation in 2021 (known as the NightLum), and a green version last year in 2022. Now for 2023, we have the Bell & Ross BR 05 Skeleton Golden, which offers a warm, golden orange take on this fan favorite skeletonized sports watch design.
Aside from offering a new colorway, the Bell & Ross BR 05 Skeleton Golden is otherwise entirely identical to previous iterations of the watch, which means that it uses the same square-shaped stainless steel case with rounded corners that measures 40mm in diameter by 10.33mm thick. Just like previous versions of the BR 05 Skeleton, the new “Golden” model features a pair of sapphire crystals fitted to both its bezel and caseback, which allows for an entirely unobstructed view of the internal skeletonized movement and allows you to see straight through the open-worked areas of the watch. Similarly, like other BR 05 models, angular crown guards are separately attached to the middle case in order to offer protection for a signed winding crown that screws down to help create 100 meters of water resistance. While there is nothing new about the case of the Bell & Ross BR 05 Skeleton Golden, the defining element of this particular model is the color of the transparent dial fitted to the watch.
The dial and hands fitted to the new Bell & Ross BR 05 Skeleton Golden offer an identical design and layout to previous executions of the model, with the key differences being the colors and finishing of the components. The surface of the dial is a transparent golden orange color, and it is surrounded by a galvanized golden chapter ring with applied baton-shaped hour markers extending from it. At the center of the dial are a trio of gold-finished hands, and both the hour and minute hand (along with all of the hour markers) are coated with Grade X1 White 10 Super-LumiNova, which appears white in the daylight and emits a green glow in the dark. The decision to lean into the golden colorway for the hands and dial accents helps create a warmer overall appearance, and it is ultimately these gold tones that make this iteration the “Golden” model, rather than just being the orange version of the BR 05 Skeleton watch.
Given that this new watch is essentially just a dial variation of the other skeletonized models that have been released over the course of the last few years, the new Bell & Ross BR 05 Skeleton Golden is powered by the same BR-CAL.322 automatic movement that can be found inside its different colored siblings. As this skeletonized caliber is based upon the core design of the popular Sellita SW300-1, the BR-CAL.322 runs at a frequency of 28,800vph (4 Hz), while offering users a power reserve of approximately 38 hours. Additionally, since it doesn’t have a calendar disc or any of the other components that make up a date mechanism, the self-winding BR-CAL.322 is able to offer a highly open-worked design, which is further complimented by its custom skeletonized Bell & Ross oscillating weight.
Just like other BR 05 models, the new Bell & Ross BR 05 Skeleton Golden offers what could really be considered an integrated bracelet design, although it is available with the option of either the model’s signature tapered H-link bracelet (ref. BR05A-CH-SKST/SST) or an integrated style of rubber strap (ref. BR05A-CH-SKST/SRB). The bracelet is identical to what can be found on other models from the BR 05 collection, and it features brushed and polished surfaces with a butterfly-style folding clasp. Meanwhile, the rubber strap is the same style that can be found on other Bell & Ross watches, although it is crafted from brown rubber to complement the warm golden tones of the dial, and it features a matching stainless steel folding clasp.

Bell & Ross BR 03 Type A Patrouille de France

In keeping with the tradition since 2008, Bell & Ross releases a new watch at the request of the French Air Force. This 2022 edition is with the famous acrobatic unit Patrouille de France, with the new BR 03 Type A.
The new Bell & Ross BR 03 Type A Patrouille de France REF. BR03AD-BBR-ST/SRB is a limited edition of only 100 copies, and has a retail price of SGD 6,100 inclusive of GST. Pre-orders are open online now, for delivery in December.
We covered the 2021 edition of the Patrouille de France by Bell & Rossin their BR 03-94 Patrouille de France. This time, for 2022, Bell & Ross again chose to use the rounded square design of the BR 03, but euipped it with a new multi function quartz movement with multi-function analogue-digital display instead of the mechanical chronograph used in 2021. The watch chosen for the 2022 Patrouille de France Edition is based on the BR 03 Type A Armée de L’Air of 2008 instead of the 2021 Patrouille de France. The novelty is the same watch as the 2008 version, but with a different dial, and colour scheme reflective of the different collaboration.
The display is also reminiscent of dial which is indicative of the movement used in the Aerospace (Breitling B76) and the B79 in the Emergency II. Both these movements are based on the ETA 988.352 Thermoline. The BR-CAL 103 shows the same features, and is probably also based on the same ETA movement, though Bell & Ross does not state the source of the movement. And also left out a critical specification that the movement is thermo compensated. The ETA is a highly respected movement, well known for its very high precision timekeeping capabilities. It also shines in the use of both digital and analogue indicators to maximise the dial space for excellent, clear displays.
Since it was founded in 1994, aviation and the military universe have been the main sources of inspiration for Bell & Ross. That’s why, through their design, dial and functionality, so many Bell & Ross watches still evoke the world of aeronautical instruments: one of the most demanding when it comes to readability and reliability.

