Trending Articles from The Watch Guide
Let It Glow, Let It Glow, Let It Glow: The Glowing Case Of The BR X5 Green Lum By Bell & Ross
Lasered Kaleidoscope: Presenting The Oris ProPilot X Calibre 400 Laser
Set In Stone: Introducing The Jacob & Co Palatial Classic Collection’s Stone Dials
Retro, Winning Charm: Raymond Weil's Millesime—A Tribute To Understated Elegance
History
Bell & Ross was started as a university project in 1992 with just one thing in mind, functionality. Starting its venture as a military-inspired watch manufacturer, Bell & Ross became the first watchmaker to send a Chronometer to space with its Space 1 watch. It wasn’t until 2005 that Bell & Ross achieved international recognition. In 2005, Bell & Ross launched the BR-01, the first watch in the Bell & Ross Instruments collection.
Design
As a flag bearer of the square watches, the Bell & Ross Instruments collection forms the basis of the utilitarian DNA of the brand. What started as a round yet rugged set of timepieces, the square shape took its roots from the consoles of the vintage aircraft. This was also the era when Bell & Ross as a brand gained its independence and was free to experiment with new designs and ideas. This is when the idea of BR came forward with square designs and rugged constructions. Currently, the Instruments collection employs various iterations of its original designs.
Features
Featuring the simplest form of the Bell & Ross Instruments collection is the BR 03 Auto series. The BR 03 Auto features a small date window between the 4 and 5 o’clock marker but this is absent in a few of the timepieces such as the BR 03 Radiocompass or BR 03 Type A Patrouille De France. With the same layout as the Auto, the BR 03 Diver is the first square diving watch by Bell & Ross. The BR 03 Diver is also available in a bronze case. Adding a few complications to the collection, the BR 03 GMT is equipped with a second-time zone and the BR 03 Chrono features a detailed chronograph on the dial. Bringing in the brand’s expertise in Haute Horlogerie, the BR-X1 Chrono offers a skeleton dial with a detailed chronograph. Sensing the need for a petite yet tough watch, Bell & Ross decided to feature the BR S Quartz series. The S in the series stands for smaller, sleeker, and smarter. These sleek watches are available in camo prints and even diamond-studded variants.