The story of Bell & Ross began at the end of the 20th century, when the French watch-making firm approached a German company that specialized in aeronautical onboard instrument manufacturing. The rest is history.

More than a project, Bell & Ross has a mission: to invent, design and manufacture exclusive and perfectly functional timepieces for professionals working under extreme conditions. This vocation places its creations in the purest Swiss military and watch-making tradition. It results in iconic timepieces offering absolute performance and in exceptional instruments that respond to the needs of the most demanding connoisseurs.

Bell & Ross brings together the talents of professional users (pilots, astronauts, bomb-disposal experts and the like) with master watchmakers, engineers and designers to create exceptional timepiece collections that do not concede to unnecessary extravagance.

An emblem recognized and adopted by numerous elite fighting units, Bell & Ross is now the official supplier of: The Space Lab Mission (1994); The French Civil Security Bomb- Disposal Unit (1997); The French National Police Intervention Group–RAID (2005); The French Naval Aviation (2007); The French Air Force (2008) and The National Gendarmerie Intervention Group–GIGN (2011).

In its la Chaux-de-Fonds workshops in Switzerland, Bell & Ross perpetuates the Swiss art of luxury watchmaking ensuring compliance with age-old traditions. Bell & Ross's timepieces are meticulously inspected at every stage of their creation and bear the mark “Swiss Made”, a symbol of unrivalled excellence around the world.

Bell & Ross draws its inspiration from the history of aviation and the military specifications that accompany it. From the first timepieces, this inspiration has nurtured the development of collections, and is based on two aspects:

The evoking of key eras in the history of aviation, through the development of pilots’ watches, with the VINTAGE collection.

Drawing inspiration from aeronautical instrumentation, specifically that of the instrumentation panel, with the AVIATION collection.

Bell & Ross for Only Watch 2013

For Only Watch 2013, Bell & Ross has designed a collector’s box of six unique watches. This lavish case fashioned from high-quality wood contains six watches: the BR01 HORIZON, ALTIMETER and TURN COORDINATOR, created in 2012, and the BR01 HEADING INDICATOR, AIRSPEED and CLIMB, created in 2013. They are all inspired by instruments that are essential to aeronautical navigation and have, as their common and unique denominator, a touch of orange. Orange is the ultimate color for aeronautical instrumentation due to its high level of legibility and capacity to make important information stand out through contrast. It is also a traditional color for Bell & Ross, which has used it on timepieces for the same reasons. 

This exclusive box is designed to be a dashboard on which the vital instruments are laid out in a T for optimum legibility. It will give its possessor the impression of owning a piece of an aircraft cockpit.

Description of the six watches:

BR01 HORIZON: LEGIBILITY ENHANCED BY GRAPHIC DESIGN

Bell & Ross designers have borrowed the graphic characteristics of the attitude indicator to create an original and innovative display of the time.

Movement: ETA 2892 mechanical automatic. 

A dial on two levels:

In the background, the dial (A) comprises, as with the original device, two parts representing the sky, in gray and the earth, in black. These two parts are separated by an orange horizon line marking the 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock axis.

In the foreground, the indexed raised dial (C) provides optimal legibility of the hour graduations.

With its bridge at 12 o'clock (D), it conceals the attachment of the hands and is reminiscent of the shape of the aviation instrument.

Between these two levels, two hands of different shapes provide immediate legibility of the hours (B) and minutes (E). A window at 12 o'clock enables them to remain visible when they disappear below the bridge of the raised dial.

The two hands echo the style of the original device, both in their minimalist graphic design and their rocking movement.

The hands and the index markers are covered in a white photo-luminescent coating, contrasting with the black of the dial, that echo the legibility principles of professional aviation instruments.

The anti-glare, matt black carbon finish of the case is inspired by the color of an instrumentation panel, designed to make the dials easier to read by eliminating glare.

BR01 ALTIMETER: A LARGE DATE INSPIRED BY AN ALTIMETER

Movement: ETA 2892 mechanical automatic.

Bell & Ross designers have borrowed the graphic characteristics of the altimeter to create an original and innovative display of the time.

