Cockpit TO WRIST

Bell & Ross General Manager Fabien De Nonancourt discusses the brand’s legacy of aviation-inspired timepieces and upcoming releases in this Durrah exclusive.

CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT THE BR 01 CYBER SKULL BRONZE? WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND IT?

Bell & Ross has an interesting story behind this product line. It all began in 2008 when France celebrated the liberation of their country after World War Two. During this celebration, Bell & Ross wanted to pay tribute to the 101st US airborne division, as they were the frst US airborne military to enter France and liberate it. The division’s talisman logo featured a skull with the words “death from above.” Bell & Ross was inspired by this logo and launched their frst skull edition watch. Since then, we have released a new version of the skull watch approximately every two years, such as the Hell’s Tattoo version and the Pirates of the Caribbean version. This year’s inspiration is the “Cyber Skull,” modeled after the stealth bomber’s specifc shape, and is made of bronze as a limited edition of 500 pieces. Bell & Ross participates in the Watches and Wonders event every two years and has already announced the Cyber Skull Rose edition one month ago, so the public must wait until next year for their next release.

YOU ALSO RECENTLY ANNOUNCED A NEW WATCH IN COLLABORATION WITH FRENCH WATCHMAKER, ALAIN SILBERSTEIN.

CAN YOU SHARE SOME OF THE UNIQUE FEATURES OF THAT WATCH?

This product marks an exciting collaboration with a magazine and website called Gala Watch. The goal of the partnership was to bring two designers together, namely Alain Silberstein, who is well-known for his unique designs featuring vibrant colors, and Bruno Belamich, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Bell & Ross. The designers aimed to fnd a compromise between the unique design characteristics of Bell & Ross, including the black square case, round dial with screws, and Alain Silberstein’s distinctive curved hands and colorful features. This collaboration resulted in three limited edition watches, including a 300 chronograph and a diver.

CAN YOU SHARE WITH US ANY OTHER EXCITING UPCOMING PRODUCT RELEASES OR COLLABORATIONS THAT WE CAN EXPECT FROM BELL & ROSS?

Currently, we are launching a new limited edition watch based on the BR05 automatic. This limited edition will only have 500 pieces available, and it features a skeleton design, which allows you to see through the movement. We do this kind of release every year, and this year’s watch has a unique dial color that resembles a champagne gold color. It is a new addition to our yearly limited edition releases, which have included green, blue, black, and many other colors in the past. This new product was just released a few days ago.

HOW DOES BELL & ROSS DIFFERENTIATE ITSELF FROM OTHER LUXURY WATCH BRANDS IN THE MARKET?

Our unique design is heavily infuenced by our origins in aviation. The two founders, Carlos

Rosio and Bruno Belamich, were passionate about military aviation watches, and when they founded the company, they decided to create modern watches inspired by this feld. In 2005, we had a great idea to take a piece of the plane’s cockpit dashboard and turn it into a wristwatch. This resulted in the creation of our iconic square-shaped watch, which incorporates all the characteristics of an instrument from the cockpit, including a square shape, round dial, and four screws, making it very legible. This design quickly became an icon in the watch industry. Four years ago, we evolved this design to make it more urban, resulting in the creation of the BR059.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR WORK WITH THE TARA OCEAN FOUNDATION?

The Tara Ocean Foundation is a new partnership we established last year. What’s great about it is that it’s a French foundation, so even though our watches are made in Switzerland, we have a French connection. Previously, we partnered with French teams for Formula One and aviation, so we were looking for a partnership in the diving world. That’s when we discovered Tara. It’s a fantastic foundation that conducts extensive research on the impact of human activity on the ocean and how to protect it. Their work is truly extreme; they have their own boats that embark on two-year missions to remote locations like the North Pole and South Pole, facing challenging conditions at sea. We are proud to partner with them.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES YOU FACE IN THE LUXURY WATCH INDUSTRY, AND HOW DO YOU OVERCOME THEM?

Well, one of the challenges we are facing today is related to production. It is becoming increasingly diffcult and time-consuming, as the demand for watches is very high, and all the suppliers are busy. Therefore, we need to anticipate more and fnd solutions to overcome these diffculties. Additionally, we have noticed an evolution in the industry, as people who buy our watches are becoming more knowledgeable about them. They research a lot on the Internet and expect a high level of service and expertise when they visit our stores. Hence, we are trying to open some new boutiques with knowledgeable staff to provide the best possible service to our customers. We believe that implementing these changes is crucial because customers have high expectations, and we aim to provide them with the best possible experience at Bell & Ross.

DOES BELL & ROSS KEEP UP WITH TRENDS IN THE WATCHMAKING INDUSTRY?

Bell & Ross does not aim to keep up with trends. It was founded by two individuals, one of whom is the designer, and they have a passion for the industry that is ingrained in them. They don’t really follow trends, as they have a clear strategy for Bell & Ross that has made them successful since day one. Their focus has always been on aviation watches, and this consistency has been a key factor in their success.

WHAT ARE YOUR LONG-TERM GOALS FOR BELL & ROSS?

Our long-term goal is for Bell & Ross to continue to have a strong presence in the watch industry. Many brands have disappeared, but we want to grow and become more international. We have a few markets to open up and our brand awareness is still relatively low, as we are less than 30 years old. There is still a lot of room for us to expand and reach more customers.

bellross.com

02 BR 05 Skeleton with Golden Rubber strap

03

BR 01 Cyber Skull Bronze

04

BR-X5-Carbon Orange

05

BR-X5 Black Steel