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The journey of French watch company Bell & Ross began in the late 20th century. In 1992, Bruno Belamich (Bell) and Carlos Rosillo (Ross) set out on a watchmaking adventure with the shared vision of creating durable and functional watches equipped for extreme professions. The two partners redefined horological innovations with their timepieces that were both contemporary and in sync with Swiss watchmaking traditions.
In its initial years, Bell & Ross watches were produced by Sinn, an eminent mechanical wristwatch manufacturer based in Frankfurt, Germany. As a result, most of Bell & Ross early models were renditions of Sinn’s creations. However, it wasn’t long before Bell & Ross carved its own identity. In 1997, French luxury fashion house Chanel became a minority shareholder in the company, and six years later, in 2002, Bell & Ross ceased to collaborate with Sinn.
Henceforth, Bell & Ross began manufacturing watches at its facility in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, and there has been no looking back ever since. Today, Bell & Ross is an internationally acclaimed and revered watchmaker specialising in high-performance professional watches for pilots, divers, astronauts, and bomb disposal experts. Bruno Belamich is the designer of the watches, and Carlos Rosillo is at the head of operations.
Bell & Ross is guided by the four design principles of ‘legibility,’ ‘functionality, ‘reliability,’ and ‘precision.’ At the company’s manufacturing facility in Switzerland, each Bell & Ross timepiece comes alive under expert guidance of master watchmakers. The diligence, care, and fidelity they invest in designing, assembling and fine-tuning each timepiece materialise in the precise movement and impeccable frame of the Bell & Ross watches. Every timepiece embodies the flawless craftsmanship of the watchmakers and meets the most stringent quality control requirements, regardless of the complexity of the mechanism.
At Bell & Ross, master watchmakers, engineers, designers, and professional users combine their skills and experience to create watches that are not mere tools to track time but dependable allies in extreme environments. The highly precise and complex mechanical movements that power Bell & Ross timepieces are designed to withstand nature’s most brutal tests, whether on the land, sea or the air.
Bell & Ross timepieces are distinguished for almost bulletproof construction and highly legible dials. The brand’s legacy of mechanical sophistication began with the re-issue of Space 1 in 1994, the original automatic chronometer worn in space by German astronaut Reinhart Furrer in the Spacelab mission. Then, in 1997, the Hydro Challenger made it to the Guinness Book of World Records for its exceptional water resistance. In 2002, Bell & Ross introduced its first jumping hour hand watch, the Vintage 123 Heure Sautante, equipped with a power reserve indicator.
With the introduction of the BR 01 model in 2005, Bell & Ross became synonymous with square watches inspired by aircraft cockpit instruments. The brand continues to reinforce its BR collection with avante garde creations, such as the BR-X2 Tourbillon Micro-Rotor with an ultra-thin skeletonised movement and a part sapphire glass case.
The reputation of Bell & Ross timepieces is such that today, fighter pilots, astronauts, submariners, armed police, special law enforcement personnel, and bomb disposal divers trust Bell & Ross watches for their daunting expeditions. Bell & Ross began supplying pilot watches to the French Air Force in 1992 and is also the official timekeeper to the French space program and the Escadron de Chasse 2/4 Lafayette. In 1996, the company unveiled the Demineur Type, a watch equipped for bomb disposal operations ordered by the French Civil Defense. The BR 01-92 RAID with its iconic square case was released on the 20th anniversary of the tactical unit of the French National Police Force. In addition, Bell & Ross has partnered with the National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (GIGN), the French Naval Air Force, and the French War School for commemorative and special edition timepieces.