The frame reflects the style of the original instrument. A window at 3 o'clock, which represented the atmospheric pressure, now displays the date (C), which is easy to read due to its display on two independent discs.

The graduation's typeface is reminiscent of an altimeter. The letters ALT and the grooved indicator are printed on the dial identically to the original instrument.

The three hands resembling the altimeter indicate the hours (A), minutes (B) and seconds (D).

The hands and the digits are covered in a white photo-luminescent coating, contrasting with the black of the dial, and echoing the legibility principles of professional aviation instruments.

The anti-glare, matt black carbon finish of the case is inspired by the color of an instrumentation panel, designed to make the dials easier to read by eliminating glare.

BR01 TURN COORDINATOR: DISC-BASED DISPLAY INSPIRED BY THE TURN COORDINATOR

Movement: ETA 2892 mechanical automatic.

Bell & Ross designers have borrowed the graphic characteristics of the turn coordinator to create an original and innovative display of the time.

The dial comprises two independent concentric discs, respectively graduated with 12 hours (B) and 60 minutes (C).

Beneath the glass, a vertical orange marker (A) indicates the large digits of the hours and the small digits of the minutes. The hour reading is indicated by the marker from top to bottom.

The glass reveals two windows, separated by a line symbolizing a plane.

The upper window is entirely dedicated to reading the time. The lower window is opaque to give priority to the area displaying the time.

The anti-glare, matt black carbon finish of the case is inspired by the color of an instrumentation panel, designed to make the dials easier to read by eliminating glare.

BR01 HEADING INDICATOR: DISC-BASED DISPLAY INSPIRED BY THE HEADING INDICATOR

Bell & Ross designers have borrowed the graphic characteristics of the heading indicator to create an original and innovative display of the time.

Movement: ETA 2892 mechanical automatic.

The dial comprises three independent concentric discs, graduated for the hours and minutes. The seconds are marked out in the center on a disc that is not graduated, but features an orange marker. The hour reading is indicated by the white triangle that appears on the outer hours’ disc. Minutes are read from the middle disc.

The WES (West, East, South) indications are also displayed on this disc, as on the original instrument, with the N for North indication being replaced by the orange triangle marker for reading the hours.

To make the markers stand out against the background, a plane identical to that found on the original instrument and orange index marks are engraved under the glass.

The anti-glare, matt black carbon finish of the case is inspired by the color of an instrumentation panel, designed to make the dials easier to read by eliminating glare.

BR01 AIRSPEED: LEGIBILITY ENHANCED BY GRAPHIC DESIGN 

Bell & Ross designers have borrowed the graphic characteristics of the anemometer, or airspeed, to create an original and extremely legible display of the time.

Movement: ETA 2892 mechanical automatic.

To promote legibility, the hour, minute and second graduations are separate to promote the minutes on the main dial, while the hours are displayed in the center, as in the original instrument.

The dial features a colored orange zone, like the one in the original instrument, where it indicates a critical zone. 

The hands and the index markers are covered in a white photo-luminescent coating, contrasting with the black of the dial, and echoing the legibility principles of professional aviation instruments.

The anti-glare, matt black carbon finish of the case is inspired by the color of an instrumentation panel, designed to make the dials easier to read by eliminating glare.

BR01 CLIMB: A GRAPHIC STYLE INSPIRED BY THE VARIOMETER OR CLIMB

Movement: ETA 2897 mechanical automatic.

Bell & Ross designers have borrowed the graphic characteristics of the climb to create an original and innovative display of the time.

The frame reflects the style of the original instrument. Instead of the variometer, a power reserve indicator allows the user to measure remaining power, which is vital for the smooth functioning of the movement. This indicator is presented in orange, contrasting with the black of the dial and the other time information. The date is also displayed in a window at 3 o'clock.

The graduation's typeface is reminiscent of the CLIMB. Since it only has one white hand, the hour hand has been darkened to present the best imitation of the original instrument.

The hands and the digits are covered in a white photo-luminescent coating, contrasting with the black of the dial, and echoing the legibility principles of professional aviation instruments.

The anti-glare, matt black carbon finish of the case is inspired by the color of an instrumentation panel, designed to make the dials easier to read by eliminating glare.