Bell & Ross has regularly looked to the world of aviation and motorsports for the design inspiration of the watches — for example, a great deal of the dial designs and design elements of Bell Ross Watch Red Radar Replica watches are all based on flight instrument panels. The newly released Bell & Ross Vintage V1-92 & V2-94 Bellytanker watches are inspired by a racecar from the ’40s. The Bell & Ross Vintage Bellytanker series goes for a more calming and traditional style and color scheme than some more aggressive Bell & Ross designs.The title Bellytanker and the associated racecar actually have origins in the world of aviation. The theory behind these was to enable the flights to have an protracted selection, but after empty, could be dropped mid-flight and help save weight and improve remaining fuel economy. As a section of an aircraft, the Bellytankers were, by necessity, quite aerodynamic and this also made their design applicable for racecars, especially, for the kind of car designed to go very fast in a straight line in a location such as the Bonneville salt flats. As a further tribute to these cars and that age, Bell & Ross also made a concept car — a contemporary interpretation of this Bellytanker.
Look closely, and you’ll notice a new GMT watch from Bell & Ross for 2016. I’ve appreciated the brand’s refined and legible GMT watches for a while, and this newest model is actually a melding of various watches from the brand’s modern history. So now let’s take a look at the Bell & Ross BR 03-93 GMT that I think a lot of people are going to enjoy. Before we dive into it, allow me to share two watches which, in my opinion, are the inspiration for it.
Bell Ross BR01 93 GMT
First, let me remind you that the Bell & Ross BR03 case is the smaller 42mm-wide cousin of the larger 46mm-wide BR01. While the BR01 has the “grandest” wrist presence, according to Bell & Ross, a lot more people prefer the wearability of the 42mm-wide BR03. Don’t neglect to consider the important fact that this is a square rather than round watch which means it looks a lot larger on the wrist.
When Bell & Ross first debuted the BR01 “Instrument,” the watch case was directly inspired by cockpit instrument clocks and gauges inside of airplanes. The now iconic look has been tested through countless (really) iterations, which Bell & Ross continues to refine today. The collection of their square watches consist of the larger 46mm-wide BR01, the medium 42mm-wide BR03, and the smaller 39mm-wide BR S.
In polished and brushed steel, the Bell & Ross BR 03-93 GMT has a dressier look than many of the all-matte-finished models Bell & Ross produces. This lends itself well to wearing, especially when Bell & Ross matches the case with the right dial design. Let me go back for a moment and remind you of the two watches I feel directly inspired the Bell & Ross BR 03-93 GMT. First is the classic Bell & Ross BR 01-93 GMT (aBlogtoWatch review here), and second is the round-cased Bell & Ross BR 123 GMT (hands-on here). Together, and including other elements of BR01 and BR03 watch design from over the years, Bell & Ross creates a new and very pretty sport GMT watch design.
Rolex also deserves some credit here, actually. That is where Bell & Ross got the design of the orange-colored GMT hand along with its physical style. Just look to some Rolex Explorer II watches of old. The hint of color lends itself well to what is otherwise a more formal-looking sport watch. What I mean by that is that, in addition to being a durable “activity watch,” the level of fit and finishing here makes it a status and lifestyle indicator as well as a wearable tool.
The hour and minute hand set is a nice combo of styles that takes into consideration a range of aviation cockpit styles as well as various designs from Bell & Ross over the years. The hands are polished and faceted, as well as applied with Super-LumiNova luminant. Note that the different shape of the hour and minute hand should lend itself to optimal legibility. In fact, none of the four hands on the dial look anything remotely like one another, which should make for a timepiece that is really readable.
Bell & Ross correctly chose flat, brushed applied hour markers which contrast well against the black face. The dial also feels like the right mixture between busy and sparse. There is nothing extra on the dial, but it isn’t left feeling boring or spartan. Bell & Ross designers cleverly integrated the date via a small round window (with a matching black date disc) between 4 and 5 o’clock. Around the dial is a fixed steel bezel which has the 24 hour markers on it (and is another subtle nod to Rolex design).
Inside the watch is a Swiss ETA 2893-2 automatic GMT movement. I like that Bell & Ross is among the few companies that doesn’t rename the base movements it uses. Thus, the “93” part of the Bell & Ross BR 03-93 GMT name is a clear indicator to watch-knowledgeable people of what the movement inside of the watch is. I’ve always respected Bell & Ross for that practice. It isn’t even that they are doing anything particularly great, but rather that in comparison to many other watch brands that attempt to disguise base movements with names, Bell & Ross isn’t doing anything wrong.
On the wrist, the Bell & Ross BR 03-93 GMT wears handsomely, not feeling small, but not overpowering one’s frame. Though, if you do have very thick wrists, you might want to compare how the BR03 and BR01 cases look on your body. Bell & Ross matches the contrast-polished steel case with a glossy black leather calfskin strap. Bell & Ross also apparently includes a black canvas strap with the watch as well. A good-looking and versatile watch, this reference BR0393-GMT-ST/SCA Bell & Ross BR 03-93 GMT watch has a retail price of $3,700. bellross.com
“Burning skull tattoo” is not normally what I would consider to be a solid formula for a cool new timepiece. In fact, it sounds like quite the opposite. And yet… well, let’s just say that this Bell & Ross BR01-92 Burning Skull Tattoo watch (officially “just” called the “Burning Skull”) is surprisingly not awful. Actually, it is rather well-done, in a tattoo-with-burning-skulls sort of way. It is also the latest in a long line of skull watches from Bell & Ross that commemorates the original 2009-released Bell & Ross BR01 Skull.
Back then, the BR01 Skull was easily the most controversial timepiece Bell & Ross had ever released. It quickly divides watch lovers and made fans (as well as enemies) of the brand. Nevertheless, the skull concept was a hit, and it inspired the typically conservative and instrument-themed watch brand to make more of them. I think the only other time I covered a Bell & Ross Skull watch was back in 2009 when they produced the BR01 Tourbillon Airborne watch (that has a skull on it). So let’s once again look at a limited edition watch using the famed 46mm-wide square-shaped BR01 case… and a skull.
Why skull-themed watches are so “in” right now is beyond me. I mean, I have theories and explanations, but these watches aren’t really my taste, and for the most part they don’t speak to my demographic. Then again, I don’t write angry lyrics to bad songs, have a few too many tattoos I’ll regret when my (future) kids are high school age, or ride around on a dark and overly audible motorcycle with a far too serious look on my face and wearing enough leather to earn me an honorary place in the the local West Hollywood “daddy dom” association…
Skulls on items of jewelry, clothing, or watches apparently are an uplifting reminder that we too shall expire someday – and so we must live each day to its fullest. Oh yes, the threat (and reminder) of our own mortality to really help our citizenry put in that extra 10% at work. The irony for me is that if I had even more reminders of my eventual demise I think I would start living life much more cautiously – that, amongst other things, may result in even fewer “skull-wearing” moments. Skulls are also supposed to remind people of all their fallen foes (you know, for people without a competitive streak) and, in this instance, have something to do with pirates.
Bell & Ross has fully embraced not just the skull, but the pirate-themed skull. Here we don’t have a purist’s favorite skull & crossbones (oh wait, there are crossed bones! See, Bell & Ross even managed to include that detail), but we do have a skull and crossed cutlasses. I can probably say that I’ve seen that represented in at least a few pirate-themed movies or video games, so it feels legit enough. In 2009, part of the controversy behind the original Bell & Ross BR01 Skull was the fact that the watch was such a departure from the brand’s typically simple and straight forward utilitarian designs. Clearly meant to combine the aviation instrument watch case with… pirate skulls, it was just a very new side to the brand’s personality.
