Bell & Ross

Bell & Ross

For everything you need to know about this legendary French brand, look no further…

·        History

Bell & Ross was based in 1992 as a university project between 2 long friends, Bruno Belamich (Bell) and Sanchez A. Rosillo (Ross), each of whom shared a vision of manufacturing useful and sturdy timepieces. With their easy plan of ‘function shapes form’, they modified the planet of artistry as we all know it these days.

In terms of inspiration, the ampersand-logoed French brand has drawn from the history of aviation and the military specifications and technological advances that accompany it; as a result, each product that rolls from the production line is made with the very best visual and playing qualities.

With this philosophy in mind, early models, such as the Space 1 (which was the first automatic chronometer to be worn in space) and the Bomb Disposal Type (a piece of carpus armour that created the agonizing job of termination explosives abundant easier) grabbed the eye of enthusiasts.

·        Methods and values

The company not solely needs its watches to seem smart, however it additionally needs them to be used as a tool and constant ally so as to help those in professions wherever one should stand up to extreme temperatures, endure violent accelerations or resist dangerous pressures. So, to make one thing which will work beneath such circumstances, Bell & Ross enlists the expertise of pilots, divers, bomb disposal experts and astronauts when trying to develop timepieces with optimal functionality – the BR 01, for example, takes inspiration from the aesthetics of the clocks in the cockpit of an airline (a circle within a square).

Moreover, to ensure that it meets the expectations of its users, the label assembles a team of experts with complementary skill sets – designers, engineers and master watchmakers are all brought along and area unit target-hunting by one single utilitarian and ergonomic-style motto: ne'er let the essential be compromised by the superfluous.

It is then among the assembly facility at La Chaux-de-Fonds wherever the master watchmakers conceive, assemble so fine-tune every Bell & Ross timekeeper, and in order to guarantee high-quality, only the strictest qc area unit enforced, no matter but complicated the mechanism is.

As a results of its analysis and building methodology, Bell & Ross has built a reputation on functionality, precision, water-resistance and legibility, and today it’s the official supplier of the Space Lab Mission, The French Air Force, The Lafayette Escadrille and many other professionals of the extreme.

·        Models

Throughout the years, Bell & Ross’ bulging portfolio of goods has traditionally been split into two iconic collections: Vintage and Instrument.

Debuting among the label’s early years, the Vintage collection pays tribute to key eras of the great aeronautical adventure, and particularly to the aviators who were the first professionals to consider the wristwatch as an asset on their missions.

With a contemporary style, it represents utility in its simplest form, and as the collection is built with military DNA, each model is made to meet a set of specifications that are established by the armed forces. They’re additionally watertight to make sure they're appropriate for aquatic environments.

Typically, a watch from this line boasts a classic spherical case and comes with a spread of complications, such as a dual time zone and small second hands.

The Instrument models pay deference to the circle-square-style clock from Associate in Nursing plane cockpit and adapt that aesthetic to suit on a carpus. Used by several elite establishments, there are four complementary instruments made in this range: the BR-X1, the BR 01, the BR 03 and the BRS.

And despite producing several exceptional watches since its conception over twenty six years ago, there are certain styles which epitomise the mechanical sophistication and technical innovation of the brand, and they embody the Hydromax eleven a hundred M (the world-record winner for water-resistance in 1998), the Vintage Heure Sautante (a classic timepiece with a jumping hour – a movement designed by Swiss master watchmaker Vincent Calabrese) and the BR 01 Red Radar (a non-conformist piece of wrist armour that provides a radar-inspired way of reading time).

By combining refined aesthetics with the experience of Haute Horlogerie, it’s very little or no marvel why Bell & Ross has become the yardstick by that absolutely completely different homes measures themselves against.