As ceramic has become a more mainstream, accessible material in watchmaking, ceramic timepieces have begun to develop their own distinct, recognizable stylistic codes. By and large, this new generation of ceramic sports watches is dark, modernist, and monochromatic, with a more pared-back, focused aesthetic when compared to their stainless steel counterparts. The core Bell & Ross design philosophy dovetails naturally with the look and feel of modern ceramics, and while the brand has used ceramics extensively in the past it has never introduced the material to its upscale, lifestyle-oriented BR 05 series of integrated sports watches. As part of its Watches and Wonders 2024 novelties, Bell & Ross aims to remedy this, bringing stylish new black ceramic looks to the series while making a handful of thoughtful yet iconoclastic adjustments to the design. Stark, monochromatic, and boldly sized, the new Bell & Ross BR 05 Black Ceramic line (including the BR 05 Black Ceramic, BR 05 Skeleton Black Ceramic, and the limited edition BR 05 Skeleton Black Lum Ceramic) combines muscular proportions with a novel ceramic production process to create a striking new frontier for the series.

Interestingly, in an age of shrinking horological waistlines, Bell & Ross chooses to upsize the case dimensions of the BR 05 Black Ceramic collection compared to their stainless steel forebears. All three new models measure in at 41mm wide and 11.2mm thick, a small but substantive increase over the standard 40mm three-hand BR 05. Although making definitive statements on wearability from press images is a difficult proposition, it’s a safe bet that the slimming power of black and the low overall weight of zirconium oxide ceramic compared to stainless steel should largely mitigate any perceived size increase on the wrist. The way this wider diameter is distributed in images is also worth considering here. While the defining hallmarks of the BR 05 case, such as the broad rounded-square raised bezel, the short, angular integrated lugs, and the low-profile crown guards are more or less identical to previous versions in images, the main case body itself is perceptibly wider. This allows for a more pronounced step effect between the main case and the bezel in images, while also giving the finishing of the upper case surface a slim but noticeable new area to play with. All three new models in the series are crafted from familiar zirconium oxide ceramic, but Bell & Ross adds its own unique manufacturing touch to the mix. The brand claims the ceramic base material goes through a unique mass-dying process during manufacturing, leading to a deeper and more intense black shade than most comparable black ceramic cases. Once again, it’s difficult to confirm this from initial photos, but it will be interesting to examine how the mass-dying process affects the way these cases catch the light in person. Rather than finishing each of these cases in an identical fashion, Bell & Ross splits the collection between two distinct styles. Both regular production models – the Bell & Ross BR 05 Black Ceramic and the BR 05 Skeleton Black Ceramic – are finished with a mix of strong directionally brushed planar surfaces and polished chamfers that echo the finishing of the rest of the BR 05 family. For the limited edition BR 05 Skeleton Black Lum Ceramic, though, the brand opts for a more aggressive, purposeful uniform matte -blasted look. All three models in the line are finished with sapphire display casebacks and are rated for a decently sporty 100 meters of water resistance.

Although the cases of the Bell & Ross BR 05 Black Ceramic series bring a dark new dimension to the familiar BR 05 design, the dials are more or less identical to their predecessors. For the base BR 05 Black Ceramic, Bell & Ross keeps the line’s usual combination of paddle hands, rounded applied numerals, and lozenge indices intact, along with a deep, detailed black sunburst dial surface. Meanwhile, the BR 05 Skeleton Black Ceramic builds on previous skeletonized BR 05 variants with a smoked sapphire dial surface and a simpler no-date layout featuring uninterrupted applied lozenge indices. With such a simple, pared-back layout, the visual focus is trained on the squared-off web of black ruthenium-coated bridges beneath, along with the oversized openworked mainspring barrel at 6 o’clock. Interestingly, there’s not much in images to differentiate the limited edition BR 05 Skeleton Black Lum Ceramic’s dial from its regular-production counterpart, other than the use of bright green Super-LumiNova C5 rather than standard white Super-Luminova, and a slim new luminous strip on the running seconds hand.

All three models in the Bell & Ross BR 05 Black Ceramic series are powered by derivatives of the Sellita S300-based BR-CAL.321 automatic movement. The base BR 05 Black Ceramic uses this movement in unchanged form, complete with a solid 54-hour power reserve at a 28,800 bph beat rate. For the other two models in the collection, Bell & Ross uses the skeletonized BR-CAL.322 movement variant, with unchanged performance but a more open, intricate bridge architecture. Outside of the skeleton cutaways, though, both the BR-CAL.321 and the BR-CAL.322 share very similar finishing, including matte-black ruthenium surfaces beneath a black racing wheel-inspired skeleton rotor. To complete the watches, Bell & Ross fits the BR 05 Black Ceramic line with a set of familiar integrated strap options. For regular production models, buyers can choose between a ridged black integrated rubber strap or a brushed and polished bracelet in case-matching black ceramic. The BR 05 Skeleton Black Lum Ceramic is available only on the ceramic bracelet, but in a fully matte-blasted finish to match its unique case.

In the handful of years since ceramic’s widespread adoption across the watch industry, a generally accepted “ceramic aesthetic” has grown up around the material’s increased use. The modern, athletic, and trendy Bell & Ross BR 05 platform fits into this aesthetic naturally, and the new BR 05 Black Ceramic series should strongly connect with enthusiasts looking for a watch in this style. While the Bell & Ross BR 05 Black Ceramic and BR 05 Skeleton Black Ceramic are permanent additions to the base collection, only 500 examples of the BR 05 Skeleton Black Lum Ceramic will be made. All three models are available now through authorized dealers. MSRPs for the Bell & Ross BR 05 Black Ceramic collection range from $6,600 USD to $9,700 USD as of press time. For more information, please visit the brand’s website.