Testament to the excellence achieved by Bell & Ross, elite units from various nations’ armed forces have chosen the watchmaker’s timepieces to accompany them in their perilous missions. So it is with the Patrouille de France, one of the most prestigious acrobatic formations in the world: a true ambassador of the French wings that embodies the expertise of the Air and Space Force.
Today, Bell & Ross is launching a new watch designed and produced in close collaboration with the Patrouille de France pilots, whose emblem of course adorns the dial.

“Bell & Ross shares the same values of precision and performance as the pilots in this elite aerobatic unit,” says Bruno Belamich, the watchmaker’s co-founder and creative director. After forging an official watchmaking partnership with the Patrouille de France in 2021, resulting in the launch of its first dedicated watch, Bell & Ross continues its aerial adventure with the BR 03 Type A Patrouille de France. With its spectacular dial, this timepiece follows in the brand’s tradition: in 2008, it was at the request of the Air Force that Bell & Ross designed the BR 03 Type A instrument for fighter pilots. Now in the colours of the Patrouille de France, this new version is heir to the brand’s true tool watch.
It goes without saying that this watch respects rigorous specifications in line with the needs of Patrouille de France pilots, who manoeuvre in close formation at speeds of between 300 and 800 km/h. When the gap between two planes is only two or three metres, there is no room for even the slightest error. Knowing that it all plays out in a tiny fraction of time, time mastery has always been a professional pillar for these aerobatic aces. As such, all the technical expertise of Bell & Ross engineers and watchmakers came into play to create the BR 03 Type A Patrouille de France.
Adopting the aesthetic “rounded square” concept that constitutes a veritable visual signature for Bell & Ross, and designed for and by elite pilots, this new chronograph features the square BR 03 case in steel, with a diameter of 42mm.

Intended for professional use, the watch is equipped with a quartz movement giving a dual analogue and digital display. The high drain battery provides 30 months of battery life. To provide the best possible readability even in intense situations, the hours and minutes are displayed with conventional hands, while the seconds are displayed on a digital screen. “This device gives pilots optimal reading speed,” stresses Bruno Belamich. In addition, the bidirectional rotating bezel helps memorise time references.

Beyond time indications, the BR 03 Type A Patrouille de France offers many additional functions that come in useful in whatever the circumstance: 1/100th of a second chronograph with intermediate and additional time, countdown, alarm, date and dual time zone.
The window at the top of the dial displays the abbreviation of the chosen function. The second window, positioned at the bottom of the dial, digitally displays the measurement. The various functions are selected by pressing the crown.As a sign of its exclusivity, only 100 copies of the BR 03 Type A Patrouille de France will be produced. Each pilot in the unit will be given with one of these emblematic watches, which has all the elements to fast become a collector’s item.

Bell & Ross BR 05 GMT White

Bell & Ross has recently announced a new version of the BR 05 GMT, which features a silver-white dial and adds a second color option to the GMT models of the integrated-bracelet styling of the BR 05 lineup. With a legible red 24-hour hand, this caller GMT looks great with a silver dial and is also the first time that B&R designers have offered a BR 05 in a color that wasn’t black and blue. I think they chose well.
Like the black dial BR 05 GMT that was launched last year, the BR 05 GMT White uses a 41mm steel case and can be had with a full steel bracelet or a rubber strap that is designed to integrate directly with the case and its non-traditional lug shape. The case is 11.07mm thick and has a screw-down crown, 100 meters of water resistance, and sapphire crystals front and back (with the back offering a view of the BR 05 GMT’s 360-degree oscillating weight).