This 2016 “Burning Skull” iteration of the skeletal favorite takes things in an even more detailed direction. For one thing, our skinless friend on the dial is rendered in remarkable three-dimensional detail in full relief. If you are going for a cool “skull on watch dial” look, there are few better watches than something like this. The double blades that make up the hour and minute hands have strips of black luminant on them (which actually make the sword hands look better), and the entire skull theme is simply better-executed.
Bell & Ross didn’t stop there. Next, the entire surface of the steel case (as well as the sides and back) are engraved with some small symbols (fitting imagery like a rose, heart, and hourglass), and those engravings are filled in (by hand) with black enamel paint. In fact, in the video that will hopefully be part of this article, you can see how a technician literally tattoos the Bell & Ross BR01 Burning Skull watch with the black enamel paint, and how the entire watch case then is baked in an oven to set the enamel for permanence. Yes, Bell & Ross managed to successfully tattoo a watch.
If you don’t have the heart (or dedication/commitment) to get a tattoo on your skin, then at least get one for your watch. Even your watch strap will suffice. As cheesy as it sounds, the resulting timepiece is actually pretty cool. No, the Bell & Ross BR01 Burning Skull isn’t going to measure up as a daily wrist wear for anyone but the most badass among us, but it succeeds in being a genuine work of art.
With a 42-hour power reserve and beating at 4Hz, this is capable, reliable modern motion found in more watches than I can list out here. The steel caseback has an engraving of this Bellytanker concept car together with the usual complement of text and information.The Bell & Ross Watch Face Moto 360 Replica Vintage V2-94 Bellytanker chronograph is powered by the caliber BR-CAL.301, which will be an ETA 2894-2. I discussed this movement in the Tissot Heritage 1948 Hands-On post here, but it is a modular motion dependent on the ETA 2892-2. Bell & Ross has slightly altered it to eliminate the next sub-dial but mechanically it offers the exact same 42-hour power reserve and stays just as dependable. The sapphire crystal of this display caseback is printed using a silhouette of this Bellytanker theory car. They are sized and designed conservatively enough to be daily wearers also. The Bell & Ross Vintage V1-92 Bellytanker ships on an aged brown leather strap for $2,300 and the Bell & Ross Vintage V2-94 Bellytanker is available for $4,400 to a brown calfskin strap or for $4,700 using a stainless steel bracelet. My personal preference are the V2-94 on the bracelet.
It is really all the little details that come together to make the Bell & Ross BR01 Burning Skull cool. The design of the case “tattoos” are clearly on point with the theme, but don’t look out of place on a luxury watch, and much of the meticulous effort put into the design is noticeable. It is hard to say how the case will “age” with wear, but the paint used to black-color the engravings is at least enameled, and that will greatly increase its longevity. The case itself is water resistant to 100 meters, and attached to an attractive dark brown alligator strap (that is also hand-made).
When some first asked me a few years ago why I loved watches, I pointed out a few key reasons to explain my fascination with the small machines. The first reason was that I enjoyed the mechanical, functional nature of timepieces. The second reason was that I was beckoned by the rarity of some watches and how collecting unique watches appealed to my personality. Last, I pointed out that timepieces were mostly intrinsically artistic. Not only are skilled watchmakers able to produce aesthetically beautiful watches, but also those that artistically use a set of necessary elements to indicate information and look good in the process.
So over time, I’ve met many people who have identified with these three elements as well, but what is great is how each collector or watch lover seems to manifest their appreciation of watches in a special way. Let’s take the South Korean artist who prefers to go by the name Eerune. As a professional illustrator, he combines his design skills with many of the watches he loves, for a unique, almost pop art visual presentation of aesthetic and story.
aBlogtoWatch took the opportunity to interview Eerune, soon after making his watch fan art public. You can see that he has been inspired by Omega, Rolex, TAG Heuer, Panerai, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Bell & Ross, and Breitling for starters. I look forward to seeing where his art may take him. Eerune also happens to operate the design studio SUBURB201. His watch art website is apieceoftimepiece.com.
One thing that’s especially neat about the X1 show watches, even however, is that no matter how eccentric each design gets, it still conveys Bell & Ross’ core layout language; that square 45mm case, screwed together at each of the four corners. And though this DNA does take through to the Bell & Ross Watches Singapore Replica BR-X1 Skeleton Tourbillon Sapphire, were it not for the instance signatures, this one may be confused for something apart from a Bell & Ross watch, because the primary timekeeping cues (the hour and second hands) were shrunken into the upper 12:00 region of the dial. While this will give lots of chance to enjoy the flying tourbillon’s motion against all the clear, negative distance from the sapphire, it does detract somewhat from overall utility and legibility in comparison with the brand’s pilot and instrument watches — something that other Experimental offerings possess maintained.The steely grey lines of their 3Hz manually-wound BR-CAL.288 movement structure cast a well skeletonized, industrial comparison against each of the translucent elements on the watch – even the strap is translucent rubber, which should result in some intriguing wrist shots. Part of the thought, besides the novelty itself of a totally transparent case, is that the motion as well as the screws holding the case together are visible from about every angle. The only part of the watch which isn’t completely see-through is the massive mainspring barrel itself, which provides 100 hours of power reserve, and is tucked conveniently behind the luminous hour and minute hands at 12:00, preserving some level of legibility to get timekeeping.In keeping with the more exclusive traditions of this Experimental collection, just eight pieces of this Bell & Ross BR-X1 Skeleton Tourbillon Sapphire have been generated. However, this particular piece is currently the most expensive of all the X1 offerings – even beating out the BR-X1 Chronograph Tourbillon Rose Gold Diamond version by a healthy margin – with an asking price for your Bell & Ross BR-X1 Skeleton Tourbillon Sapphire of $385,000.
Eerune’s self portrait
aBlogtoWatch (ABTW): Watches are tools, but they are also art. How did you discover the artistic side to timepieces and how do they inspire your own art?
Eerune: Clocks themselves have human-like aesthetics to them. I love the charm and feel that watches have. From one watch to another, I feel that each watch has their own unique story to tell, which is very fascinating. I understand the appeal of watches, and I want to express that through my illustrations. Because of that the A Piece of Timepiece project began.
ABTW: You take watches you like and create compositions that seem like a combination between pop art and graphic design. How would you describe your style? How do you create these?
Eerune: I studied graphic design as an illustrator and was heavily influenced by pop art. My work seems to reflect that style. I see people look at my work, and I hope that they’re interested in them–of course, they can see my love for watches, but also–see how I recreate them in the most attractive way to those who feel the same way I do. I tried to make the images as simple as possible. In short, I try to express it in a powerful and minimalist-like manner. My work exists only as images online, but will be available for print soon. In that case, the nature of my work should be a little clearer when seen in first-hand in person.
ABTW: What was the first watch you decided to emulate in your personal style? Why did you choose that one?
Eerune: The Omega Speedmaster was the first watch I worked on. Omega’s “Dark Side of the Moon” was a tribute to space exploration and going to the moon, and that was my main influence for “A Piece of Timepiece.” This year, IWC will release a new version of the Aquatimer. I really like the design and I am looking forward to the release of it. The nice clock figure yields a very noticeable representation of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, and my project related to it should be ready fairly soon.
