The History

This Swiss-French brand was founded in the early 1990s by creative director Mr Bruno Belamich and CEO Mr Carlos Rosillo. From the start, it was clear from the monochrome utility of Bell & Ross’ watches – modelled on instruments for military professionals – that there would be little messing about. And this austere aesthetic quickly won it fans, most notably Chanel, which took part ownership of the company in 1997. This investment allowed the brand to establish a top-flight facility in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, where it has been ever since. It makes watches for bomb-disposal squads and fighter pilots, yes, but also design-savvy urbanites who are in love with Bell & Ross’ crisp, contemporary cool.

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Bell & Ross’ watches contain precision Swiss movements and are proven-in-the-field, fully endorsed by naval air force pilots and Swat operatives alike. Meanwhile, their inherent utility is led by a design nous that many other tool watches lack.

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Stories

Vintage military inspiration, decidedly modern aesthetics. Scroll down to learn more about the world of Bell & Ross.

Jump To It

In 2002, Bell & Ross launched the world’s first jumping hours digital display watch with a power reserve indicator. As well as being a masterstroke of classical simplicity, the Vintage 123 Heure Sautante was the result of a collaboration with Swiss-watch maestro Mr Vincent Calabrese, one of the few members of the esteemed Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants.

Innovations

True Transparency

Bell & Ross’ highly conceptual BR-X1 is one of a kind. Entirely encased in anti-reflective sapphire glass, the Swiss-made calibre BR-CAL.288 movement is bathed in light, the intricate inner workings of every cog, wheel and jewel showcased like a work of kinetic art.

The Deep Dive

Bell & Ross’ Hydromax scored a place in the Guinness Book Of World Records in 1997, with a proven water resistance all the way down to 11,100m. Why not a rounded-down 11,000? The deepest place on Earth is the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean, which is 11,035m deep.

The Faraday Cage

Designed specifically for the electromagnetically sensitive needs of bomb-disposal squads, Bell & Ross’ Type Démineur kept things totally amagnetic, thanks to its soft-iron inner Faraday cage case, plus an outer steel case that’s resistant to becoming magnetised itself.

Watch The Video: Bell & Ross

In this episode of MR PORTER’s Tick Talk video series, Mr Robin Swithinbank talks us through the Parisian brand’s key pieces.


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