Inside, we find a GMT movement that is based on the Sellita SW-330 and which Bell & Ross calls the BR-Cal 325. It’s an automatic movement that ticks at 4 Hz, has ~42 hours of power reserve, and features a date at three along with a caller-style 24-hour independently adjustable GMT function. This means that you can adjust your view of a second timezone without changing or disrupting the main time display. While somewhat more cumbersome to use when actively changing time zones, this GMT function is very handy for keeping track of a second time zone.
While I remain a complete sucker for a white-dialed GMT, that’s not the only reason that I figured this new Bell & Ross was worth a closer look – I’ve been curious about the BR 05 since it was launched in 2019 with a 40mm automatic model. I like the design, and the sort of instrument-like take on the Genta-derived integrated bracelet sports watch format. Furthermore, the sizing seems good and they appear to look great on wrist. Bell & Ross has always been of interest to me, but I’ve never found one of their quirky square-cased models that actually worked really well on my bony wrist. Perhaps a bracelet would make all the difference.
And now they have a GMT in a white dial. Sure, the dial and hand design have borrowed a good deal from the Explorer II, but they are far from the only brand to find some inspiration via the Rolex catalog, and I’d argue that the square case and general aesthetic insulate the BR 05 GMT from feeling altogether too similar. Furthermore, I like that they maintain much of the Bell & Ross design language in the dial (especially with the large Arabic markers) and the use of the white/grey 24-hour rehaut.

At $5,000 and using a third-party movement, the BR 05 GMT has stiff competition. Collectors with more conventional tastes would likely opt for a Tudor Black Bay GMT, which offers local jumping (flyer) functionality, classic GMT styling, and a case of the same width (though a good bit thicker). Additionally, and I’m not comparing the two on build quality or general aesthetic, if you simply want a caller GMT, Seiko will happily sell you a lovely model with the same functionality for around $500.
But let’s be fair, the BR 05 GMT offers an entirely different look and feel to the above-mentioned competition and I’d argue that Bell & Ross is both not new to this price point and that cost sensitivity is likely not a core concern for B&R’s intended audience. As a guy who has long had the BR 03-92 Diver hanging out rent-free in my mind, this new BR 05 GMT marks the first time I’ve had anything more than professional curiosity in the lineup and I think it’s a handsome addition that I’d love to try on my own wrist. But what do you think – is the BR 05 GMT a good candidate for a hands-on follow-up? Let me know in the comments.

BR 03-92 Radio Compass

Bell & Ross is well known for making watches that draw inspiration from aeronautical history, instruments and design. That’s apparent throughout their entire collection and more specifically with the BR 03-92. Its distinct 42 mm circle-square case bears resemblance to the clocks used inside of an airplane cockpit and for the past decade, Bell & Ross has continued to incorporate more design cues from other indicators on the cockpit instrument panel into the BR 03-92. A few examples include the Red Radar, HUD and the Bi-Compass. Today, Bell & Ross adds to the ongoing Flight Instruments collection with the BR 03-92 Radiocompass, staying true to their foundational design principles of Legibility, Functionality, Reliability and Precision.
Not that we do not appreciate those. We do but it is nice to know that Bell & Ross sometime does revisit the root of square-cased BR and revisit it did with the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Radiocompass Watch.

The BR 03-92 Radiocompass, which takes its name from a radio navigation tool, the Radio Compass, reproduces the display of the eponymous tool featuring the original colored hands. Obviously, it is not an exact replica of the Radio Compass.
This matt black dial contrasts with the striking coloured hands and white graduations arranged in three circles. This is to make it as easy as possible for the wearer to tell the time.

