Bell & Ross’ BR 05 Chrono Grey Steel and Gold
Bell & Ross has a talent for aligning with current trends, recently showcasing their insight with the BR 05 Green Gold model last year (a key piece in our gold feature from the last issue). The brand adeptly caters to the market’s desires, adeptly responding to unexpected successes such as with the BR 05 Chrono Grey Steel and Gold. The journey began with the BR 05 Chrono Edicion Limitada featuring a Havana dial in 2022. In essence, that watch sold out in an extraordinary fashion, compelling Bell & Ross to produce a broader release (the brand’s website lists it as in stock, although we’ve been informed it is unavailable).
Bell & Ross’ BR 05 Chrono Grey Steel and Gold
What are we looking at? This is primarily a bicompax chronograph with an integrated bracelet, showcasing the appealing steel-and-rose-gold combination that holds promise (perhaps Bell & Ross hints that it may have potential once more). The dial has transformed to grey ruthenium, leaving any hope of revisiting the Havana dial behind. Notably, Bell & Ross states that the dial’s metallic shades were created through a galvanic process, affirming the brand’s celebrated design expertise. The hands are in rose gold, complementing the gold accents on the bezel and bracelet, and feature SuperLuminova. While the numerals and hour markers seem to share a similar design pattern, they are actually gilded; nonetheless, they too are filled with SuperLuminova (the hour markers—not the numerals).
Bell & Ross’ BR 05 Chrono Grey Steel and Gold
Regarding specifics like this and the gold accents of the chronograph counters, it’s advisable to consult your authorized dealer, as available manufacturer information can sometimes vary. One clear detail from the release of this watch and additional notes is that the calibre BR-CAL.326 is a modified version of the Sellita SW510; product specialists provided this insight, while the official announcement merely mentioned it had been refined by Bell & Ross watchmakers. A key sign of this modification is the exclusive full disc of the winding rotor, visible through the exhibition caseback.
To conclude, here are a few notes on the rose gold along with the variations among versions. There is an option for a rubber strap, but that corresponds to a separate reference priced at SGD 13,400. Another notable price is that of the Edicion Limitada, which is listed at SGD 18,200 (only available with a bracelet), and the regular steel BR 05 chronograph (SGD 9,700 with a bracelet; SGD 8,700 with a rubber strap). The most pressing question concerns the price difference between the Grey Steel and Havana-dial models.
Movement: Automatic BR-CAL.326 featuring chronograph and date; 60-hour power reserve
Case: 42mm in steel and gold; water-resistant up to 100m
Strap: Integrated steel and gold bracelet or rubber
Price: SGD 19,800
This article originally appeared in the Summer 2024 issue of WOW.
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