The “Watch_Brotherss” are a duo of actual watch designers from Hong Kong who have done something artistically interesting and worth talking about. What they do is use their Photoshop and design skills to merge various watch models they like to form hybrid designs which range from cool and desirable to really weird and thought-provoking. I interviewed them in order to share a bit about yet another mysterious set of personalities on the often anonymous world that is social media – and because what they are doing is particularly neat.
The essential modern components that Bell & Ross has worked to the watch include the choice of rising minute increments for the Arabic hour mark, the pilot-watch-inspired hand setup currently common in the “Classic” collection, and the date window, which may have functioned better placed at 3 o’clock, or even left off the dial altogether, instead of hidden involving other numerals. One of the most fascinating contemporary features is at the size of the crown– while many vintage watches did have smaller crowns compared to those found on watches today, the proportion of case to crown around the BR V1-92 Army really seems smaller and subtler compared to those vintage pieces. This design choice could have been to accentuate further the watch’s historical inspirations, but it’s certainly unusual for a timepiece evoking older versions to miniaturize, instead of enlarge, any elements.As formerly mentioned, this view is not based on any particular model, but instead puts its focus on bringing together many interesting historical details to produce a modern yet vintage-appearing piece. Whether or not this type of re-interpretation is desirable or not is a question of personal preference, but on aesthetic value alone the BR V1-92 Military is, to me, an intriguing watch. The piece also represents, along with many other bits in the next generation of the brand’s “Vintage” collection, a growing interest by mainstream watchmakers to cater to the growing market of retro-hungry customers. It appears the trend is no more limited to long-established players such as Omega and Longines, or start-up independents such as Nezumi, but is expanding to all corners of the market seeking to ride this tide of horological nostalgia while it continues.
The Watch_Brotherss aren’t real brothers (even though they actually do have the same last name) and share their work on Instragram under the @Watch_Brotherss name. I will refer to them as “L” and “J.” For not actually being brothers, these two talented guys have a lot in common ranging from both being trained industrial product designers to working for the same watch design company. Given the nature of the industry, they prefer to keep their identities (as well as their employer) confidential for now. According to them, the watches they design (which go into production) typically retail for a couple hundred dollars to about US $1,000.
The tagline on their Instragram page pretty much says it all, but their process and goals are worth exploring since they aren’t that obvious. The duo seeks to explore “what if the watch brand mixed,” and that is more or less what they do. Currently, they only have 60 images or so on their page, but each is an interesting work unto itself. The various watches and other designs they come up with typically combine 2-3 popular watches and seek to come up with something new. You’ll see a lot of repeating themes such as use of elements from brands like Rolex (they really love Rolex bezels), but this isn’t because they are being lazy. In fact, the use of repeated visual elements is done intentionally, and for a few reasons.
The expressed reason is very practical, and that is to gain attention from as many people on social media as possible. The average person on social media spends perhaps a second looking at each picture, so it is important to catch people’s attention right away. Thus, the Watch_Brotherss are intentionally using the most identifiable elements from the most identifiable brands such as Rolex, Hublot, Panerai, and others.
What I think people should stop and consider is what elements they are choosing and how those elements make certain watch designs more distinctive than others. You might ask yourself what makes a Rolex so identifiable, but not really be able to come up with an answer outside of, perhaps, “the name.” Well, a good answer according the work of the Watch_Brotherss is clearly the rotating bezel. In fact, looking at their work, one can immediately see just how important elements like bezels and crowns are when it comes to brand identification.
Take Panerai, for example, with their Luminor locking crown guard. They use this element to help people identify their watches. In fact, there is a form of trademark Panerai has registered for this design element. It’s no longer even close to being patent-protected, so what Panerai did was take the clever step of tradmarking it as part of the “dress” of the product which helps consumers identify its origin.
Such elements which are part of how we identify popular watches aren’t always obvious, but seeing the design combination work of the Watch_Brotherss really helps one understand that. What I particularly like about the duo’s efforts is the mostly refined and very skillful integration of parts. Not all of these are watches I would want to wear, but each is immediately interesting and thought-provoking.
In China and other parts of Asia, original design is observed far less than what I call “curated selection design” and replication. One reason for the popularity of fakes coming from China isn’t just economic, but rather cultural. The notion that someone can copy something else perfectly is actually rather valued. In this sense, many watch designs from China, Hong Kong, and Japan in particular often look like hybrids between popular looks in high-end European watches. To Westerners, this doesn’t always look great, but my understanding is that there is a lot of artistic and creative merit in these parts of Asia not just in coming up with original designs, but also original curation and merging of existing design elements from around the world. I’m saying this as a way of explaining one possible reason why the duo was drawn to this type of artistic expression.
In their own words, the Watch_Brotherss said they began playing with and merging watch designs in order to impress each other. Each design takes anywhere from a few hours to a day to complete, and much of the time is simply spent trying to figure out what to actually do. Given that the two spend a large amount of their time looking at watch designs as it is, doing this type of work is not a particular stretch, and I think they do it pretty well.
Even though L and J bulk their work together, you can easily tell their individual work as each design thus far is produced by only one of them. When they aren’t designing watches, L is an avid cyclist (uphill riding) and designs his own riding jerseys. J’s hobby is leather goods, and he produces wallets and other items he likes for the satisfaction of completing something tangible all by himself. They also have different watch tastes and design preferences. When you look at their Instagram, you can tell L’s work because the “@” symbol on his pictures is squared in the signature, while J’s “@” symbol is more traditionally round.
J also happens to really like the Apple Watch, and some of my favorite things he’s designed are “Watch What-If” versions of the Apple Watch. In fact, I’ve basically gone ahead and offered the Watch_Brotherss the role of leading the next series of aBlogtoWatch Watch What-If design projects, and if you agree, let them know in the comments. What fuels them? It’s really about the feedback from the community and passion that they can share with people who also care about watches. I think it is also safe to say that as watch designers they’d be pretty happy to start their own watch brands someday. Thanks again to L and J for chatting with me, and be sure to check out their Watch_Brotherss Instagram page here.
For 2017, you’ll see more style options for Bell & Ross’ most recognizable design, in its most wearable size. Introduced ahead of Baselworld, the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Horograph is the French-based brand’s take on the German-minimalist design school of Bauhaus, while the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Horolum is a twist on the classic Bell & Ross look with an emphasis on the lume. What’s also nice is that these new Bell & Ross BR 03-92 watches are priced the same as the basic steel BR 03-92 model.
Let’s get the potential humor of the term “Horograph” out of the way since it appears right on the dial. In this instance, “Horograph” and “Horolum” are made-up terms meant to sound “instrumenty.” Horograph is also apparently a geometry term for a form of half-circle shape, but with the BR-03 Horograph, “horo” meaning “hours” and “graph” meaning “to write,” it just refers to general time telling. At the very least, it makes for an amusing conversation starter.
At 42mm wide, the BR 03 line of watches is the little brother of the original BR 01 that is 46mm wide. I called this the design’s most wearable size, but there will be those for whom the BR S at 39mm is just right. Square watches will always wear larger than round ones with the same on-paper measurements, so it’s always a good idea to try one on, but the variety is appreciated. The BR 03-92’s “92” designation applies to the automatic three-hand-plus-date models that come in various styles, finishes, and materials including carbon, ceramic, and steel like these models.