Fusing modern pop trends with Bell & Ross’s traditional aeronautical heritage, the new BR 03-92 Radiocompass is hoping to satisfy Bell & Ross’ traditional audience as well as attracting new customers.
Bell & Ross has unveiled the new BR 03-92 Radiocompass, the latest watch in the brand’s Flight Instruments collection.

The dial of the watch reproduces the display of the radionavigation tool, the Radio Compass, which it’s named after.
Now we have that sorted, let’s unpack the BR 03-92 Radiocompass starting with the B&R’s first design principle, Legibility. The hour and minute hands are distinguishable and sure to grab your attention. Designating the hour is a broad orange skeletonized hand that extends past the center of the dial and tipped with a broad arrow. The minute hand uses a narrower stem and is identified by its neon yellow color. Further making sure the hands are identifiable, B&R adds an “H” in the arrow of the hour hand and an encircled “M” in the middle of the minute hand. The numeral hour makers also use the Radio Compass for inspiration. Notice how the numbers angle towards the center of the dial, just as it does on the navigation instrument. The numerals also use a distinct font known as Isonorm. This font design was created directly by the International Standards Organization (ISO) and uses a clean and geometric design, with rounded ends, making the markers more legible to the human eye.

Bell and Ross BR 05 Skeleton Green

The biggest news from Bell & Ross for 2019 is the introduction of the Bell & Ross BR 05 Skeleton Green collection that aBlogtoWatch debuted here. The BR 05 is the first major new timepiece collection that Bell & Ross has introduced for some time, and it is the first product whose design is directly influenced by watches Bell & Ross has produced in the past. Several versions of the BR 05 watch are being made available at launch, with this BR 05 Skeleton green (ref. BR05A-GR-SK-ST/SST) being the model Bell & Ross feels will have the most appeal to watch collectors and enthusiasts. I tend to agree with them.
I said to Bell & Ross something I still stand by today when they first shared the full BR 05 collection with the aBlogtoWatch team prior to its launch: “It is going to take collectors a few years to really get into these.” You see, the problem is what I call “Nautilus shock.” When an experienced watch collector sees the BR 05, the first thing that probably comes to mind is, “Bell & Ross just built its version of a Patek Philippe Nautilus.” From an aesthetic perspective, that is absolutely right. Forget, for a moment, that a steel Nautilus is many times more expensive than a steel BR 05; Bell & Ross seems to have built its own version of something hard to get and popular on the market.
So that is what watch fans need to get over, the seemingly direct “I also want to have a product in this category” approach by Bell & Ross that, in some ways, is not particularly original. Some might say that it is brazenly unoriginal in an industry celebrated for “innovation.” I’m well aware of the appearance that Bell & Ross copied something, but the more I think about it, the less I feel upset by it. Yes, Bell & Ross was clearly inspired by the Patek Philippe Nautilus and wanted to throw its hat into the ring. Is there something wrong with that?

Gerald Genta designed the Nautilus for Patek Philippe in the 1970s. Since then, there have been years of watches like and unlike it. Today, the Nautilus is the world’s hardest-to-get overpriced steel watch. People are paying too much for it and agonizing over not being able to get it — this is the clearest sign to a company in the watch space to make a product to help satisfy demand. What the Nautilus really represents is people’s interest in buying bracelet-style watches in steel that have a distinct design and can be worn casually or formally. This is what Bell & Ross is trying to make a product for; they aren’t really trying to replicate the particular personality of the Nautilus.
Design-wise, the comfortable and nicely made BR 05 has a tapering bracelet, links, some case design elements, and hands that are reminiscent of the Nautilus. I would actually say that the designs are more generally Gerald Genta-inspired, but to some people that might be splitting hairs. Bell & Ross (who designs all of its products in-house) seems to have said to themselves, what if we put our DNA and Gerald Genta DNA into some combiner machine (like in The Fly) and imagine a nice result. That result is the BR 05.
From the BR 01/BR 03-inspired case shape to the aesthetic of the links, which hearken back to when Sinn was producing Bell & Ross products — most all angles of the BR 05 are related to Bell & Ross even if, at a glance, they are designed to remind wearers of something else. The case is 40mm-wide (so is the Nautilus), about 10.3mm-thick, and with a just under 48mm lug-to-lug distance. With 100 meters of water resistance in a nice little package, the BR 05 is really very comfortable on the wrist and has a ton of personality. Bell & Ross lovers will see things they have seen before, and everyone else not familiar with the brand does, indeed, get a nice new bracelet watch with this product collection.
The Skeleton version of the BR 05 adds a level of trendy horological passion to the product collection. Bell & Ross worked carefully in collaboration with Swiss Sellita to produce an exclusive movement and automatic rotor. The rotor is shaped like a wheel and fully covers the movement with a “mystery” weight to provide for the oscillation. The BR 05 isn’t an automotive watch, but so much of Bell & Ross product DNA is about cars and racing that it made sense. Remember that unlike other “instrument” watches made by Bell & Ross, the BR 05 doesn’t have a functional theme. Rather, it has a design/artistic theme that has, in many ways, manifested itself as being a Bell & Ross product that celebrated Bell & Ross.

