Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The New Bell & Ross BR 05 Steel & Gold and Skeleton Blue
Bell & Ross enlarges its casual sports watch collection.
A square case, a round dial, and one screw in each of the four corners… Fifteen years ago, Paris-based brand Bell & Ross introduced a watch that would become a signature design, the BR 01. In 2019, the challenge was to stay true to the brand’s roots but also to extend the concept to casual/urban sports watches. And the result came in the name of BR 05, a new offer in the crowded segment of the luxury sports watch with an integrated bracelet. After a successful inaugural collection, it is now time for new editions, with the BR 05 Steel & Gold and Skeleton Blue.
Bell & Ross BR 05 Black Steel & Gold
First in line for the 2020 collection is a luxurious and warm edition, which responds to the current trend for two-tone watches – and we all know that two-tone attires work pretty well in the context of sports watches with integrated bracelets. Without changing the original specifications of the BR 05, Bell & Ross adds a combination of steel and 18k pink gold to its ‘urban’ watch, with a newly designed upper module. The original bezel, which is still in stainless steel, has been carved and an 18k pink gold insert added on top. The 4 screws, a signature design element of the brand, are still in place and executed in steel for contrast.
Combined with this new two-tone suit is a more elegant black dial, with the white minute track printed on the periphery – this dial is also used on the full rose gold model. The surface has a sunray-brushed decoration and the hands and applied indexes are gold plated, matching with the case. The same gilded finishing is applied to the logo and date frame.
The Bell & Ross BR 05 Black Steel & Gold is available either on a textured black rubber strap, with the connection link in 18k pink gold, or on a two-tone integrated bracelet with a folding clasp. No changes regarding the movement, which is still a specifically decorated SW300-1. This BR 05 Black Steel & Gold is priced at EUR 5,900 on rubber and EUR 9,900 on bracelet, and it is now available for pre-order from the brand’s webshop with deliveries in July 2020.
Bell & Ross BR 05 Skeleton Blue
The second watch in the 2020 Bell & Ross BR 05 is a limited edition with an openworked movement. Already launched in a similar configuration in 2019 with a silver-coloured movement, the brand updates its Skeleton version with a blue colour scheme. To achieve this transparent blue colour, the crystal dial has been tinted to partially reveal the movement underneath. A positive aspect of this version, besides the additional touch of colour, is the improved contrast between the background and the hands/indexes, which are silver coloured.
This BR 05 Skeleton Blue is housed in the classic brushed and polished 40mm stainless steel case and is powered by a modern-looking opened version of the SW300-1 – with angular openings for the bridges and main-plate. This version is available either on a blue textured rubber strap or on an integrated stainless steel bracelet.
This new BR 05 Skeleton Blue will be limited to 500 pieces and priced at EUR 5,900 on rubber and EUR 6,400 on steel bracelet. It is now available for pre-order from the brand’s webshop with deliveries in late June 2020.
5 responses
I absolutely love the look of these watches
Two tone bracelet costs EUR 4,000?
I don’t get it… 6kEuro for SW300 watch that is an uglier Genta design take.
And for 20% of the price C.Ward is using a proper blue saphire on dial and back.
The B & R style doesn’t do it for me but its obviously pretty popular because there are some very convincing counterfeit watches out there. I have a Sellita powered watch and am very pleased with it but 6000 with a rubber strap?. I suspect that B & R are doing what Bremont are also doing, pushing the price up for no obvious reason to try and take them to a more prestigious sector of the market. It worked for Rolex, when I bought mine it was a luxury but affordable but I wouldn’t consider one these days.
It’s a good looking watch. The price of the two tone model is an absolute joke. These high retail prices only force authorized dealers to discount heavily and make no profit or for buyers to buy them gray market. The steel model should retail at $4000 max. I use Rolex as an example all the time. A 39mm Oyster Perpetual is $5700. How many buyers would buy a B&R over a Rolex???