The caveat I have about the Bell And Ross Jura Watches Replica BR 03-92 Diver is the fact that it is clearly not a regular wear. This is best for someone who has more than 1 watch for different events, but who regularly has moods that involve a more macho accoutrement (or you could actually use it to go diving, I guess). Following a few days of wearing it, it felt great strapping on a classic 37mm favorite for a shift. The Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver can fit nicely into even a little a collection for a watch that’s bolder and more distinctive than most other dive watches.The Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver impressed me entire with its “balance” of different design themes, ergonomics, particulars, in addition to fit and finish. Before comparing the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver to other dive watches with the same motion that may cost less cash, consider those things in addition to the fact that this crazy case can also be relatively complicated. All of this in an entirely unique and wearable bundle makes it a real slam dunk for me. Personally, it only about shirts my lists, either of Bell & Ross watches as well as divers in this price range.
Both new Bell & Ross BR 03-92 watches come in 42mm-wide bead-blasted steel cases that are water-resistant to 100m. The movement inside is the BR-CAL.302 that is a base Sellita SW200-1 with 38hrs of power reserve operating at 4Hz. The date window at 4:30 (with date wheel in a color matching the dial) is also a common feature across BR 03-92 watches. The difference is in the dials (ok, the straps too), and thankfully, there is more to them than just some color combos.
The Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Horograph is, as I mentioned, Bell & Ross’ Bauhaus. This makes it pretty different-looking from anything else they offer, but certainly retaining enough Bell-&-Rossiness to give you the brand experience, due to the aviation instrument-inspired square case with screws in the corners. I dare say that the Bauhaus function-first focus is a good match for the pilot watch genre. The matte finishes from the case through to the dial with lumed hands and indices further reinforce the legibility and tool theme.
The Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Horolum is bead-blasted from the case all the way through to the hands and brass-rhodium dial for an even, uniform, matte silver texture. The same color and texture of hands and dial does not sound like the standard recipe for contrast and high-legibility, nor does the green C3 Super-LumiNova against a light-colored dial. In fact, I would say this is thematically in some ways almost like the BR-03 92 Phantom watch that is, of course, all black on black.
What the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Horolum may lack in daytime legibility it attempts to make up for at night. The “-lum” in Horolum does indeed refer to… yes, lume – and Bell & Ross says that airstrip runway lighting was the inspiration. The dial is of what is sometimes called the “sandwich” variety, meaning that it has cutouts to a lower layer that can accommodate large amounts of lume. Panerai is most famous for this dial style, but more close to home, we also saw it on the Bell & Ross BR-03 Desert Type watches here.
There are actually more ceramic models in the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 lineup than steel, so these new watches add some relatively affordable options, priced right alongside the basic steel version with black dial. Both the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Horograph and the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Horolum watches will have the same price of $3,400. bellross.com
The essential modern elements that Bell And Ross Watches For Sale Uk Replica has worked into the watch comprise the selection of rising minute increments for its Arabic hour mark, the pilot-watch-inspired hand setup currently typical in the “Vintage” collection, and the date window, which could have worked better placed at 3 o’clock, or even left off the dial completely, instead of concealed between other numerals. One of the most interesting contemporary features is in the dimensions of the crown– although many vintage watches did have smaller crowns than those seen on watches today, the ratio of the event to crown around the BR V1-92 Military actually seems smaller and subtler than on these vintage pieces. This design choice could have been to accentuate further the view’s historical inspirations, but it’s certainly unusual for a timepiece evoking older models to miniaturize, rather than expand, any elements.As previously mentioned, this watch is not based on any particular model, but instead puts its focus on bringing together many interesting historical details to generate a modern yet vintage-appearing piece. Whether or not this type of re-interpretation is desired or not is a matter of personal preference, but on aesthetic value alone the BR V1-92 Military is, to me, a fascinating watch. The item also represents, along with many other pieces in the next generation of this new “Vintage” collection, an increasing interest by mainstream watchmakers to appeal to the expanding marketplace of retro-hungry consumers. It seems the trend is no more limited to long-established players like Omega and Longines, or start-up independents like Nezumi, but is expanding to all corners of the marketplace seeking to ride this tide of horological nostalgia while it continues.
Bell & Ross has made a name for itself with its aviation-inspired timepieces. The brand proudly proclaims that on-board aviation instruments are its guiding force, and it has been very successful in incorporating the theme into wristwatches. Today, the square case and round dials of its BR aviation-inspired watches are instantly recognizable, and it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that the look is a modern horological and cultural icon. That said, Bell & Ross refuse to be limited by stereotypes, and its latest watches see it drawing inspiration from the open seas. Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce to you the new Bell & Ross BR 01-CM Instrument De Marine.
The Bell & Ross BR 01-CM Instrument De Marine watch is part of the company’s new Marine Instrument collection. And in the words of Bell & Ross themselves, they are “temporarily leaving runways, radars and fighter planes” and heading for the open water.
The new Marine Instrument collection will be headlined by three very special, limited-edition watches. There’s the simple time-only Bell & Ross BR 01-CM Instrument De Marine, the partially skeletonized BR-X1 Instrument De Marine Chronograph, and finally the ultra-complicated BR-X1 Tourbillon Chronograph Instrument De Marine. All three are unique and very different from Bell & Ross’ usual offerings, but the one we are interested in today is the time-only Bell & Ross BR 01-CM Instrument De Marine.
The first thing that strikes you about the new Bell & Ross BR 01-CM Instrument De Marine is that it features the iconic BR 01 case – the case that we all know and love. But look closer and you’ll realize that not all is what it seems. In fact, the case is constructed using three different unconventional materials.
To begin with, the large 46mm-wide case, bezel, and crown are made using bronze. The choice of bronze is obvious as it is the metal that is most associated with the sea. In case you don’t already know, bronze is widely used in marine applications because it naturally forms a patina which protects the underlying bronze metal from corrosion. Look closer still, and around the periphery of the case is a band made of rosewood. Like bronze, wood is another material closely associated with the sea. And finally, the case back is made of titanium – again, a material ideal for marine applications as it is highly resistant to corrosion. It is also hypoallergenic, which makes it great for contact with skin as bronze has the propensity to stain skin.
The case is well-constructed and expertly finished, and the design is one that we have all come to know and love. It’s a simple design, but it is powerful and very attractive. And while it may be a big square case, it isn’t overly thick, so it wears quite well on the wrist. The wearing comfort was also aided by the comfortable brown alligator strap. The strap comes with a matching bronze buckle, which is a nice touch. That said, I think the large Bell & Ross BR 01-CM Instrument De Marine case works best on owners with chunkier wrists. Like other BR 01 watches, the Bell & Ross BR 01-CM Instrument De Marine is also water resistant to 100 meters.
About these dimensions: Looking at the Bell & Ross Watches In Malaysia Replica BR 03-92 Diver on the wrist, an individual may not guess that it measures only 42mm wide. It might be a bizarre or abstract thing to say, but I would explain the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver as sporting more like a 44mm-wide watch. Square cases are going to wear larger than their measurements would suggest — if you’re knowledgeable about watch dimensions and have a habit of guessing how a watch might suit you based on specs and pictures before seeing it in person. Perhaps a corner-to-corner dimension is a great way of assessing the size of a square eye since that may better represent how much wrist property it occupies. Water-resistance is frequently understood by consumers as a shorthand for or way of measuring general durability. The Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver is rated to 300m and meets all of the other ISO dive watch specifications, and also the brand emphasizes how those specifications influenced the layout.
The next thing that catches all your eye is probably the brilliant white dial, which is actually lacquer – an unusual dial material for Bell & Ross watches. What’s also unusual is the use of Roman numerals, railroad-style indexes, and blued pear-shaped hands, which pays homage to marine clocks of the past. These design elements give the dial an old-world charm, but it takes getting used to because the BR 01 case is usually associated with aviation-inspired designs, which tend to be more modern. Nevertheless, it’s a harmonious look, and I especially like the blued steel hands and the whiteness of the lacquer dial.