The movement skeletonization that Sellita and Bell & Ross came up with together is attractive because you get the sensation of a tastefully skeletonized movement structure without having to stare at your wrist hair too much. The matte surfaces of the movement feel a bit unfinished, but they do offer an industrial look and contrast with polished elements on the dial, such as the hands, hour markers, and components in the movement itself. Bell & Ross designed at least this gray/steel tone BR 05 Skeleton dial so that the case, bezel, flange, and dial elements are similar colors, allowing for a tightly integrated look. This isn’t to everyone’s taste, but it does make for a nice aesthetic when it isn’t clear where the movement/dial/case begins and ends.
The exclusive automatic movement for the BR 05 Skeleton green is known as the BR-CAL.322, and it operates at 4Hz with about two days of power reserve. I like how the mainspring barrel is skeletonized, which offers a sort of crude power-reserve indicator because you can see how tightly wound the spring inside is. Dial legibility is maintained because of large lume-painted hands and hour markers. In this regard, the BR05 Skeleton is distinctive from many other skeletonized watches, in that you can read the dial easily.

BR V2-92 ORANGE

The watch industry loves to go through trends, from Pepsi bezels in 2018 to green dials in 2020. These days, brands are all about throwing an array of bright colors onto dials. After Rolex unveiled its veritable rainbow of new Oyster Perpetuals in 2020, there’s been a color party going on in the watch industry, with everyone from Omega to Oris to Sinn getting in on the action this year. Now it’s Bell & Ross’ turn, as the aviation-focused brand has just released a pair of ultra-bright renditions of its vintage-style diver, the BR V2-92.

Beginning with the BR V2-92 Orange, the watch’s bright orange “Pop color” dial is meant to evoke the 1970s Golden Age of California skateboarding culture, and it definitely makes for a fun statement piece. The BR V2-92 Full Lum, meanwhile, swaps the orange for Bell & Ross’s “Full Lum” treatment on the dial. The photo-luminescent dial appears as a pale, minty green during the day, but in low light conditions, it glows a cool blue color, making the green-glowing hands and indices even more legible. We’ve seen both of these dial colors from B&R before: the Orange on the square-cased BR 03-92 Diver and the Full-Lum on the BR V2-94 chronograph, but this is their first time being implemented on the more versatile BR V2-92.

Both new variants of the BR V2-92 are in the line’s typical round 41mm stainless steel case with a unidirectional bezel sporting a black aluminum insert. Both watches also feature the same ultra-domed sapphire crystals with AR coating, calibre BR-CAL.302 automatic movement, and 100m water resistance. It’s also worth noting that both watches, thankfully, feature a date wheel that’s been matched to its respective dial color. The date appears unobtrusively in a small round window at 4:30.

