The Bell & Ross adventure started in a cockpit with watch designs that were directly inspired by flight instruments and the golden age of aviation. This journey continues at Baselworld 2018 on the wings of the BR-Bird. This area of research has helped the brand create incredible machines rooted in the quest for speed and performance.

After designing racing cars inspired by aeronautical shapes, like the tapered shape reminiscent of the drop tanks used by the fighter jets of the 1940s turned Bellytanker racer with the addition of four narrow wheels, Bell & Ross has now designed a plane of its own for Baselworld 2018! It should come as no surprise that it is a high-speed plane capable of competing in the Reno Air Races in record-breaking style.

To have a chance of prevailing in this competition, considered to be the most beautiful air racecourse in the world and of achieving phenomenal public success, the pilots need to be as daring as they are dexterous. And they need a machine with exceptional power, aero dynamism and maneuverability.

The BR-Bird, brainchild of Bruno Belamich, Bell & Ross’s co-founder and creative director, fits the bill. An ultramodern single-seat, propeller-engine aircraft, built entirely of high-tech material (graphite, fiberglass, titanium and aluminum alloy), the BR-Bird is powered by a V12 Rolls Royce Falcon developed on a Merlin base (names that have legendary status in aviation, particularly thanks to the legendary English Spitfire).

While its cockpit is placed as far back as possible, evoking the high speed of dragsters, its short but broad wings, placed very far forward, hark back to the Comet DH.88, Hughes H-1 and the Bugatti-DeMonge 100P of the 1930s, but also the famed P51 Mustang of the 1940s. Its Y-shaped empennage ensures maneuverability, while making it immediately recognizable.

With its meticulously designed shape and its powerful aesthetic, the BR-Bird belongs to the world of speed, forging a bond between aviation history and future technology. With timepieces both technically and stylistically inspired by the world of aeronautics.

World of Watches Exclusive: Baselworld 2018: Bell & Ross Racing Bird Limited Edition

This identity of speed and performance is evident in the design of the three-hand and chronograph Racing Bird watches. These timepieces share their aesthetic choices with the racing aircraft designed by the Bell & Ross studio, particularly the color code: The dial is white, like the fuselage of the plane. The numerals, bezel, chronograph counter and strap are blue, like the empennage and decorative elements tracing the aerodynamic lines of the BR-Bird. The central second hand, details on the dial and lining of the leather strap are orange, like the color highlighting the most important information on the flight instruments. The timer is grey, reminiscent of the chequered flag used in speed competitions, like the Bell & Ross logo on the wings and flanks of the aircraft.

On the dial, the numerals use the same typography as the on-board counters, and the date window shows three numerals –a direct reference to flight instrumentation. The final touch is the silhouette of the aircraft on the case back and at the base of the second hand (on the three-hand version) and the second timer (on the chronograph version). With a 38.5 mm steel case for the Baselworld 2018 Racing Bird BRV1-92 and a 41 mm for the BRV2-94, both versions are powered by a self-winding mechanical movement.

The Baselworld 2018 Bell & Ross limited edition 999 piece BRV1 and BRV2 Racing Bird watches start a new chapter in a saga that weaves together Bell & Ross and aviation history, performance, extreme professionals… and passion.

Limited Edition Baselworld 2018 Bell & Ross Racing Bird BRV2-94 Price and Specs

Movement Automatic calibre BR-CAL.301. with 48 hours power reserve
Case 41 mm stainless steel with 100 metres water resistance
Bracelet Polished steel or blue calfskin with orange lining.
Price V1-92 racing bird is S$3700, V2-94 racing bird is S$6400 (calfskin strap) & $6900 (bracelet)

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