The Early Days of Bell & Ross

At first, the brand turned to German company Sinn to build its watches, but after a decade, the founders wanted to join the elite ranks of “Swiss Made” and set up shop in La Chaux-de-Fonds. By 2005, Bell & Ross unveiled its first Swiss-made BR-01 watch. Inspired by aviation and pilots’ needs, the BR-01 was big and bold and boasted a square case with a circular dial designed to resemble cockpit instruments.

It was an immediate hit and fast became one of the most talked-about aviation timepieces on the market. It was rugged, highly legible, great to wear, and incredibly precise. The BR-01 developed an almost cult-like following, and the square case with a round dial became a signature design that has enjoyed many interpretations over the years and remains part of the collection to this day.

Professional Instruments for Extreme Professionals

Because looks were never the raison d’être for Bell & Ross – function, precision, and reliability were the mantra – for feedback, the company turned to professional pilots, divers, astronauts, bomb-squad experts, various armed forces, and others. After all, these professionals are the ones who wearing Bell & Ross watches at incredible Mach speeds and unparalleled altitudes, at harrowing depths, or during dangerous missions. The professionals are the ones who require rigorous standards of excellence and performance from the watch on their wrist.

By working side by side with professionals, Bell & Ross has developed instrument watches that can go the distance no matter the realm. The brand’s Space 1 automatic chronometer, for example, defied gravity on its trip to space aboard the wrist of Reinhart Furrer on a Spacelab mission. Another example is the Hydro Challenger. Meant for deep-sea exploration, it has a hyperbaric pressure resistance of more than 11,100 meters and set the world record for deepest rating for a dive watch until 2012. Of course, Bell & Ross also makes instruments for everyday watch, dive, and aviation enthusiasts.

Though inspired by military history, Bell & Ross nonetheless remains visionary, producing watches that measure up to the strictest of quality control standards. Outfitted with mechanical movements that range from simple to the highly complex, Bell & Ross has expanded its collection to include chronometers, chronographs, tourbillon escapements, and more. Additionally, while the brand’s square case remains a signature, it has also branched out and unveiled different case shapes, as well.

Though inspired by military history, Bell & Ross nonetheless remains visionary, producing watches that measure up to the strictest of quality control standards. Outfitted with mechanical movements that range from simple to the highly complex, Bell & Ross has expanded its collection to include chronometers, chronographs, tourbillon escapements, and more. Additionally, while the brand’s square case remains a signature, it has also branched out and unveiled different case shapes, as well.

Photography by Watchonista Creative Studios.