Both the BR V2-92 Full Lum and BR V2-92 Orange are sold on Tropic-style black rubber straps, with the Orange also available on a stainless steel three-link bracelet. Limited to 500 pieces each, the Orange and Full Lum versions of the BR V2-92 are available now in Replica Bell & Ross’s online shop

Bell & Ross BR 05 Chrono Edición Limitada

En 2015 vimos en vídeo el Bell & Ross WW1 Edición Limitada, un reloj asociado a los puros. Aquel fue un reloj muy vintage, que captaba perfectamente la esencia de lo que el mundo de los puros aspira a transmitir. Ahora aparece este Bell & Ross BR 05 Chrono Edición Limitada , que busca el mismo maridaje pero con el último de los modelos que se ha incorporado a la familia de Bell & Ross.

Por si hay alguien que aún no lo sepa, la versión cronógrafo de los BR 05 apareció en 2020, y aquí vimos el primer modelo en vivo. Y también es conocida la afición de uno de los dos fundadores de Bell & Ross, Carlos Rosillo (de padre español) por los puros, hasta el punto de que los que compra llevan la vitola de su apellido.
Y, como tradicionalmente los puros se han asociado al lujo y la buena vida (siempre que no aparezca uno de sus compañeros de fiesta, el cáncer de boca), es lógico que se lancen relojes relacionados con este mundo (recordemos este Zenith Cohiba, por ejemplo).
Por supuesto, las formas exteriores del Bell & Ross BR 05 Chrono Edición Limitada no varían: la caja tiene un diámetro de 42 mm y una altura de 12,40 mm, lo que lo hace suficientemente delgado -para un crono- como para no tener que luchar demasiado con los puños de las camisas.

Lo que sí ha variado es el material, porque en este caso la parte superior está hecha de oro rosa de 18 quilates satinado.
La esfera arenada del Bell & Ross BR 05 Chrono Edición Limitada tiene una acertada mezcla de colores marrones y dorados, con la distribución habitual: pequeño segundero a las tres horas y contador de 30 minutos a las nueve. Como siempre, la ventana de fecha es circular, se sitúa a las 4:30 y es del mismo color que la esfera.

Tanto la trotadora del cronógrafo como su contador de 30 minutos son rojos, a juego con la leyenda «Edición Limitada», escrita en español. Las manecillas horarias y los índices -chapados en oro- están tratados con Super-LumiNova.
El zafiro posterior del Bell & Ross BR 05 Chrono Edición Limitada nos permite ver el rotor de 360 grados esqueletado, lo que nos abre una ventana al calibre. Es un Sellita SW 200 con un módulo cronógrafo Debuis Depraz que se mueve a 4 hercios y tiene una reserva de marcha de 38 horas.

Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver

Though the season for ice diving is quickly coming to an end, Bell & Ross celebrates those brave enough to dive under the frozen surfaces with the BR 03-92 Diver in white. Winter will not officially be over until the 20th of March. But the days have already started to get longer, and temperatures have begun their steady ascent. Soon, in those places where it is still present, the ice will begin to melt. Lakes will go back to their usual liquid state, as the surface layer melts away. However, in some of the northernmost regions, ice diving was still possible until just a couple of weeks ago. Just as hazardous as cave or wreck diving, ice diving is not for the faint-hearted. With today’s release, Bell & Ross pays homage to the thrill-seeking divers that dare to plunge into the icy depths.

The Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver is a perfectly qualified companion, complying both with ISO 6425 and NIHS standard 92611. That’s a reassuring feature when undertaking some of the most gear-challenging forms of diving. Modern dive computers have been known to succumb to the cold, their batteries draining prematurely in the icy temperatures. Therefore, wearing a watch, especially a mechanical one, is a good backup option, and one that could prove crucial. Featuring a specially crafted dial with an opalescent silver surface that appears white until you look closer, the BR 03-92 is an eye-catching new addition to the brand’s athletic line, offering nice contrast with the darker tones of its other offerings.
Though Bell & Ross is better known for its aerospace-themed watches, five years after the brand’s founding, in 1997, it ventured into the dive-watch space. Ever since then, its dive watches have aspired to the highest standards in the industry. The first dive watch was the HYDROMAX, in a more traditional rounded case. It was waterproof to an impressive depth of 11,100 meters! Following the HYDROMAX, in 2007, the barrel-shaped BR 02 case was used to create the brand’s second diver. It was 10 years later, in 2017, when the BR 03-92 Diver first made its way to market in the Bell & Ross signature square case. Since then, the brand has produced dive watches in steel and bronze, available in a number of classic colors as well as some more unusual colorways. This latest offering in white will be the first to feature the color in the current lineup.
The combination of the silvery-white dial and black bezel gives the watch a distinctive look. It’s highly legible and has a certain pared-back simplicity to it that works quite well with the angular case. Combined with a perfect signed and textured rubber strap, this watch looks just as at home over a wetsuit sleeve beneath the ice as it does with a black turtle neck at the office. It’s as classic and suitable for any occasion as a pair of black Ray-Ban Wayfarers. Contrasting perfectly with the shimmering white dial are the black hands and applied indices. Having been filled with Super-LumiNova, they light up beautifully after charging under natural or artificial light.

