Both of these watches are Bell & Rosses, and both are BR01 watches. Though they are like twins separated at birth. One went the path of luxury while the other spent their years in a discipline rich military environment. I like that two personalities can come from the same type of origin, and both are useful watches in their own respect. The first watch is a new one, but it was announced a while back. it is the Bell & Ross BR01-93 GMT. Previous to this, only the BR03 watch had a GMT model, and it was a bit smaller than the BR01.
The BR01-93 GMT is currently one of my favorite watches in the BR01 lineup. It looks good, is easy to read, and simply feels fun. I use the terms fun a lot these days when discussing watch. What I mean is a design that embellishes on its theme in a charming and polished manner. For example, the GMT hand didn’t need to be made as big, or in orange, but it was, and it works well that way. There is something almost cartoonish about it, and that to me, is fun.
The watch uses an ETA 2893-2 GMT movement that is commonly used in luxury GMT watches. It has a quick one hour increment adjust feature which is good to have. The all black PVD watch in the standard PVD steel case has comfortable to read white hands and hour indicators, and that hint of orange. You still have the date window, and the overall look is quite choice if you ask me. The watch comes on the functional rubber strap and looks fit for most any duty. Price is somewhere around $5,000 I would imagine.
On the other hand you have the Bell & Ross BR01-92 Gold Ingot watch. A fashionably… gold, limited edition meant to celebrate a type of gold bar. I initially wrote about the Bell & Ross Gold Ingot watch here. I finally got to check the watch out, and it is really pretty neat looking. Yes, it is in solid 18k rose gold, and yes it is a luxurious bastard, but it is still a Bell & Ross BR01, and all that comes with it. The case, dial, numeral, crown, and hands are all in gold. The dial is in a nice Clos du Paris guilloche engraved pattern that looks hip on the 46mm wide beast. I really hate to say it, but I love this watch. I am not intoxicated by the swelling amounts of gold, it is just a great looking watch with a nice black alligator strap. Sure it costs $20,000 or $40,000 and is highly limited, but that is just part of its attitude.
I don’t know if these two watches would get along. I think they would eye each other carefully and perhaps not say much to each other. Still, I could see the same person having both of them in their collection. I’d have both. At the same time, I am going to venture a guess that most of you are going to like the BR01-93 GMT more given its more “reasonable nature” and the whole point of the BR01 watch theme. It is OK to enjoy them both though.
Thanks to Lussori and Bell & Ross for showing me the watches.
See Bell & Ross watches on eBay here.
See Bell & Ross watches on Amazon here. [phpbay]bell ross, num, “14324”, “”[/phpbay]