There’s a subdial for the running seconds at 6 o’clock, and in the middle of the subdial it reads CAL. 203. That would be a reference to the calibre BR-CAL.203 that beats within. It’s visible through the sapphire case back, and it’s a hand-wound mechanical movement. The choice of a hand-wound movement is apt because marine clocks of the past were also manually wound. It beats at 3Hz and features a suitably long power reserve of 56 hours.
Though Bell & Ross doesn’t say it, the BR-CAL.203 is likely the ubiquitous Unitas 6497. A tried-and-tested hand-wound movement that sees action in many other watches. In the case of the Bell & Ross BR 01-CM Instrument De Marine, it has been simply finished with brushed and darkened bridges and blued screws. It looks very industrial, and if I were to nitpick, I would have preferred a more elaborately decorated movement to suit the rest of the watch. As it is, the dial of the Bell & Ross BR 01-CM Instrument De Marine is definitely more intricate than most of Bell & Ross’ other offerings, and I think a more classically decorated movement with chamfered bridges, Côtes de Genève, or perlage would be more suitable.
The new Bell & Ross BR 01-CM Instrument De Marine marks an interesting departure from the brand’s usual aviation-inspired pieces, and the end result is certainly intriguing, if not attractive. I don’t think everyone is going to be a fan of it, but if you like watches like the Ulysses Nardin Marine collection, then I think the Bell & Ross BR 01-CM Instrument De Marine will be an interesting alternative, as it mixes the classic look of marine-inspired watches with Bell & Ross’ signature BR case. If you like the look of it, you’d best hurry because the Bell & Ross BR 01-CM Instrument De Marine is limited to just 500 pieces. Price is $8,700. bellross.com
Bell & Ross owes much of their place on the watch landscape to the distinctive and long-standing design of their BR 03 series. With an instantly-recognizable square case shape and circular instrument-inspired dial design, the BR 03 is a watch that most enthusiasts could pick out from across a room. The look, while polarizing, successfully bolsters B&R’s aviation aesthetic and has become an archetype of its own. Released at Baselworld 2013, the Bell & BR 03 Ross Golden Heritage collection offers a BR platform with some of its military charm swapped for a more dressy and classic look and feel.
The Bell & Ross BR 03 Golden Heritage line has two models, a three-hander (the BR 03-92) and a chronograph (BR 03-94). Both models feature a 42 mm wide satin-finished steel case, anti-reflective sapphire crystal, 100M water resistance and sport a wide brown leather strap. The three hand BR 03-92 Golden Heritage is powered by a Sellita SW 300 and has a date display at 4:30.
The SW 300 is a Swiss made movement meant to compete with movements from ETA like the 2892. With 25 jewels, a frequency of 28,800 vph and a power reserve of 42 hours, the SW 300 is an excellent choice for a reliable and serviceable automatic movement that offers hacking and hand winding.
The dial of the Bell Ross Watches Sale Replica Vintage V1-92 Bellytanker is simple and quite legible, with applied metal hour markers including Arabic markers at 12, 6, 3, and 9. The hands are stainless steel and full of Super-LumiNova for legibility in low light. A popular feature of mine present in both watches is the counter-weight of the seconds hand, which is a simple triangle and appears to be designed to resemble a delta-wing plane. Both the watches include a date window at 4:30 which, to tell the truth, I am not fond of and believe could have been excluded. Nonetheless, this really is a personal preference and as much as date windows extend, this really is well done and the date wheel is at the same gilt copper color as the dial — no cutting corners with a black date wheel here. A finishing touch is a shameful minute chapter ring which adds some contrast and pop to the dial of the Bell & Ross Vintage V1-92 Bellytanker.The Bell & Ross Vintage V2-94 Bellytanker chronograph shares a great deal of the same features like the palms, the second chapter ring, and date window. The main enhancements here are the two recessed, black sub-dials at 3 and 9 o’clock. Such as the chapter ring, the sub-dials add some very nice visual comparison and also help legibility. The sub-dials replace the 3 and 9 hour markers, however, the 12 and 6 Arabic markers remain and assist fill in and balance out the dial visually.
The BR 03-94 Golden Heritage chronograph uses ETA’s 2894 automatic chronograph movement which, in this configuration, offers sub seconds and a maximum measure of 30 minutes. Based in part on the ETA 2892, the 2894 is a modular movement that we have seen used in watches like the Tag Heuer Carrera Jack Heuer 80th Birthday Limited Edition (as the Calibre 17). This movement is fairly easy to pick out as, in its two-register form, it places the running seconds at three and the chronograph minutes at nine. Based on a cam and lever design, this mechanical movement has a power reserve of 37 hours.
Both models have brown dials with gold hands and markers, giving the Bell & Ross BR 03 Golden Heritage watches a somewhat more dressy and old school vibe. Supported by the accessible 42 mm sizing, both of these models are quite wearable and make a great choice for anyone who digs the square case but might want a watch that is a little less casual than its siblings.
In hand and on wrist, the Golden Heritage line really shines and we were surprised by how well this dial design worked with the signature BR-03 case shape. The case and its satin finishing works beautifully with the somehow reserved gold markers and hands. Pricing starts at $3900 USD for the three hander with the chronograph carrying a list price of $5800 USD. With excellent sizing, striking good looks and loads of wrist presence, the BR-03 Golden Heritage line is an interesting spin on a recognizable design from Bell & Ross. bellross.com
One thing that’s especially neat about the X1 series watches, even though, is that no matter how eccentric each layout gets, it still carries Bell & Ross’ core layout language; this square 45mm instance, screwed together at each of the four corners. And though this DNA does take through to the Bell & Ross BR-X1 Skeleton Tourbillon Sapphire, were it not for the instance signatures, this one may be mistaken for something other than a Bell & Ross watch, as the key timekeeping cues (the hour and minute hands) have been shrunken into the upper 12:00 region of this dial. While this will give plenty of chance to enjoy the flying tourbillon’s movement against all the clear, negative distance from the sapphire, it does detract somewhat from general utility and legibility as compared with all the brand’s pilot and instrument watches — something which other Experimental offerings have maintained.The steely gray lines of the 3Hz manually-wound BR-CAL.288 movement architecture cast a nicely skeletonized, industrial contrast against all the translucent components on the watch – even the strap is translucent rubber, which should result in some interesting wrist shots. Part of the thought, besides the novelty itself of a totally transparent scenario, is that the movement and even the screws holding the case together are observable from about every angle. The only region of the watch that is not fully see-through is the massive mainspring barrel itself, which provides 100 hours of power reserve, and is tucked conveniently supporting the luminous hour and minute hands at 12:00, preserving some level of legibility to get timekeeping.In keeping with the more exclusive traditions of the Experimental collection, only eight pieces of the Bell & Ross BR-X1 Skeleton Tourbillon Sapphire are generated.
aBlogtoWatch is now the official Watch Media Partner of The Couture Show. Couture (@by_couture) is a high-end watch and jewelry trade show event that takes place each year in Las Vegas during the same time as the JCK event, which this year will be on May 29 – June 2, 2014. aBlogtoWatch will be bringing you exciting live watch coverage of the event from the Wynn Hotel.
For our first year with Couture, we will be making some changes to how the event is covered. That means we’ll place more of an emphasis on social media and internet coverage, in order to not only display the new watches brands are displaying, but also to help you, the consumer, feel like you are there with us. Couture is a private, industry-only event not open to the general public, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be a part of it with us.
