Bell & Ross Watches Kick Up A Desert Storm
Wednesday - 18 May 2016
Every Bell & Ross enthusiast will be familiar with the brand’s military and aviation heritage, but the French-Swiss watch company have completely epitomised their roots within their new Desert Type collection. Released this year at Baselworld, the Bell & Ross Desert Type watches still boast the iconic square dial – first seen in the BR 01 which celebrated its 10th anniversary last year – but brings along a brand new colour scheme that offers exceptional readability.
There are three new Bell & Ross Desert Type watches all together, each designed to meet the specifications of air forces operating in warm countries. The B R S Desert Type is the quartz version housing the calibre BR-CAL.102 movement designed especially with smaller wrists in mind. The BR 03-92 is an automatic calibre BR-CAL.302 with a date feature at 4 o clock while the BR 03-94 is an automatic chronograph with a BR-CAL.301 calibre, central chronograph seconds and a 30 minute counter at 9 o clock.
Designed especially to be used out in the field, each Bell & Ross Desert Type meets the camouflage requirements for pilots, and the sand coloured dial and strap were inspired by the outfits worn by Air Force pilots on dessert missions. But the one feature that seems to stand out even more than the colour is the sandwich dial. Formed by two overlapping inserts, the beige upper section is cut away around the numerals and indices revealing the black luminescent coating beneath creating beautifully contrasting layers that provide an essential easy readability. The dial continues to impress with propeller shaped hour and minute hands that draw once again from the brand’s aviation background.
Bell & Ross are renowned for giving a function to every attribute of a watch and even the matte black ceramic case found on each Desert Type provides important qualities needed when stranded in hostile desert conditions. The ceramic material provides a resistance to high temperatures and corrosion, gives a lightweight feel and has an ability to adapt to the wearer’s body temperature.
We know this may not be everyone’s cup of tea and we know there are many more visually appealing Bell & Ross watches out there, but the Desert Type trio could not be more suited to the brand and by bringing the aesthetic of a plane’s cockpit into a watch design, we are treated to a casual, versatile and masculine looking timepiece.
