The famous watch manufacturer Bell & Ross, famous for its aviation-inspired timepieces, introduces a brand new collection of quite unusual timepieces. This time, the iconic BR 01 watch, modeled after the vintage clocks of aircraft cockpits, arrives in a special maritime-inspired edition. Bell & Ross for a moment leaves runways, radars and fighter planes, to introduce its first-ever collection of Marine Instruments.
In its latest rendition, the famous BR 01 arrives in the same square-shaped case whose shape is strongly influenced by aeronautical instrumentation. Bell & Ross Instrument de Marine is a series of three new watches paying tribute to the first marine instruments guiding vessels across the seas and oceans. The first instruments of this kind appeared in the 17th century, to serve as the time base for navigation. Back in the days, marine navigators would turn to the night sky to determine their longitude and relative position in the ocean, but inaccurate calculations often caused inaccurate navigation and frequent shipwrecks.
John Harrison's accurate marine chronometer, H1
In 1714, the English Parliament voted the „Longitude Act,“ a law promising a reward of £20,000 to the inventor of a clock that was accurate to one degree of longitude. It was John Harrison, a self-educated English carpenter and clockmaker, who won the prize for solving the problem of calculating longitude while at sea. His solution reformed navigation and significantly increased the safety of long-distance sea travel.
The new Instrument de Marine collection from Bell & Ross is inspired by and modeled after the 18th century clock invented by John Harrison. At the time, the round dials of ship clocks were housed inside square wooden cases – a circle within a square, which is also Bell & Ross’s signature shape. Combining tradition and modernity with both contemporary and retro touches, Bell & Ross designed three very specific models: BR 01 Instrument de Marine, BR-X1 Skeleton Chronograph, and BR-X1 Tourbillon Chronograph.
Bell & Ross BR 01 Instrument de Marine features a case, bezel, and winding crown made from bronze. The watch, with its stylish yet retro design, remains very similar to the iconic BR 01 watches. Its case-back is crafted from titanium, while an elegant rosewood ring encircles the dial. The neat white lacquered dial reveals Roman numerals and blued steel hands. Its central hours and minutes display is joined by the small seconds dial, with a graphic layout, sitting at 6 o’clock. The watch is powered by the hand-wound calibre BR-CAL.203, which beats at a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour, and provides about 56 hours of power reserve. The case, measuring 46mm in diameter, is water resistant to 100 meters. The watch is mounted on a brown alligator leather strap with a pin buckle in bronze. Bell & Ross BR 01 Instrument de Marine, reference number BR01-CM-203, is available in a limited edition comprising 100 pieces.
Bell & Ross BR-X1 Skeleton Chronograph is fitted with an automatic skeleton movement calibre BR-CAL.313, which is visible through the smoked sapphire crystal dial. The caliber provides a chronograph function, small seconds at 3 o'clock, and a date at 6 o'clock. The chronograph minute timer, shaped like a ship's propeller, is positioned at 9 o'clock position. The watch face reveals a minute track with Roman numerals and gilt applied indexes coated in bright SuperLuminova. The case, measuring 46mm in diameter, is made from titanium, rosewood and bronze. The watch is water resistant to 100 meters, and paired with a brown alligator strap with a pin buckle in bronze. Bell & Ross BR-X1 Skeleton Chronograph, reference number BRX1-CM-313, is issued in a 99-piece limited edition.
Bell & Ross BR-X1 Tourbillon Chronograph is the ultimate Haute Horlogerie creation, and the most exclusive piece of the Marine Instrument series. The watch is housed in a 18-carat rose gold and rosewood case (45mm in diameter), fitted with a sapphire dial. The watch face reveals central hands for hours and minutes, and two gilt chronograph counters at 2 and 10 o'clock (the 60+-second counter and the 30-minute counter). The gilt tourbillon cage sits at 6 o’clock.
The upper bridges of the hand wound flying tourbillon movement, BR-CAL.283, have been skeletonized in order to provide a view of the chronograph movement. The extremely complex movement, beating at a frequency of 21,600 vph, is assembled from 282 components and 35 jewels. Water resistant to 100 meters, and paired with a brown alligator leather strap with 18-carat rose gold pin buckle.
Bell & Ross BR-X1 Tourbillon Chronograph, reference number BRX1-CHTB-CM, is available in a limited edition of 20 pieces.
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