In future years we have many more ideas we will hopefully try to implement, but we and Couture are excited to bring you news, views, and fun from the show, Couture 2014. To follow along, stick around here at aBlogtoWatch, and of course be a part of our social media coverage on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and more. Don’t forget to comment on or follow #Couture2014.
Want more? You have an opportunity to be part of the coverage by sending aBlogtoWatch your questions, opinions, suggestions, or to generally communicate with us during the show. The aBlogtoWatch team will be roaming the Couture show and meeting with brands mostly on May 30th and May 31st, 2014. Some of the watch brands showing at the Couture 2014 show are:
Bell & Ross
Chopard
David Yurman
Ernst Benz
Ferragamo
Hublot
Montegrappa
About those measurements: Looking at the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver about the wrist, one may not guess that it measures just 42mm wide. It might be a weird or abstract thing to say, but I’d describe the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver as wearing much more like a 44mm-wide watch. Square cases will wear larger than their dimensions would imply — if you’re knowledgeable about watch dimensions and have a tradition of imagining how a watch might fit you based on pictures and specs before viewing it in person. Perchance a corner-to-corner measurement is a great means of evaluating the size of a square eye since that may better reflect how much wrist property it occupies. I truly made an effort to portray in a few of the photos how well it wears on my 6.5″ (17cm) wrist — though I probably could not pull off even a millimeter larger.Dive watches tend to be chunky, and water-resistance of 300m is more or less standard nowadays for “professional dive watches” — even though some brands get away with calling a 100m water-resistant watch a diver, and many others take it much further to 1000m and more (Bell & Ross’ Hydromax in 1997 was rated to no less than 11,100m). Water-resistance is frequently known by consumers as a shorthand for or method of quantifying general durability. The Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver is graded to 300m and meets all the other ISO dip watch specifications, and also the brand emphasizes how those specifications determined the layout.
Philip Stein
Shinola
TW Steel
Versace
and more…
There are several Bell & Ross Watches Uk Replica collections that use essentially the same basic case design but in various dimensions (and each with different models). The BR X watches are Bell & Ross’ “Experimental” collection which also utilize some variant of this square case but with generally more elaborate constructions, avant-garde layouts, and haute complications (hands on illustration here using the Bell & Ross BR X2 Tourbillon Micro-Rotor). The Bell & Ross instance is instantly recognizable as such, however the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver is also just a serious-looking dip watch. It further manages to play the portion of a bold-wearing luxury sport watch with an aggressive existence — and at the same time, it looks purposeful and down-to-earth, so the wearer does not seem like he’s desperate for attention. Ultimately, despite that boldness and existence, its dimensions and dimensions somehow keep it surprisingly wearable. At this time, these have been my beliefs while wearing it.
This list will continue to grow as we work with Couture to develop the watch category at the show which has traditionally specialized in fine jewelry brands. We look forward to interacting with the aBlogtoWatch audience when covering the show and for all things “watches in the real world.” See you in Las Vegas.
About those dimensions: Appearing at the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver on the wrist, an individual may not guess that it measures only 42mm wide. It might be a weird or subjective thing to say, but I’d explain the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver as sporting more like a 44mm-wide watch. Square cases will wear bigger than their measurements would imply — if you are familiar with watch dimensions and have a tradition of imagining how a watch may suit you based on specs and pictures before seeing it in person. Perhaps a corner-to-corner measurement is a good means of assessing the extent of a square watch because that may better represent how much wrist real estate it occupies. I truly made an attempt to portray in a few of the photos how well it wears on my 6.5″ (17cm) wrist — although I probably couldn’t pull off even a millimeter larger.Dive watches tend to be chunky, and water-resistance of 300m is more or less regular nowadays for “professional dive watches” — although some manufacturers eliminate calling a 100m water-resistant watch a diver, and others take it much farther to 1000m and more (Bell & Ross’ Hydromax in 1997 was rated to no less than 11,100m). Water-resistance is frequently known by customers as a shorthand for or way of quantifying general durability. The Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver is graded to 300m and meets all of the other ISO dip watch specifications, and the brand highlights how those specifications determined the design.
You can call it unoriginal or call it derivative, but I still really like the new Bell & Ross BR 123 GMT 24H watch. As an “inspired” design fueled by historic sport watches this is another well-curated treat from the French watchmaker. There is no getting around the simple fact that the BR 123 GMT 24H watch is a combination of Bell & Ross’s current round watch face design along with look of a Rolex Explorer II. Having said that, I do feel that the elements go together very well.
This isn’t the first time Bell & Ross has borrowed the large orange GMT hand of the Explorer II watch. Maybe I have a thing for Bell & Ross GMT watches but I equally liked the Bell & Ross BR 01-93 GMT piece that I reviewed here. The clean, legible looks of the purposeful tool-watch style and that large orange GMT hand look cool. It takes the watch into a real instrumental range making it feel like a navigational item more than a typical sport watch. The Explorer II-style steel bezel is retro-cool and adds to the vintage flair that Bell & Ross is known for playing with successfully.
A honed eye is required to notice many of the smaller details that make this BR 123 collection was unique from others. One important element is the sapphire crystal which sits over the dial like a bowl similar to old acrylic crystals. This is a unique touch that I don’t recall seeing on previous BR 123 models, and it works particularly well with the bezel style.
The 42mm wide steel case is polished up nicely (another vintage-style touch) and it contrasts well with the brushed steel non-rotating GMT bezel. The bezel is thin which works well to emphasize the size of the dial and this is the first time Bell & Ross has emulated this bezel design in their watches. The bezel is also the only place to bear the 24 hour indicators leaving the dial relatively clean.
By now people associate this dial style with Bell & Ross, which is marked by the aviator style Arabic numeral hour indicators along with the more classic baton hour indicators and thinner hands. In honor of further promoting legibility Bell & Ross correctly finished the hour markers with a brushed polish versus a more reflective mirror polish. This is exactly what helps dials offer more readability because it reduces glare and helps the eye spot the indexes in most lighting situations.
A subtle date window is added on the dial in the form of a small circular window over a black date disc. It doesn’t disrupt the symmetry of the dial but still offers the extra complication. Once again, I will say that the dial is a testament to correct choices among existing options versus originality.
June 11-14, 2015, saw the Salón Internacional de Alta Relojería (SIAR) opening its doors once again, this year in Spain, as a sister event to SIAR Mexico City. SIAR Madrid is really a spin-off event (run by most of the same people) from the long-standing salon held in México that aBlogtoWatch founder Ariel covered for its 2014 event here. This was the second edition and, for what I hear from the exhibiting brands, the outcome was pretty decent, which augurs a third edition.
The preamble was not very promising, though: after days of scorching heat, Madrid was hit by a monsoon, a freak downpour which flooded the city. It proved two things: Swiss watches are water-resistant, but provisional outdoor tents are not to be trusted in heavy rain. Following the deluge, exhibitors (some of them at least) raced to the scene at 3am to get things ready to fall in – which they did, for the most part.
SIAR Madrid 2015 was held in a nineteenth century mansion with a certain opulent decadence, an appropriate venue for the thirteen luxury Swiss watch brands in attendance. The main garden led to the Audemars Piguet stand, located in what was originally an indoor pool. The atmosphere was really agreeable. It was a bit like the SIHH but far more relaxed, with all the exhibitors willing to show and allow you to film and photograph the pieces for as long as you want. Two days were set aside for the press, and the last two days the doors were opened to the public, offering a unique opportunity to appreciate the watches that we would otherwise only see in press releases. The brand representatives actually encouraged conversations with professionals, collectors, and aficionados in a relaxed mood.
