Bell & Ross BR 01 10th Anniversary Edition
Bell & Ross is celebrating 10 years of its iconic model by presenting an exclusive watch in a limited edition: the “BR 01 10th Anniversary”.
In 2005, a simple idea gave rise to the BR 01: the plan was to turn an aircraft cockpit into the best aviation watch: reliable, functional, accurate and easy to read. Switching, as if by magic, “from the cockpit to the wrist”, with the BR 01, the aesthetic codes of contemporary watchmaking were reinvented. Since then, Bell & Ross has developed more than 150 models and fifty limited editions of this square watch which has, over time, become a true platform for creative watchmaking (tourbillon, tourbillon-timer, power reserve, skeleton, large date, GMT, chronograph) and innovative design (Flight Instruments, Heritage, Phantom, Skull, B-Rocket).
To celebrate 10 years of this legendary model, Bell & Ross is releasing an anniversary BR 01 in a limited edition of 500 pieces: the “BR 01 10th Anniversary”.
At the start of the 21st century, a team of designers and aviation instrument specialists starting working together on a bold and ambitious project: a watch perfectly adapted to professional use. Their goal was to uphold the great tradition of Swiss watchmaking whilst meeting the needs of elite men of action facing extreme situations. The year is 2005. In this quest for the perfect watch, engineers, master watchmakers, designers and professional aviators have joined forces to create the BR 01 instrument watch.
In 2014, Bell & Ross revolutionized the design of the BR 01 when it launched the BR-X1, an extreme version of its iconic watch, robust yet sophisticated, with a high-tech sporty chronograph and its immediately identifiable geometry. Ultra-contemporary, the innovative design of the BR-X1 case, made from grade 5 titanium, really sets it apart, protecting it from any potential impacts thanks to the rubber and ceramic belt which acts as a defensive shield. Once again, the BR 01 proves to be a great timekeeper that it is in tune with its time.
This year, to mark the 10th anniversary of its iconic model, Bell & Ross is releasing the “BR 01 10th Anniversary” watch, available in an exclusive limited edition of 500 pieces. Its design is faithful to the original 2005 BR 01, but has been created with today’s most advanced techniques and materials.
The BR 01 was born of this simple yet groundbreaking idea: to turn an aircraft cockpit clock into a wristwatch. To ensure it is practical and easy to read, the numerals, hands and square case use the same principles as aeronautical instruments. Each detail has a purpose and a function. This avant-garde timepiece perfectly illustrates the motto “form follows function”, the founding axiom of design theory.
A square case, a round dial, and a screw in each of the four corners… more than an original concept, the utilitarian design of this watch revolutionize traditional watchmaking codes. With this piece, Bell & Ross has created a true watchmaking UFO, powerful, unique and immediately recognizable.
Always on the lookout for cutting edge technologies, which have mainly originate in the industrial and military sectors, Bell & Ross is giving the “BR 01 10th Anniversary” the stamp of modernity by using high-tech ceramic. Preferred by high-tech industries for its reliability and resilience, high-tech ceramic holds a privileged position in the aerospace sector, with uses including the manufacture of parts subject to high temperatures or exposure to acids, corrosion and erosion. It is also found in the design of heat shields and noses for rockets.
As part of its on-going quest for excellence, Bell & Ross has reworked the high-tech ceramic in its Swiss workshops and developed a special manufacturing process that enhances the intrinsic qualities of this material, which is virtually scratch-resistant, pleasant to wear, soft to the touch and thermo-regulated, instantly reaching body temperature when worn.
Almost as tough as a diamond, the high-tech ceramic developed by Bell & Ross is incredibly hardwearing, non-deformable, lighter than steel and hypoallergenic. Reminiscent of the antireflective finish used on aircraft instrument panels, the matte black ceramic is perfectly in tune with the aeronautical codes so crucial to the Bell & Ross philosophy.
The creation of a BR 01 in high-tech ceramic meant its designers had to rethink the already complex construction of its case. Resembling the nose of a spacecraft, the “BR 01 10th Anniversary” comprises a steel “box section” housed in a ceramic case, which is designed like a streamlined fuselage.
Perfectly balanced, these two parts make a whole and reinforce one another, with the ceramic boosting the case’s resilience. This sophisticated case has a mechanical movement with automatic winding, which offers tried and tested reliability. The steel caseback sports a satin-finished micro blasted finish and is engraved with the logo: “10th Anniversary”.
Unique and recognizable by all, thanks to its square case, the BR 01 instrument watch has revolutionized traditional watchmaking codes. Ten years ago, this daring design allowed Bell & Ross to demonstrate its cutting-edge creativity whilst affirming the brand’s functional and utilitarian approach. Fighter pilots and members of the most important elite units use and value this watch as a professional tool. Today, the BR 01 continues to embody Bell & Ross’ defining values: legibility, performance, resistance and precision.
Sporting its high-tech ceramic uniform, the “BR 01 10th Anniversary” pushes back the boundaries of time and reinterprets the original values of the BR 01, enhancing their sophistication. Engraved and numbered, this limited edition of 500 watches is the ultimate expression of the evolution that has transformed a cutting-edge watch into this now iconic model.
Like the BR 01, the “BR 01 10th Anniversary” is designed according to aeronautical design guidelines. In line with a perfect creative vision, this piece has gone back to basics, breaking with watchmaking codes and affirming its practical nature.
The simplicity of this commemorative watch conceals the highly sophisticated design which promotes readability: the shape of the hands is similar to those on an altimeter; the typography used for the numerals is identical to that on analogue aviation counters (Isonorm); the embossed dial features, numerals and index are in relief; the hands and index are covered in a white photo-luminescent coating (Superluminova®) that contrast with the black of the dial, ensuring they can be easily read both during the day and at night.
The dial features the phrase “10th Anniversary” as the signature and logo of this exclusive anniversary model. Due to its proven robustness, the crystal is made from sapphire, an incredibly resilient material, and it features an antireflective treatment.
The four screws in the four corners of the case also evoke the aeronautical origins of the BR 01, using the front-mounting system of onboard instruments featured in aircraft cockpits. These four screws are functional, securing the cover on the case and ensuring the watch is water-resistant to a depth of 100 meters.
Technical details
Model: Bell and Ross BR 01 10th Anniversary
Limited edition of 500 pieces
Movement
BR-CAL.302. Mechanical automatic
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds
Case
46 mm diameter
Matte black ceramic
Steel case back with the inscription “10th Anniversary”
Water resistance: 100 m.
Crystal: anti-reflective sapphire.
Dial
Stamped black
Hands, indices and numerals covered with a white photo luminescent coating (Superluminova®) and “10th Anniversary” inscription
Strap
Black rubber and ultra-resistant synthetic canvas
Buckle: pin. Steel with black PVD finish
