The Low-Down

The BR 05, which debuted in late 2019, is a watch that currently boasts the aesthetic concepts of the brand, founded by Carlos Rosillo and Bruno Bellamich and its association with horology with aeronautical legacy, but aimed at collectors demanding sports watches with integrated bracelets.

The BR 05 has links with some watches from the brand’s past, such as the Demineur Type or Bomb Disposal Type watch, which featured an integrated bracelet, and the Space series. But it also shares a strong connection with the existing BR V1, the BR 01 and even more memorably, the integrated bracelet cases of the ’70s and ’80s, though refreshed for the 21st century. The sleek demeanour of the watch, inspired by modern skyscrapers and urban spaces, is simultaneously a Bell & Ross classic and a refinement of what led the brand to its incredible popularity. The three-link bracelet is in fact a reconstruction and refinement of the Type Demineur’s original bracelet, even though it’s sure to evoke comparisons with a Gérald Genta or Jorg Hysek design.

Bell & Ross released the grey skeleton in 2019 and a blue version was released in 2020. The NIGHTLUM skeleton movement is black with a hint of green. The 40 mm case with three sandwiched sections houses the BR-CAL.322 movement is based on the reliable Sellita SW300-1 automatic caliber. The open-worked dial presents a clear view of the movement treated in black PVD with a black PVD coated rotor. The metallic indexes, hour and minute hands, are filled with strong green C5 SuperLuminova. In the daylight, they have a bright green color, and in the dark, it turns to bright fluorescent green.

The four screws that hold the bezel are polished, generating a remarkable contrast that further emphasizes their perfect alignment to-wards the geometric center of the watch. The bracelet is equally detailed, with its meticulous brushing, highlighting the H-shaped links with contrasting polished central nodes.

IMHO

The new BR 05 Skeleton NIGHTLUM is a continuation of the attractive proposal of the original BR 05 Skeleton, launched along with its solid-dial siblings. This is now the second watch from Bell & Ross with emphasis on the lume, last month the BR V2-94 FULL LUM was launched. The use of green lume on black skeleton dial is brilliant. The black PVD skeletonized movement remains muted in the background, giving the spotlight to the brightly lit indexes and hands.

The BR 05 stands out for its eye-catching balance, achieved by all the design highlights. It combines graceful proportions, modern finish, and high legibility. Without a doubt, in a time when new watch designs with integrated bracelets are on the rise, this timepiece by Bell & Ross brings a compelling design at an attractive price point. The BR 05 skeleton NIGHTLUM is 500-piece limited edition, and can be ordered with ribbed black rubber strap or on steel bracelet.

Tech Specs

Movement: Automatic BR-CAL.322 caliber (base Sellita SW300-1), hours, minutes and seconds, 38-hour power reserve
Case: 40 mm, stainless steel, water-resistant to 100 meters
Strap: Integrated dual link design steel bracelet, or ribbed black rubber strap
Price: USD $6,900 on bracelet, and USD $6,400 on rubber strap, limited to 500 pieces