In addition to the exhibiting brands, SIAR hosts press conferences. I personally attended conferences by Cartier’s Carole Forrestier, Bell & Ross’ Carlos Rosillo, and Bartomeu Gomila – the Spanish Master Horloger who created the Time Writer II for Minerva-Montblanc back in 2012.
Some brands had watchmakers on show assembling calibres to give visitors an idea of the nearly – and sometimes downright – microscopic world they deal with. It is amazing how with all the noise, they can still concentrate and manage parts that often are less than a millimeter long.
Another activity at SIAR Madrid 2015 was the Master Class workshops – organized by IWC and Jaeger-LeCoultre – in which attendees were invited to assemble a real caliber. I was lucky enough to attend the one by Jaeger-LeCoultre and confront the caliber 986 which is inside the Grande Reverso Duoface. The concentration required to manage the tweezers, the screwdrivers, and the eye loupe is so demanding that at times you wonder why you are spending more time on your hands and knees than at the bench – especially when one of the tiny parts springs out of control and gets lost somewhere. But in the end, with some help from the master watchmaker on hand, the balance wheel miraculously started to move, and I felt an enormous sense of accomplishment.
But I guess what everybody wants to know are which watches were shown at the SIAR Madrid 2015. It is not all of them, of course, because the brands came with quite a repertoire, but let’s point out the most important ones.
A really good sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating can sometimes seem to even “sharpen” the dial components, to my eyes. The Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver has a 2.85mm-thick horizontal crystal with fantastic AR coating offering a crystal clear view of the dial that’s designed to be legible to start with. The applied hour markers, sloped chapter ring, and date window at 4:30 using a black date wheel to match the dial colour all help lend a sense of interest and depth that I constantly appreciate.Clearly, I am bullish on the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver. It was one of the funnest recent watches I’ve had the opportunity to wear for an elongated period of time, and I can’t really say I can discover any actual complaints relating to it. There are two or three things that I can think about, however, that Bell & Ross can do to further sweeten the deal. To begin with, ceramic bezel inserts are more scratch-resistant, and are getting to be practically standard nowadays, making aluminum inserts start to feel less superior. Second, it is likely to possess 300m water immunity on a watch with a screen caseback, and that would raise the value, attention, and consumer experience for the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver. The good caseback, though, is probably also helpful for protecting the movement from magnetic fields. Last, including something in the motion department, like COSC certificate, for instance, would farther kick up it a notch. Every one of these things would probably also be grounds to increase the purchase price, of course.The Swiss automatic movement indoors is the absolutely appropriate, reliable, and common Sellita SW300-1 (“BR-CAL.302”). Power reserve of 42 hours, working at 4Hz… you know the specs. The screw-down crown has been coated with rubberized and easy to grip with a solid and smooth-as-butter twisting feel. I like the rubber on the crown, but I wonder how rubber components such as this on watches will hold up over time. The strap can be rubber, is comfortable and soft, and includes a suitably giant steel buckle.
Held from the utilitarian case, which itself features a good caseback and miniaturized crown, is a vintage-inspired, curved sapphire crystal which resembles the acrylic crystals of yesteryear. Under this is the view’s detail-packed dial with a B-Uhr pilot-style triangle at the 12 o’clock position, a red inscription toward 6 o’clock standing for “Army Form,” and artificial patina beams throughout. The timepiece comes with an outer second track with large printed indices and Arabic numerals rising in increments of 5 in every hour mark, with a subtle, round date window at the 4:30 position hiding in plain sight. Powering the watch’s different hand configuration is your automatic Caliber BR-CAL. 302, which relies on the Sellita SW-200, also stores a 38-hour power reserve. The piece is currently available on the internet and through boutiques worldwide, priced from the newest at $1,990. Among the clearest historically derived particulars, you will observe the stainless steel case using simple satin-finishing, sized at 38.5-mm — that is at least 5 mm larger than the WWII-era watches it seems to be paying homage to, but still a dimension relatively restrained in contrast with the typically large watches produced by the brandnew You will also observe the pilot’s-watch-style 12 o’clock hour marker, a feature first developed in the late 1930s on German B-Uhr bits and which find their contemporary descendants in the Big Pilot and Mark XVIII by IWC, the Stowa Flieger Klassik, and many other watches. The final important vintage-inspired feature is in the tiny red inscription toward the base of the dial, a detail which was more prevalent in afterwards, postwar army watches like the Heuer-developed Bundeswehr 1550 SG (image above, through FratelloWatches) discussed within our policy of this 1950s-derived Junghans Meister Pilot. In all, the modern watch looks like borrowing key attributes from ancient pilots watches like the B-Uhr and Mark 11 (image below), while also taking on other military watch influences like those from the “Dirty Dozen” WWII bits and later military chronographs.
Audemars Piguet
Apart from around 20 historic pieces from Audemars Piguet’s museum, the manufacture showed its two concept watches. One was the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept RD 1, a minute repeater with a surprisingly loud sound. I was skeptical when it was first announced, but I must admit, I was very wrong. To give you an idea of the exceptional sonority of this watch, Claudio Cavaliere, AP’s Global Brand Ambassador, took ten steps away from my position at the bar. When he activated the repeater, the barman had the brilliant idea of pouring ice cubes into a bucket, but I could still hear it! Outstanding.
There was also the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher (article here), which is hands down the most complicated chronograph out there. While there is a detailed explanation in the linked article, I have done a video explaining it (in Spanish) to help understanding the complex functioning of the chronograph.
Bell & Ross
Bell & Ross displayed around 50 of its models, including its latest chronographs such as the Bell & Ross BR 03 94 Rafale and the BR 126 Carbon Orange. Incidentally, I saw Carlos Rosillo with his Bell & Ross WW 1 Edición Limitada – his cigar-themed watch – smoking a cigar with a band that included his family coat of arms. Not bad, huh?
Cartier
The powerful maison invaded SIAR Madrid 2015 with its creations, dedicating one whole room to the new Clé de Cartier. We were also shown the mighty Rotonde de Cartier Astrotourbillon Skeleton (read more about the Astrotourbillon here), with its ethereal but at the same time blunt presence.
Considering that many dive watches are mainly used now to tell the time on dry land, I have often felt that the deemphasized hour palms found on several are sort of a sacrifice of real-life usability for the sake of being taken seriously as a “genuine” diver. Section of these ISO standards, however, stipulate that the second hand should be more legible than the hour hand since the minutes are somewhat more crucial when diving. For the Bell & Ross Watch Catalogue Replica BR 03-92 Diver, legibility isn’t hampered from the orange lume for the hour hand, but it is indeed deemphasized in the dark with a (much) fainter glow while every thing else (hands and markers) glows brightly green with Super-LumiNova. Also recognizable — and demanded for dip watch specifications — would be the unidirectional rotating bezel. It is a 60-click one in the case of this Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver with an aluminum insert, and it is slightly stiff to turn but with a solid sound and texture. Bell & Ross also notes the BR 03-92 Diver’s shock resistance to professional specs, and the thicker caseback and soft iron cage help make the watch anti-magnetic to ISO 764 standards. The angular crown guards are another durability-emphasizing feature. While Bell & Ross has not provided the official dimensions, as a dive watch, this will be considerably thicker than other BR 03 cases with the prominent bezel, thicker caseback, and thicker sapphire crystalclear. And it’s about as significant as it looks. There is no sensible reason that the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver case needs to be square, but because it works so nicely in the end, there is also no reason it shouldn’t be, right?