The square case has a 300m water-resistance rating, and the watch complies with ISO 6425 and the NIHS standard 92611. Inside, and operated by the special locking crown, beats the cold-resistant Bell & Ross caliber BR-CAL 302. Based, presumably, on the Sellita SW300-1, it runs at 28,800vph and provides 38 hours of power reserve.
Much like the TAG Heuer Night Diver 300, the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 walks the fine line between capable tool and design object. It is uncompromising in both respects. Whether you seek your thrills meters below the surface of frozen lakes, or you’re simply a fan of minimalist design that surpasses the norm, I can see this watch appealing to you. On the wrist, this 42mm diver works better than you might expect. It wears large, but not overwhelmingly so. And thanks to its sub-13mm thickness, it maintains a comfortable profile on the wrist. Its unmistakably tool-like aesthetic and lovely silvery-white dial certainly make me want to get kitted up and give ice-diving a go!

Bell & Ross BR 05 Red Steel

When Bell & Ross BR 05 Red Steel debuted their new BR 05 collection in 2019, it immediately caused a stir among watch aficionados. A stylish new spin on the classic B&R formula – which takes the brand’s iconic square case design, rounds off the sharp corners and mounts the case on a sleek integrated bracelet – the BR 05 has truly been a paradigm shift.

Now, in 2021, Bell & Ross BR 05 Red Steel have unveiled two awesome new iterations of the stylish new BR 05, which might just be the best yet. Sleek, different, practical yet luxurious, these two watches are masterpieces of French design and more than deserve a spot on your wrist ASAP.

First up we have the BR 05 GMT. For a brand that’s all about aviation, a GMT complication for the BR 05 just makes sense. An invaluable tool for both pilots and passengers alike, a GMT watch displays the local time in two different time zones – typically your home time zone and the local time zone wherever you’re flying to.
The BR 05 GMT’s core complication is elegantly executed: an arrow-tipped, red-accented second hour hand points to a white and black two-colour flange with 24-hour scale, making it a breeze to keep track of time in two places at once. It’s easy to use but doesn’t detract from the clean overall aesthetic of the BR 05.

We also have the BR 05 Horolum: an eclectic limited-edition variant of the BR 05 with a very unique look. Inspired by the minerality of concrete, the BR 05 Horolum is crafted from bead-blasted steel, with the case, dial and bracelet all featuring this textural spin.

Bead-blasted titanium is commonly used in luxury timepieces but bead-blasted steel is rather unusual. It provides a unique textural and visual quality to the BR 05 Horolum that’s quite unlike any other watch on the market. The contrast between the highly luminous indices and the uniform bead-blasted finish is dramatic and futuristic; making it a real ‘future relic’ of a watch.
Both these stunning BR 05s feature screw-down crowns, sapphire case-backs and a water-resistance rating of 100m – they’re not just wrist candy. They’re also both available either on an integrated bracelet or a sporty rubber strap.

Stainless steel watches with integrated bracelets have never been more popular, and the Bell & Ross BR 05 Red Steel is a particularly handsome example of the genre. Purposeful and slick with the mechanical bona fides to back up its no-nonsense appearance, the BR 05 is emblematic of the renaissance of French watchmaking… And whether you opt for the BR 05 GMT or the BR 05 Horolum, you know you’re choosing a winner.