The Three Bell & Ross Square BR Instrument Watches

Bell & Ross has always moved forward as a company, but it has done so in small(ish), cautious steps. This has been a key to their success and contrasts other companies like Frank Muller for instance, who's quick growth troubled them and saw thousands of their watches sold "dumped" on the grey market. The BR Instrument was an primary player in Bell & Ross' climb to fame. When it first came out it was embraced by watch lovers despite its squareness, size, and ultra-sporty, military styling. Once the watch's acceptance was evident, Bell & Ross branched into other versions of the Instrument including the smaller BR-03. Some successful experimentation with the ceramic and the BR-03 92 frame, eventually led to the creation of the BR-S ceramics. The trifecta was complete. These three different Instruments cover all the bases in terms of satisfying fans of the square Bell & Ross watches.

BR-01 - the Original Bell & Ross Instrument

When a watch is square, its increase in surface area makes the watch appear much larger then a round or tonneau watch of the same width. While there are no rules of who can wear the 46mm watch, one needs to be a fan of oversize timepepieces to love the Bell & Ross BR-01. There are many such aficionados. The BR-01 92 and 94s pushed the oversize watch style closer to being accepted as a mainstay in the timepiece landscape, but even when the BR-01s where avant-garde and new there was no lack of interested. I can remember selling quite a few to men and women. As may be expected, not only people passionate about large watches where attracted to the Instruments. The introduction of the 42mm-case BR-03s took care of them.

BR-03 - The Instrument Prince

Once the BR Instrument became a certain winner, Bell & Ross introduced its smaller brother - the BR-03. The BR-03 was received with enthusiasm by many. Contrary to the BR-01, nobody complained about its size and - for many - comparing it to the 46mm BR-01 led to the realization that they indeed liked the larger size better. The BR-03 Instruments opened the floodgates, and Bell & Ross' sporty, square timepieces became a sensation. Numerous variations of both sizes of the BR Instruments have been conceived by Bell & Ross since then. The variations of the BR-03, in line with the slightly more conservative nature of their target market, have been much more low-key and simple then the new BR-01 models. The BR-03 92 Ceramic was amongst these and - in my opinion - served to test the waters for Bell & Ross' next move for the square Instrument style - the BR-S.

The BR-03-92 Ceramic and the 38mm BR-S Ceramic White

BR-S - Smaller, Slimmer, Smarter

The Bell & Ross BR-01 and BR-03 Instruments, while easy to dress up with classy, elegant straps, gold, and diamonds, could not escape their sporty military roots. This is fine for the owners of these Bell & Ross watches, and probably the reason why they purchased their timepiece, but for those who seek more elegance the BR-S were conceived. The BR-03 Ceramic evolved into the white BR-S Ceramic and an entire collection spawned from it. At once elegant, fashionable, and true to the Instrument's imitation of aeroplane gauges, the BR-S collection is different enough to be enjoyed by fans of the original BR models and be noticed by fashion lovers that may not have otherwise be drawn to Bell & Ross watches.

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For over five years, Matt Baily has set itself apart from other watch stores in Montreal by bringing in exciting, new, up-and-coming brands. When looking at a possible new brand to carry, quality is the first prerequisite and is followed by value and potential. This is how we took up dealership of brands like Bell & Ross and U-Boat for which we were the first dealers in Canada. With this list, we highlight five watches from our collections that have swayed trends and turned the most heads.

#5. Alpina Avalanche Extreme Manufacture Regulator

The Avalanche Extreme Manufacture Regulator represents the future of mid-range luxury watches. It is a sporty watch; able to withstand the strain of outdoor activities with a water resistance rating of 200 meters and a rubber strap. Like many watches in its class, the elements of its case are almost as complex as those of its movement. Several different tones, wild shapes, and a multi-layered dial make up the head of the watch. With watch enthusiasts accepting mechanized manufacturing as an integral part of watchmaking, many modern watches portray the same attributes.

What makes the Manufacture Regulator special is its movement. The automatic-winding AL-925 calibre is manufactured in the company's Geneva factory. The reason that this is so important is due to the restricted supply of mechanical movements that will take effect in 2010 (more on ETA's change in supply in this past blog post). Alpina's in-house movement adds great value and uniqueness, yet the Manufacture Regulators are offered at prices comparative to those of watches equipped with ETA mechanisms. The Regulator attracts many collectors thanks to its traditional complication and fine finishes. It reinforces the notion that a rugged sport watch can portray many features of sophistication.

