Though probably best known for its more affordable, instrument-inspired pilot and field watches, French watchmaker Bell & Ross continues to assert itself as much more than a one-trick pony, with the latest addition to its BR-X “Experimental” collection: the wild Bell & Ross BR-X1 Skeleton Tourbillon Sapphire.
Standouts in this sometimes divisive collection have included the stealthy forged carbon BR-X1 Skeleton Tourbillon and the more exotic Bell & Ross BR X2 Tourbillon Micro-Rotor Automatic watch (hands-on). With its micro-rotor and ampersand-adorned flying tourbillon, the BR X2 was a step closer to this latest creation not least because it was something of a sapphire sandwich. The new Bell & Ross BR-X1 Skeleton Tourbillon Sapphire is like a functional hybrid of the two – but with a twist, as it uses the BR-X1 case assembled from five, very carefully carved sapphire blocks.
The Bell & Ross BR-X1 Skeleton Tourbillon Sapphire is a whole hell of a long way for a brand whose humble beginnings started with tool watches (remember B&R’s watches used to be manufactured by German tool watch master Sinn), but a journey that’s gotten considerably more impressive as the Experimental line continues to find interesting ways to visually and technologically push the envelope. Sapphire crystal is more or less scratch-proof, but its hardness has made it particularly difficult to work with in anything other than very simple shapes. Technology and techniques have improved in recent years, however, with more fully sapphire-cased watches, and even prices for them beginning to come down such as with the Hublot Big Bang UNICO Sapphire (hands-on) – though they tend to remain more rare and expensive even than precious metal case watches.
One thing that’s particularly neat about the X1 series watches, though, is that no matter how outlandish each design gets, it still carries Bell & Ross’ core design language; that square 45mm case, screwed together at each of the four corners. And though this DNA does carry through to the Bell & Ross BR-X1 Skeleton Tourbillon Sapphire, were it not for the case signatures, this one could be mistaken for something other than a Bell & Ross watch, as the primary timekeeping cues (the hour and minute hands) have been shrunken to the upper 12:00 region of the dial. While this does give plenty of opportunity to enjoy the flying tourbillon’s movement against all the clear, negative space from the sapphire, it does detract somewhat from overall utility and legibility in comparison with the brand’s pilot and tool watches – something that other Experimental offerings have maintained.
The steely gray lines of the 3Hz manually-wound BR-CAL.288 movement architecture cast a nicely skeletonized, industrial contrast against all the translucent elements on the watch – even the strap is translucent rubber, which should make for some interesting wrist shots. Part of the idea, besides the novelty itself of a totally transparent case, is that the movement and even the screws holding the case together are visible from about every angle. The only part of the watch that isn’t fully see-through is the large mainspring barrel itself, which provides 100 hours of power reserve, and is tucked conveniently behind the luminous hour and minute hands at 12:00, preserving some degree of legibility for timekeeping.
In keeping with the more exclusive traditions of the Experimental collection, only eight pieces of the Bell & Ross BR-X1 Skeleton Tourbillon Sapphire have been produced. However, this particular piece is now the most expensive of all the X1 offerings – even beating out the BR-X1 Chronograph Tourbillon Rose Gold Diamond variant by a healthy margin – with an asking price for the Bell & Ross BR-X1 Skeleton Tourbillon Sapphire
Tag: BR-X1 Skeleton Tourbillon
Bell Ross BR-X1 TOURBILLON
The new BR-X1 Chronograph Tourbillon is the ultimate symbol of Bell & Ross’ watchmaking expertise and the first chapter of an evolution that combines grand complication and faithfulness to the aeronautical inspiration that the brand cherishes.
BR-X1 TOURBILLON R.S.20 For watchmaking enthusiasts, Bell & Ross is a leading brand in regards to design. To create the R.S.20 collection, the design studio started by researching the “topic” to give form to their inspiration. This year, the collection drew its inspiration from different sources.
Limited Edition of 20 pieces. Movement: calibre BR-CAL.283. Hand-wound ying tourbillon. Mono-pusher column wheel chronograph. 282 components, 35 jewels, 21,600 vph. 4-day power reserve. Functions: hours and minutes. Chronograph: 30-minute counter at 11 o’clock, 60-second counter at 1 o’clock. Power reserve indicator at 9 o’clock. Flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock. Case: 45 mm in diameter.
Now, Bell & Ross is taking the challenge of transparency a step further, with the new BR-X1 Skeleton Tourbillon Sapphire. Over the last few years full sapphire cases have become increasingly popular, thanks in large part to early pioneers like Richard Mille and even MB&F.
The Bell & Ross BR-X1 Skeleton Tourbillon Sapphire is a whole hell of a long way for a brand whose humble beginnings started with tool watches (remember B&R’s watches used to be manufactured by German tool watch master Sinn), but a journey that’s gotten considerably more impressive as the Experimental line continues to find interesting ways to visually and technologically
The brand calls the movement in the Bell & Ross BR-X1 Chronograph Tourbillon the caliber BR-CAL.283, or just the “283.” It has a rather plain back but a great dial with a lot of decoration. Manually wound, it has 4 days of power reserve operating at 3Hz (21,600 bph).