The maison’s favourite cat was also in Spain with the Cartier Rêves de Panthères watch, one of the hits of the year, as well as the spectacular Rotonde de Cartier Double Tourbillon Mystérieux, with two tourbillons floating on each side.
Chopard
The Scheufele family’s manufacture also brought a good representation of the many things they do. It was great to see the new Chopard Mille Miglia Race Edition (hands-on here), a special edition created for the race with a red dial that makes the power reserve indicator look – at last – really good. Chopard also exhibited all its different models with moon phases, one of them being the Chopard L.U.C 150 All in One, a real tour de force with 14 complications that makes you want to wear the watch upside down. The Chopard L.U.C Regulator – my favorite Chopard watch – was also on show.
De Bethune
I was really pleased to know that De Bethune was attending the show because I love the brand. Plus, I got to meet David Zanetta’s son, Alessandro, who happens to be their Sales Director. Very nice guy indeed. Anyway, apart from the classics, they had the Quetzacoatl, the De Bethune DB 25 T Zodiac with its dead second caliber, a dramatic De Bethune DB 25 RM in red gold and black dial, and the prize-winning De Bethune DB 29 Maxichrono Tourbillon (hands-on here).
F.P. Journe
Another treat of the salon. One of the best watchmakers out there, each F.P. Journe piece is an exercise in exquisiteness. Take, for example, the F.P. Journe Octa Automatic Réserve, in which the dial is a block of stamped gold that is then sanded down and applied with a layer of silver – except for the numerals, which appear to be applied when they are in fact part of the solid face.
The F.P. Journe Chronomètre à Résonance sports a double balance wheel that synchronizes by proximity and starts beating in opposite directions. As a side effect, you can naturally have double time in the same dial. However, one of everybody’s favorites was the well-known F.P. Journe Chronomètre Bleu with its infinite array of different blue notes. The perfect dress watch.
IWC
IWC showcased its Portugieser collection as part of its 75th anniversary celebrations, and the top hit Annual Calendar was on show in all its different flavors. Also shown: the IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar, a really beautiful execution, and this other IWC Perpetual Calendar Double Moonphase, with a really nice blue.
Jaeger-LeCoultre
Let’s start first with the ladies’ watches, because JLC has bet on watches for women that are really created for them, and not just watches for men in a smaller size – all with have complications. And that is paying off. For instance, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous Ivy Minute Repeater, or the Montre Extraordinaire La Rose which – unlike most jewellery watches – has a manual caliber inside.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication (hands-on here) was also on display with a flying tourbillon that goes around the Northern Hemisphere signaling sidereal time and the corresponding zodiac sign – plus a minute repeater. And it is beautiful to look at. Not much more you can ask for here.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Duomètres were all there as well. Particularly of interest was the Jaeger-LeCoultre Unique Travel Time – which is the watch I want if I am going to be traveling around the world… and also if I’m not. And of course, the Reverso family was well represented, for instance, by the Jaeger-LeCoultre Grande Reverso 1931 Seconde Centrale.
MB&F
This was the first time MB&F has approached Spain, and it did so with its brand new MB&F HMX (debuted here) which is the anniversary edition derived from the well-known HM5. This version is lighter and cheaper, and has a neat resemblance to the sports cars – and watches – of the 1970s. I especially like the detail of the two oil tanks which actually serve as oil tanks for the caliber. You can even open the cap.
MB&F also presented the already known MB&F Legacy 101 Frost and the Space Pirate.
Montblanc
Montblanc is creating quite a buzz in the watch industry and did so at the SIAR Madrid 2015 with a very animated booth and lots of watches. We could see, for instance, the Montblanc Heritage Chronométrie Dual Time (hands-on here), or the always impressive Montblanc Metamorphosis II.
Panerai
Panerai presented all its novelties, something really appreciated by their fans which in Spain are legions. Everybody wanted to see the Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 Carbotech 3 Days Automatic with its carbon case (hands-on here).
…Or the new Panerai Radiomir 1940 3 Days Ceramica and its iconic SLC on the dial. And, personally, I got to try again my favorite Panerai watch right now, the Panerai Radiomir GMT Red Gold, with its beautiful blue dial.
Piaget
Piaget showcased its Altiplanos, of course, including the Chronograph and the Gold Bracelet. I also heard (and recorded) the chiming Piaget Emperador Coussin Ultra-Thin Minute Repeater (hands-on here), which I happen to like very much – even though reading the time sometimes can consume too much of it.
Also on show was the Piaget Gouverneur, which I have always liked as a dress watch because of how it plays with the oval and round shapes on the case and dial.
Vacheron Constantin
Another of my great great loves. Historic pieces as well as true classics like the Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Traditionelle Tourbillon 14 Days (hands-on here), the Patrimony Traditionelle World Time, and the Patrimony Retrograde Day-Date were all on display, as well as the new Vacheron Constantin Harmony line.
And that’s all for now, folks. If you plan to visit Madrid next year – which you should – don’t miss out on the SIAR. I will keep you informed of the dates and the weather forecast, just in case.
This article has been translated from Spanish to English by its original author Santiago Tejedor for aBlogtoWatch. The original article can be found here on his website Horas y Minutos.
Launched in 2017, the Bell Ross Watches Replica BR 03-92 Diver is not the brand’s first dive watch, but it is the very first dive watch in their iconic square instance. It is, in my opinion, a great success in balancing different design elements and themes as well as boldness and wearability. “Balance” is a phrase which I kept returning to if considering different aspects of this Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver. The result is a solid, refined dive watch with a look and character quite unlike any other that I know of, and it’s just plain fun to wear.No matter how good, gratifying, or first a brand’s watches are, a genuinely “iconic” version is something many watch brands will never be able to convincingly claim — by its very nature the expression can be correctly appropriate to only a limited variety of watches. I try to avoid even using the term, but I believe lots of watch fans will agree that Bell & Ross’ square-cased, aviation-themed watches based on the dashboard tools of older planes will be eligible. The design is strongly associated with and suspended in aviation, but Bell & Ross has branched out to plenty of other genres or styles with all the square instance as the foundation. While the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver might get lost among so many other variants on the subject, taken alone it is successful as a compelling dive watch.
The dial of this Bell & Ross Vintage V1-92 Bellytanker is easy and quite legible, with applied metal hour mark such as Arabic markers at 12, 6, 3, and 9. The hands are stainless steel and filled with Super-LumiNova for legibility in reduced light. A popular feature of mine present in both watches is the counter-weight of the seconds hand, which is a very simple triangle and appears to be designed to resemble a delta-wing plane. Both the watches have a date window at 4:30 which, to be honest, I am not fond of and believe could’ve been excluded. Nonetheless, this really is a personal preference and so much as date windows go, this is nicely done and the date wheel is at precisely the exact same gilt copper color as the dial — no cutting corners with a black date wheel here. A finishing touch is a shameful second chapter ring which adds some pop and contrast to the dial of this Bell & Ross Vintage V1-92 Bellytanker.The Bell & Ross Vintage V2-94 Bellytanker chronograph shares a lot of the very same features such as the hands, the second chapter ring, and date window. The main enhancements here are both brightly, black sub-dials at 3 and 9 o’clock. Like the chapter ring, the sub-dials include some very nice visual comparison and also help legibility. The sub-dials replace both 3 and 9 hour markers, but the 12 and 6 Arabic markers remain and assist fill in and balance out the dial visually.