#4. Hamilton Jazzmaster Maestro.

Aside from being unusually large compared to other elegant watches, it's styling is not particularly unique; nor are its day, date, and chronograph functions. What sets the Hamilton Jazzmaster Maestro aside from other watches in its class is value. This is true for every Hamilton watch, making it difficult to choose one that has been most influential. It finally came down to choosing a watch that is amongst the best sellers and also captures Hamilton's long history.

The Maestro is an automatic-winding chronograph, with a sizable 44mm stainless steel case and a simple, classic look. The infamous 7750 calibre movement is what runs its functions and is also a major reason for its great value. ETA's 7750 is a proven, precision mechanism. Thousands of these have been certified by the COSC to be chronometers, a denomination symbolizing superior precision and quality. It is the movement of choice for many high-end automatic chronograph watches. The Portuguese Chronograph, Chronomat, and Daylight chrono are three examples of models that rely on the 7750. These three models are also priced between three and six times more then the Maestro.

Thanks to their extraordinary value, the Hamilton line of watches has enabled many watch lovers to purchase their first high-end, Swiss-made, automatic chronograph.

#3. Corum Golden Bridge

The Golden Bridge did not "change" how we see luxury watches as much as it "reminded" us how we should look at them.

Corum has always staid current with trends such as the large size of watch cases and extreme luxury for sporty watches. However, they never severed their strong relationship with the traditional methods of watchmaking. This is what makes the Golden Bridge such an important watch. While modernized in design, with a relatively large case and precise machining, it could not exist without the skilled hands of traditional watchmakers.

To manufacture the narrow, manual-winding CO113 movement that gives the watch its name, the skilled hands of watchmakers and artists are essential. Due to this labour intensive process, the production quantity is naturally limited to small numbers each year. A video produced by Corum captures some key aspects of manufacturing the Bridge movement like engraving, assembling, and finishing, which are all done by hand. Visit the Film Gallery in the Communication section of Corum.ch.

Once completed the Golden Bridge watch embodies all the aspects of what luxury watches represent. Value, technological innovation, precision, and the artist's touch that is unreproducible by any machine. I don't think I have ever heard a negative comment about the Golden bridge watches, and their value is obvious to first-time watch buyers and ardent collectors alike. The Golden Bridge is in this list because it re-sparked our fascination with the storied trade of watchmaking.

#2. U-Boat Italo Fontana Classico

U-Boat watches are definitely buzz worthy. Amongst all the articles that I have posted on mattbaily.ca and other sites, the ones that receive the most tweets, clicks, and visitors, are almost always about U-Boat watches. This is not to say that everyone that reads these articles is a fan, but they are certainly interested. This visibility is what accounts for the inclusion of U-Boat Classico watches in this list.

When Matt Baily discovered U-Boat watches and was the first to bring them to Canada, they almost all worked on quartz movements. Italo Fontana decided to improve the quality of those original, fashion-oriented watches and equip them with high-end Swiss mechanical movements. The prices naturally increased and many were sceptical of U-Boat#39;s breaking the higher end, luxury market. Instead it was the market that was drawn towards the new and improved U-Boat Classicos.

U-Boat does very little advertising. The vast majority of the U-Boat Classicos that we sell are discovered in our window or on the wrists of friends and family. They are watches that you just fall in love with. What we learn from their success is that the style of a watch - if backed by quality - is still its most important attribute. U-Boat watches also show that if the product is valuable, then advertising and branding is of lesser importance.

#1. Bell & Ross BR-01 92

When this watch was released by Bell & Ross, the company was already steadily growing thanks to its high quality, value, and brand image. While it was obvious from the start, that the "Instruments" would be a success, it was less evident how profoundly they would affect the company's popularity.

When the BR-01 92 was released, many people seeing it for the first time reacted as if they had never seen a square watch before. It is arguable that before this point, square watches were a niche that went largely unnoticed. Judging from the amount of square, military-style models that were released after the advent of the Instruments, it is safe to say that they have had a strong, positive impact on the watch making industry.