The BR-X1 Chronograph Tourbillon Sapphire 45 mm case is cut from six blocks of sapphire: middle piece, back, top, crystal and the two bumpers and it is assembled with screws. The hand-wound calibre BR-CAL.285 is comprised of 282 components and beats at 21,600 vibrations per hour with a remarkable power reserve of 100 hours.
The Bell & Ross BR-X1 Skeleton Tourbillon Sapphire is a whole hell of a long way for a brand whose humble beginnings started with tool watches (remember B&R’s watches used to be manufactured by German tool watch master Sinn),
The Bell & Ross BR-X1 Chronograph Tourbillon, as said earlier, is the bold, strong, muscular version of the iconic squared-design imagined by Bell & Ross. The 45mm case comprises several parts, assembled to create a solid “protection box” for the movement. All starts with a central titanium “container” that encases the movement and that
BR X1 Tourbillon Sapphire Gold. BR X1 Tourbillon Sapphire Blue. Having an entirely clear and colourless case could mean the normal metallic silver used for hands and indices won’t stand out – and, let’s be honest, if you’re buying this watch, you’re not looking to blend in with the crowd.
This Bell & Ross BR-X1 Tourbillon RS17 is the most high-tech one of these new models. The other two models are the Bell & Ross BR-X1 RS17 and the Bell & Ross BR 03-94 RS17 . It has a very colorful 45-millimeter case, an open-worked dial and the whole design
BR X1 Tourbillon Sapphire Gold. BR X1 Tourbillon Sapphire Blue. Having an entirely clear and colourless case could mean the normal metallic silver used for hands and indices won’t stand out – and, let’s be honest, if you’re buying this watch, you’re not looking to blend in with the crowd.
The Bell & Ross BR-X1 Tourbillon Sapphire is limited to 5 pieces only Of course, the dial is skeletonized to provide a perfect view of the movement. The 30-minutes timer of the chronograph is at 11 o’clock, the 60-seconds timer at 1 o’clock and there is a power-reserve indicator at 9 o’clock.
The coolest “functional” elements of the case design are the switch-style chronograph pushers. They work very well, but you can get them with the BR-X1 non-tourbillon models. For the Bell & Ross BR-X1 Chronograph Tourbillons, Bell & Ross is only making the cases in either titanium or 18k rose gold. On the wrist, I think they look really cool.
BR-X1 Skeleton Tourbillon
- EXTREME TRANSPARENCY Replica Bell & Ross began a new chapter in its history with the BR-X1 CHRONOGRAPH TOURBILLON SAPPHIRE in 2016. The brand’s first completely transparent watch caused quite a stir by combining prestigious watches complications, technical performance and its signature design codes. Three new unique pieces, two online exclusives A skeletonized version of this exceptional BR-X1 is being unveiled at Baselworld, as part of a collection that underscores the bold creativity of Bell & Ross. Of the six new unique pieces created, three examples that marry transparency and color will be presented. Then by embracing sales innovation: two of the watches will be exclusively available online. This marks a real watershed moment in the Haute Horlogerie sector, once again proving Bell & Ross’ avant-garde spirit in e-commerce and the digital. As iconic as difficult to work with, sapphire is the embodiment of invisibility: a paradox of solidity and visual transparency. Scientists –who call it corundum– know it as the second hardest material on Earth after diamond, almost impossible to scratch. For watchmakers, creating a case from a block of sapphire is a true technical challenge. It requires long and complex machining, grinding and polishing processes and superior expertise. The case of the BR-X1 SKELETON TOURBILLON SAPPHIRE is made from five blocks of sapphire, which are carefully worked on before being assembled with the greatest precision. Thanks to the transparency of its sapphire case, the BR-X1 CHRONOGRAPH TOURBILLON SAPPHIRE created a magical spectacle in 2016 when its chronograph movement, paired with a flying tourbillon that appears to float weightlessly, was revealed. Last year, Bell & Ross’ design studio pushed the limits even further when it decided to develop an entirely skeletonized tourbillon. The transparency of the sapphire case was complemented by a “lace” effect of the openworked bridges, which laid bare the secrets of the watch’s mechanical heart through an off-centered dial especially designed to reveal it all. COLORS SUSPENDED INVISIBLY Now, Bell & Ross has set itself a new challenge: to continue experimenting with extreme transparency while adding color. A number of monochrome movements have been individually produced, intended for the most discerning collectors. A single color has been used for the main plate, bridges, dial, hands and tourbillon cage, thus creating a customized face for each unique piece.
| Brand : | Used Bell & Ross |
| Collection : | EXPERIMENTAL |
| Model : | BR-X1 Skeleton Tourbillon |
| Reference : | BRX1-SKTB-SABLU |
| Nber of pieces : | Unique |
| Complement : | Sapphire – Skeletonized Dial – Rubber Strap |
| On sale : | 2018 |
| List Price : | $220 |
| Diameter : | 45 mm |
| Styles : | Atypical High Horology |
| Types : | Hand-winding |
| Calibre : | Calibre BR-CAL.288 |
| Complication : | Skeleton Tourbillon |
| Case material : | Sapphire |
| Shape : | Square |
| Dial : | Skeleton |
| Display : | Luminescent hands |
| Indexes : | Luminescent Baton-type |
| Glass : | Sapphire Antireflective coating |
| Strap material : | Rubber |
| Strap color : | Translucent |
| Strap clasp : | Pin buckle |
