Jewellery & Watch News
You don’t need to be an astronaut to enjoy Bell & Ross’s new Astro limited edition watch. Taking the form of the popular BR 03 profile, the watch is crafted from black ceramic and depicts the world through the lens of a spacecraft window. Meet the Bell & Ross BR 03 Astro limited edition, exclusive to 999 pieces worldwide, and ready to order today at C W Sellors.
Part of the excitement of watch collecting is that now and again, a brand will treat us to a fun and unique design that takes us away from the disciplined rules of timekeeping. Bell & Ross isn’t doing this for the first time with the release of its new BR 03 Astro limited edition. Cast your minds back to the Red Radar watch launched a few years ago. That watch traced the hours and minutes of the dial through a red-tinted sapphire lens using aircraft as the indicators. This unconventional layout reminds us that wearing a prestigious watch is not just about tracking the time. Far more than a practical instrument, watches are an extension of our personality. In a similar way, Bell & Ross wants the new Astro watch to resonate with wearers looking to break away from the norm. The new space-inspired watch will get noticed whether you wear it to a corporate meeting, a dinner party, or part of your daily attire. Let’s take a look.
A Lot Has Changed Since the Bell & Ross Space 1
As I mentioned, unconventional dials are no new thing for Bell & Ross, and neither are space watches. In fact, the Space 1 watch was one of the company’s first offerings, marking a time when the German manufacturer was producing and supplying cases and components for Bell & Ross. A lot has changed since then, and this interpretation certainly focuses more on the beauty of space and the rich blackness of the universe with its black ceramic case and blue aventurine dial.
Upon that dial is a moon for the minutes and a rotating planet, Mars, which tracks the hours. The satellite, which makes its way gracefully across the dial's surface, represents the passing seconds of the day. It is the Earth, however, that steals the show. Beautifully decorated in relief, it's a faithful interpretation of our world and demonstrates the breadth and depth of Bell & Ross’ skillset in dial decoration. Rendered realistically in both volume and decal, all of the components of the dial, including the mysterious Mars “hand”, decorated and drawn on a transparent plate, and the laser engraved metal moon “hand”, are carefully measured for balance across the display.
“The design will appeal en masse to those fascinated with astrology…”
The laser-engraved satellite orbits the Earth and is put on show through a hollowed-out cap in the centre of the watch’s sapphire crystal glass lens. Inspired by the view of the Earth from the ISS (International Space Satellite), it’s clear that Bell & Ross has given this collectable a great deal of thought. The design will appeal en masse to those fascinated with astrology and those who have long been devoted to Bell & Ross’s instrumental panel-inspired designs.
The new Bell & Ross Astro limited edition watch measures the modern 41mm size that the brand released not so long ago. Now more wrist-friendly, collectors who felt the squareness of the BR 01 and BR 03 wore too large will be pleased that the more compact sizing of this stealthy model brings more manageable proportions for day-to-day wear. Bell & Ross experts execute the surface of the black ceramic case with a micro-blasted finish, giving it a somewhat military-inspired look and equipping the watch with 100 meters of water resistance, not to mention a screw-down crown.
“the shape of the case is the most crucial element for BR 03 watch fans…”
Aside from the unusual tracking of the hours, minutes and seconds on this space-themed dial, the concept is simple. This is all thanks to one of the brand’s well-used movements. The BR-CAL.327 is a self-winding engine that performs at a rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour deep inside the case. It can also store up to 54 hours of power reserve within its barrel, keeping the watch ticking away during those occasions when away from the wrist. However, the shape of the case is the most crucial element for BR 03 watch fans. Giving the hardware an engineered-like look, the case has a knurled crown and exposed screws – all design features that BR 03 collectors love. Bell & Ross experts have been careful to retain the overall instrument feel and look of the watch, echoing the same aesthetics seen in other previous black ceramic models from the same range.
Bell & Ross fits this new BR 03 Astro watch on a back rubber or black synthetic strap, complete with a black PVD coated pin buckle crafted from stainless steel to remain in keeping with the rest of the design. The Astro is a limited edition design of just 999 pieces worldwide. To grab one for your own collection, call and speak to a member of our C W Sellors sales team on 01335 216004 or email us on sales@cwsellors.com