Since the BR-01 92 and 94, Bell & Ross has greatly expanded the Instrument collection including extremely complicated watches such as the BR Tourbillon and the more fashion oriented BR-S Ceramics. While this article is meant to feature only watches amongst those we carry at Matt Baily, the BR Instrument would surely figure on any list of top influential timepieces of the past ten years.

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While all these watches have had an impact on the luxury watch industry as a whole, we chose pieces from our brands only, so it is likely that many watches that you may consider more influential are not present.

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Bell & Ross released its new Phantom versions of the BR-S collection. Four models comprise this limited edition series of which two are white and two are black.

The all-new BR-S White Ceramic Phantom is an exciting addition to Bell & Ross' gamut of low-contrast watches. This stealthy model is the first Bell & Ross Phantom to be completely white and is an elegant timepiece unlike its predecessors. While the monochromatic dial seems hard to read at first, the large hour markers and hands make the time quite visible. Important elements of the dial are also coated with photo-luminescent paint making the watch even easier to see at night then during the day.

An all-black version of the BR-S Phantom is also available, as are two diamond studded versions. The all-black BR-S Black Ceramic Phantom & Diamonds is adorned with black diamonds, while the BR-S White Ceramic Phantom & Diamonds is decorated with high-quality clear diamonds.

All BR-S Phantom models will be produced in limited quantities. Contact us for more information regarding our collection of Bell & Ross watches.

Bell & Ross recently published a new catalogue dedicated solely to their limited edition models of luxury watches. Everything from the Phantoms to the Grand Minuteurs are included and accompanied by a brief description of each watch and its features. Some models have long been sold out, while some like the BR-01 92 and 94 Carbon Fiber models are not yet available. Among the new models that are not yet available, my favorite is the BR-01 92 Radar.

The BR-01 92 Radar is closely related to the BR-01 92 Carbon. The case is 46mm square and it runs on an automatic Swiss movement. The 500-watch limited edition Radar displays the time in a unique way. Three independent rotating discs are driven by the movement to indicate the hour, minutes, and seconds. The graduated markings for each time unit, are applied directly to the inside of the anti-reflective sapphire crystal, and the time is marked by happily colored lines.

While it is obvious that the dynamic dial of this watch is directly influenced by what a radar screen looks like, I find that a character independent of stern military functionality is what the Radar watch offers. A high-end watch is, amongst other things, a fashion accessory. It should be enjoyable to wear and make the owner glad to have it. The minimalistic and fun look of the BR-01 92 Radar will surely achieve this goal.

Before the BR-01 Instrument was released by Bell & Ross, their most popular watches were probably those in the Vintage collection. The Vintage 123 - thanks to its considerably smaller price tag than the BR Instruments and timeless styling and elegance of the Fifties and Sixties - is perfect for the first time buyer of luxury watches. The avid watch lover or collector will also find that it suits his or her desire for quality, tantalizing finish, and details.

The case of the Bell & Ross Vintage 123 is 40 mm in diameter and is finished with a fine satin brush polish. The back of the case offers a peek at the automatic movement and its components through a small window. When aligned with the window, the movement's rotor shows the engraving of the company's logo and fine côtes de Genève decoration. The manufacturing quality is evident when inspecting the finishes of the watch. The screw-locking crown is decorated with the ampersand and screws in and out smoothly and without much effort.

The strap chosen for the Vintage 123 are essential to determining its style. The Beige dial V123, for instance, comes with a matte finished dark brown leather strap that creates an understated casual look. The metal bracelet that fits the Vintage watches is a work of art in itself. It is sturdier than what you would expect from more expensive and older brands and it is so well machined and fits so perfectly within the lugs that is sometimes seems that it is integrated directly into the case. Equipping your V123 with the metal bracelet offers a more modern style. As it is so well made, the bracelet can last a very long time and is resistant to water and humidity unlike the leather straps.

The Vintage 123 watches are timepieces of the purest kind. There are no superfluous features or styling, and yet it is evident through their minute details and quality that much effort was dedicated to designing and perfecting the watches. This is a watch that offers fantastic value, will stay current forever, and embodies the basic principles of high-end watch making. In my opinion it is amongst the list of perfect watches.

More pictures of the Vintage 123 are available on our facebook page in the album dedicated to Bell & Ross watches.

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