When it was first introduced, the Bell & Ross BR-05 did almost nothing for me. It was a cool novelty and an interesting move from a brand established as a maker of flight-inspired watches. It struck me as Bell & Ross just trying to catch the integrated bracelet wave, and when I tried it on, it was too chunky. But the brand kept at it: The “Urban” line now includes 3-hand, GMT, chrono, and power reserve models. But they are all still chunky, and that has kept me from enjoying them. One of the surest ways to counteract visual chunkiness, though, is by making a watch lighter. This tricks the brain (or mine, at least) into thinking the watch is less prominent than it is. That’s what Bell & Ross did when it released the BR-05 in ceramic and the BR-X5 in titanium, and what continues with the Bell & Ross BR-X5 Racing, which adds a bit of color and a bit of texture and may be the best take on the BR-05 yet.
The Bell & Ross BR-05 is a chunky watch. The BR-X5 is even more so, due to its added complications. While the brand quotes 12.8mm, the lowest readout I could get on my calipers was 13.3mm thick (and I was squeezing them hard enough to worry about them breaking). That thickness on a blocky watch is going to be quite the wrist presence, even at 41mm wide. However, the BR-X5 Racing has two things going for it. The case is made from titanium, making it far lighter than its steel counterparts. That means that while it has the same visual footprint, you don’t feel the bulk of the watch. Further, and as is true of almost every Bell & Ross, the integrated strap (or integrated titanium bracelet, depending on which you choose) meets the entire width of the case. This creates a visual taper that makes the watch seem slightly smaller than it actually is.
The watch has a 49.5mm lug-to-lug length, and on my 7-inch wrist, I found it to be comfortable. I can’t imagine it would be as much if it were on the titanium bracelet. Bell & Ross rubber straps are always the best option, thanks to the way they make the watches look and their exceptional comfort. The case has 100 meters of water resistance and features very modern carved flanks revealing the black DLC titanium midcase, while the crown has a unique four-arm design that makes it feel like it’s clicking each time you turn it (it’s not). The final element of the case, and what ostensibly separates this as a “racing” watch, is the woven carbon fiber bezel inlay. I like the look, and it certainly goes well with the dial, which has its own racing accents. The bracelet does appear to be properly integrated, with no simple way to swap between the rubber and bracelet. Quick-release mechanisms are de rigueur these days, so it’s a flaw anytime a watch (especially at this price point) doesn’t have one.
The general layout of the Bell & Ross BR X-5 Racing stays true to the model family: power reserve at 9, date indicator at 3. But this is the first X-5 to feature a sapphire dial, showing off the movement beneath. The sapphire is smoky, so it still serves to provide a background for the indications on the dial. The 5-minute interval chapter ring surrounds a racing-inspired flange from which the fuel gauge-style power reserve scale and the date window emerge. I really like the execution of the PR here: instead of arcing at 12, it arcs across 3, and the red, white, and blue color of the scale brings a nice touch of color along with the red-tipped seconds hand. If you’re wondering, that doesn’t say “30,” it says “3D,” as in three days.
Overall legibility suffers a bit for the sea of white and gears that make up the dial. In photos, the hands may look clear (and they usually are), but there were times when the clutter created by the movement’s visibility and the multitude of markings made at-a-glance reading less convenient. I also hate panoramic date windows. Why confuse the matter by showing anything but a single date? This would be just as good-looking with a single-date aperture, and I can’t fathom why anyone would want or need to see one date before and one after. The date is unlumed, which I think is a missed opportunity to add even more cool to this watch. What is lumed with Super-LumiNova are the hands, hour indications on the minute ring, and Arabic numerals. They glow bright and even.
Behind another smoky sapphire crystal, with a B&R medallion in the middle, is the manufacture Calibre BR-Cal.323, which is used in every BR-X5. Produced by Kenissi, the Swiss automatic movement boasts a custom skeletonized rotor, a 70-hour power reserve at 28,800 vph, and COSC-certified chronometer timekeeping at -4/+6 seconds per day. Certainly no slouch, and to Bell & Ross’ credit, the perfect use of the term “manufacture.”
What I’ve learned from the Bell & Ross BR-X5 Racing is that a watch that is both chunky and steel without a reason for either is not a watch I want to own. But a watch that is chunky and light — that is, titanium or some other heft-reducing material — is fine by me. I’m not sure I’d go full titanium and get the matching bracelet here, but on the rubber, with the pops of color and the carbon texture, this is a great watch that shows the brand having just a bit of fun. While using “Urban” as the name of the collection seems inconsistent with the rest of the brand and a bit desperate in its effort to court streetwear enthusiasts, this watch certainly does have a city streets vibe to it that I don’t mind at all. So: More like this, please. The Bell & Ross BR-X5 Racing is priced at $10,800 USD and is limited to 500 pieces. For more information, please visit the Bell & Ross website.
