Bell & Ross BR 01 Watches

Bell and Ross BR01 Review

When it has to do with watches that are military-inspired, we have some brands which are required to be mentioned. One of them is Bell and Ross. Bell and Ross offers several fantastic wristwatches in their collection, and we have decided to take a closer look at the BR01 model from Bell and Ross. 

The BR01 watch collection from Bell and Ross is likely the most iconic wristwatch collection from this brand, and most likely, one of the most influential wristwatches in the last decade. Making use of Swiss movements, this brand is a contemporary French company, and their "vintage" models even possess a fresh look, and the whole collection of the brand is modern throughout. The thing that made Bell and Ross manage to retain this appearance even though they feature a collection that's mostly targeted at the past for inspiration is restraint. Design restraint to be precise. The designs of most Bell and Ross wristwatches are simple when one initially looks at them. They have only a few key design specs which make every piece what it is, without going overboard. 

Bell and Ross BR01 92

When it has to do with giving honor to these plane clocks, the purest BR 01 design is the BR01 92 Carbon. In the cockpit, they prefer Black Coated metal due to the fact that it doesn't reflect light, which will likely hinder visibility. For legibility, a dial of black and white also gives the best contrast. In this model, the date window is not present; it just has the time with seconds, which is a pure dashboard instrument.

When it comes to the watch's clever design elements, one of them is the way its straps integrate the lugs for a seamless, single look. Its straps are faceted (only on the rubber variants) and gently taper to assist in visually reducing the watch's size. It's a visually elegant and quite refined design of the strap, and also very simple at the same time. It is offered in nylon Velcro, leather, and some other straps; we actually feel the best strap for the BR01 is likely the rubber strap. Elegant in its craftsmanship, a sexy strap is matched to the straps and is comfortable and can be worn effortlessly. 

The BR01 92 is powered by a Swiss ETA 2892-2 auto movement. Almost all the watches of the BR01 make it clear the type of movement that is in them. For example, the BR01 94 is powered by the 2894 automatic chronograph movement, and the BR01 97 is powered by the 2897 automatic with power reserve movement, and many other models. Several brands in the matchmaking industry make use of basic ETA movements; they try to use their own lexicon to disguise the caliber names. One of the reasons we applaud Bell and Ross is the fact that they seem not to be interested in this form of practice, and they are focused on what matters. They aren't a watch movement maker, but a watchmaker. They make use of movements that are reliable and industry-tested and do not mean to confuse any individual in this process. The price of the Bell and Ross BR01 92 is $4,600. 

Bell and Ross BR 01-94

We want to take a brief look at the Bell and Ross BR01 94. The BR01 94 was presented by Bell and Ross at the Baselworld 2012, and this watch is a stark and bold entry that has a style that is intimidating. This watch is packed with a great commando dial, a black case, and mat finishes, these make the watch look like a thing which will likely be worn by a military man of fortune. This wristwatch also has a Swiss self-winding 2894 automatic chronograph movement, which is packed in the 42 millimeters black PVD case of the watch. The wristwatch is water-resistant to an impressive 10 bars or 100 meters. The watch has an anti-reflective sapphire surface, and it can be found with a black heavy-duty canvas and a grey rubber strap. It is a wristwatch made for gentlemen who are set to go to war. The price of the Bell and Ross BR01 94 is $6,200.  

Bell and Ross BR01 Laughing Skull

Several years ago, the foremost Bell and Ross BR01 Skull was launched, and it made an impression that's lasting by breaking the codes of traditional watchmaking. Since then, Bell and Ross Skull collection has become an iconic one and recently launched a new version. Indeed, there is a rich and long tradition between time and skulls. Apart from the obvious reference to pirates, this wristwatch is a symbol of the military codes, particularly the ones from World War 2 paratroopers, for the reminder of how vulnerable they were to danger. The popular "Jolly Roger" as a decorative element appears as a rebel or talisman symbol. 

Bell and Ross will definitely make you smile with the new BR01 Laughing Skull. This is actually the first time that this brand is venturing into the field of automata; they have a surprise in store for everyone. The mandible of this fantastic timepiece actually moves, thereby making the skull grin back at you. That is just why you've never been as entertained as this while winding your wristwatch. 

The size of the watch is 46mm, it is square, and it contains a new self-winding movement that makes use of an automation figure also. The mandible of the skull has an animated display, which is a manufactured movement that was entirely developed and exclusively designed by Bell and Ross, the BR-CAL 206. Actually, the skull of this watch is the focus of attention, and it surprisingly fits well in the craftsmanship landscape. The caliber that has the shape of the skull does not only fit perfectly into the case, but it also seems to float continuously in 0 gravity within the dial. 

The most classic variant of the animation systems stays faithful to the characteristics of the dial of its predecessors; the minute's hand is sword-shaped, and the hour hand is dagger-shaped. It has skeletonized hands that are coated with Super-LumiNova and glow in the middle. This bold wristwatch is crafted from micro-blasted steel, which has a "Clou de Paris" finish, thereby making it have a rather pronounced unique character. This wristwatch arrives in a brown alligator strap and has a limited edition of only 500 pieces. With its reference to legendary military codes and elegant finishes, this watch will definitely win over aficionado of wristwatches. This watch has a price tag of $9,900. 

Bell and Ross BR01 Burning Skull

The Bell and Ross BR01 Burning Skull is a 2016 iteration of skeletal favorite, and they take things in a direction that is more detailed. One of its features is our skinless friend on the dial, which is rendered in a cool 3-dimensional detail in total relief. If you're looking for a cool one with a "skull on watch dial" appearance, this is one watch you should go for. The minute and hour hands are made up of double blades, which have strips of black luminant on them (which actually adds to the elegance of the sword hands), and the whole theme of the skull just has a better execution. 

This brand did not actually stop there. The next thing is the whole surface of the steel case (and also the back and sides), which are neatly engraved with some little symbols (fitting imagery like an hourglass, heart, and rose), and by hand, those engraving are actually filled in with black enamel paint. As a matter of fact, if you watch a video of this watch, you will see the way a technician tattoos the Bell and Ross BR01 Burning Skull wristwatch using the black enamel paint, and the way the whole watch case is then baked in an oven so that the enamel can be set to be used. Of course, they managed to tattoo a watch successfully. 

Well, all these little details are the ones that come together to make this wristwatch fantastic. The "tattoo" design of its case are obviously on point with its theme, and a whole lot of the effort that's placed on this wristwatch can be noticed without effort. It's quite difficult to state how this case will "age" after continuous wear, but the paint that's used to give the engravings a black color is enameled, at least, and it will make it have a significantly increased longevity. The case of this watch is water-resistant to 10 bars or 100 meters, and it is incorporated with an elegant dark brown alligator strap, which is also made with bare hands. The price of this watch is $7,700.