Bringing a new breath to the world of watchmaking with its BR05 collection, Bell & Ross continues to prove itself in the stainless steel-sports watches category.
Two things come to my mind when it is about Bell & Ross. The first is the brand's deep connection with aviation. The second one is its expertise in designing angular shaped watches. Today we will focus more on the second part.
The BR05 represents the brand's struggle to exist in one of the most popular categories of today's watchmaking world. Sport-chic watches with high-end steel cases. As you know, to compete in this segment, you have to face some tough opponents. The list starts with Patek Philippe Nautilus and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak continues to micro-brands with small annual production capacities. Bell & Ross, on the other hand, emphasizes its brand values as well as its typical design approach and sets out with a combination of superior craftsmanship/mid-level movement.
The BR05 Skeleton model, which is limited to 500 units only, comes in a 40mm diameter stainless steel case. While the case is mostly satin-finished, there are a few mirror-polished parts as well. The bezel and the rest of the case feature a surface pattern applied by the one-way brushing method. The case is equipped with scratch-resistant sapphire crystals on both sides and is water-resistant to 100 meters. The crystal on the front side is also anti-reflection treated on both sides. Bell & Ross seems to have done an excellent job regarding material quality and finishing. Besides, the 100-meter water resistance value reinforces the sportier side of the model. The winding crown on the right side of the case is protected by two thick guards and decorated with the “&” logo.
The round-shaped dial features a transparent blue crystal. In this way, the movement can be enjoyed through both sides of the watch. Thanks to the Super-LumiNOVA coating on the baton indices and hands, the dial is also highly legible in darker environments.
Bell & Ross uses the automatic Caliber BR-CAL.322 for BR05. Sellita SW300-1 based 35-jewel movement has a diameter of 25.6mm, operates at a frequency of 4Hz (28800vph), and offers a 38-hour power reserve.
You have two alternatives for the BR05 Skeleton. The first is a stainless steel bracelet with brushed and polished surfaces that is perfectly compatible with the case, and the other is a blue rubber strap. Once you feel the steel bracelet on the wrist, the other option does not seem to stand a chance.
