Jewellery & Watch News
If you care a lot about integrity and strength in a watch, the new Bell & Ross BR X5 Titanium Black watch, released at this year’s Watches & Wonders 2024 showcase, needs to be in your collection.
Want to know why a watch like the new Bell & Ross BR X5 Titanium Black makes such a great daily beater? The more masculine and aggressive-looking version of the BR 05 design comes in a multi-piece case construction that is now more lightweight and tougher than ever before. It also features a protective cylindrical structure at its core to shield a Kenissi-made movement from shock impact and damage. One of the most appealing features of this new sporty watch, however, is its striking gunmetal grey colouring, which pairs perfectly with the matte black dial to give off a masculine tool-like persona. Let’s take a deeper and more detailed look at this new release from Bell & Ross, unveiled at this year’s Watches & Wonders 2024 event in Geneva last week.
The Advantages of Titanium
Titanium is becoming an increasingly popular material to use in the luxury watch industry. It has been used for years in the aerospace industry, too. Ever wondered why? The material is lightweight, easy to work with, and corrosion-resistant to name just a few qualities. The most common types of titanium in watchmaking are grade 2 and grade 5, while they differ a little in strength, both provide lightweight and corrosion-resistant qualities for wearing hour upon hour on the wrist. Titanium has a density that is much lower than steel. Because of this, it will wear considerably lighter on the wrist. If you’re used to wearing stainless steel watches, a titanium watch like the new Bell & Ross BR X5 model may feel completely different on the wrist to what you’re used to. Not only will it be noticeably lighter, but it will also make a watch generally more manageable to wear every day of the week. It’s one of the reasons this material is commonly used in luxury sports watches. As well as being lightweight and low in density, titanium is also incredibly strong. Grade 5 titanium, for example, is roughly five times stronger than standard stainless steel. It explains why titanium is so often used in the aerospace industry. The material is also incredibly hard, with a Vickers rating of 350 HV. When you compare this to the hardness of stainless steel, titanium is almost double the strength. Titanium also has much lower thermal conductivity. This means that when you go to put your watch on first thing in the morning, it won’t feel quite so chilly after a cold night.
The New Bell & Ross BR X5 Titanium Black
Now you know why titanium makes for such a great material in crafting timepieces, you can acquire a deeper appreciation for the new Bell & Ross BR X5 Titanium Black Watch. The BR X5 is a more premium version of the sporty BR 05 and for that reason, it comes with a multi-component case structure to protect the movement within. As with the archetypal look of Bell & Ross’ circle-within-a-square profile, the model comes with a circular dial surrounded by a square case, this time, however, crafted from an entirely sandblasted titanium material. That Kenissi-developed movement that I mentioned earlier sits inside a cylindrical case machined from the same block of metal as the crown guards. The inner assembly of that cylindrical structure is sandwiched in between an upper and lower case part. The layered construction achieves a unique aesthetic, giving the watch a modern appearance courtesy of hollowed-out sides that look particularly striking. The top of the case features the familiar circular window to the dial. Meanwhile, the caseback is fitted with an exhibition glass crafted from strong and scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. It’s the same glass that is used on the front of the case, aiding the case’s water-resistant rating of 100 meters.
Adding to its stealth-like character to this new BR X5 watch is a matte black dial with the usual BR X5 date window at 3 o’clock, displayed in a retrograde format and balanced by the power reserve window across at 9 o’clock. The hour markers are pill-shaped and have been treated with plenty of Super-LumiNova, as have the central hands. The dial also features a minute track around the periphery of the display, framing the Bell & Ross name and logo at 12 o’clock. Powering those hands is the BR.CAL 323, which provides an impressive 70-hour power reserve when left off the wrist. This feature comes in handy if you tend to frequently swap your watches over and don’t necessarily own a watch winder to keep the watch ticking over.
Other features of the new Bell & Ross BR X5 Titanium Black include a 41mm diameter and a height of 12.80mm thick. The watch comes with an integrated three-link bracelet crafted from matching titanium. The surface of the metal has been executed with a sandblasted finish to keep in line with the rest of the design, including the crown and crown guard on the case. The watch also features a folding micro-blasted titanium clasp that is easy to use when dressing the watch on and off the wrist. Alternatively, you can opt for the black rubber band variation.
Above all, the new Bell & Ross BR X5 Titanium Black watch is designed for practicality and purpose. Its military tool-like persona is achieved through a mix of deep gunmetal grey hues and the matte finish of its sleek black dial. Lightweight and tough, it will make a great addition to any Bell & Ross enthusiast’s collection this year, whether you are buying it as a well-deserved treat or yourself or considering it as a gift option.
If you’d like to pre-order the new Bell & Ross BR X5 Titanium Black watch, you can call and speak to a member of our C W Sellors sales team today on 01335 216004 or email us at sales@cwsellors.com
