Bell & Ross Vintage BR GT (BR 123 GT & BR 126 GT)
Since its foundation, Swiss watch brand Bell & Ross has taken aviation, more specifically, aircraft instrumentation, as one of its main sources of inspiration for creating timepieces. Now, the new line of Vintage BR GT watches takes time away from the world of aviation to explore a new dimension of the passion for navigation, by lending a new contemporary interpretation to the chronographs worn by racing drivers of the 1970s, an extraordinary era of creativity, innovation and freedom. Bell & Ross has, therefore, applied this relationship between man and machine to accurately and carefully designed instruments dedicated to calculating time and speed.
From the first glance, the two Vintage BR GT models reveal the spirit of 1970s racing driver watches. In reference to the technical criteria of the era, these highly balanced instruments –with a resolutely neo-retro look– are housed in a 42-mm case with an understated, modern design in steel with satin finishes. Like the BR01, the brand’s iconic watch and emblematic model inspired by aircraft instrumentation, the graphic design of the Vintage BR GT dial hints at the rev counters and dashboard instruments found in classic 1970s cars. This functional reference is emphasized by the contrast of the two bold colours that brighten the dials.
The pitch black dial provides a stark contrast to the steel colour of the auxiliary counters and appliqué indices. The facetted, photo-luminescent, metallic hands (for hours and minutes) also play on this same contrast, offering perfect legibility. The counters highlight exceptional finishes thanks to their snailed guilloché work realised in the great Swiss watchmaking tradition.
Like the timepieces of the era, the two Vintage BR GT watches feature an ultra-curved high-dome sapphire crystal with two layers of anti-reflective coating, for enhanced resistance and excellent legibility. The spirit of the Seventies is further reinforced by the elegant satin-finished steel bezel, which provides a striking touch. With 60-minute gradations on the three-hand version, this elegant bezel indicates a tachymeter scale on the chronograph version, prioritising the measurement of short time periods and enabling performance and speed to be read immediately. Powered by two Swiss self-winding mechanical movements, renowned for their reliability and endurance, the Vintage BR GT watches are water-resistant to 100 metres.
Racing driver watches with a timeless design, these two models are paired with a black, micro-perforated strap made from Alcantara®; with a special suede-like touch, that was used in car upholstery in the 1970s. Lined with stitched leather and fitted with a signed, satin-finished steel folding buckle, the straps on the Vintage BR GT watches combine solidity with comfort and flexibility for an ultra-stylish look. Two watches designed with a nostalgic glance back to the Seventies, for gentlemen drivers who like to live life in the fast lane.
Technical specifications
Movement
Automatic mechanical
Calibre BR-CAL.305
Functions
BR 123 GT: hours, minutes, small seconds at 6 o’clock. Date
BR 126 GT: hours, minutes, small seconds at 3 o’clock. Date. Chronograph: 30-min timer at 9 o’clock, central chronograph seconds. Tachymeter scale on the bezel
Case
42 mm in diameter
Satin-finished steel
Graduated fixed bezel
Crystal: ultra-curved high-dome sapphire crystal with antireflective coating
Water resistance: 100 m
Dial
Black
Metal appliqué numerals and indices
Minute track on metal surround
Metal skeleton Superluminova®-filled hour and minute hands
Strap
Black Alcantara® or satin-finished steel
Buckle: folding. Satin-finished steel
