Reply With QuoteGood review, thanks for taking the trouble - great pics too
Seeing as Bell & Ross are rarely mentioned on these boards, I thought I'd write a small review of my latest acquisition, to show you what B&R do best ... Attention to detail!
Bell & Ross focus on 4 major design principles when creating any new piece, one of which is for a watch to have clear visual indicators. The BR01 (Aviation) series takes inspiration from aircraft instrument dials, in that the dial of the watch is minimalist and easily legible at a quick glance. The BR02 is part of the Marine range and is intended for diving, but many of it's design cues come from the BR01 - It's a fusion of aviation style dial with diver features :)
Now one of the reasons I was drawn to the BR02 in the first place was due to the tonneau style case. I've been after a tonneau watch for a little while and I have always had a hankering for a BR02. I've looked at Citizen, Oris and Orient for something to scratch that itch, but by holding out a little longer, I managed to pick up what I'd call one of my grail watches :)
So onto the unpacking ...
No shiny polished wooden box here; Just a dust-proof, water-proof, chemical resistant, life-time guaranteed double-hard Pelican case :lol: It's a rather unique form of packaging for a watch, but it compliments the BR02 in it's solid, over-engineered appearance. Inside lurks a canvas strap and a strap changing tool. Currently it's on the rubber strap provided.
The specifications include an ETA 2894 (Hence the '-94' designation) with small seconds at 3o'clock and 30 minute chronograph at 9o'clock, 500M water resistance, screw down crown, locking chrono pushers, internal bezel with locking bezel control, automatic helium escape valve, sapphire glass with AR and blue lume :)
My first impressions focused on the tonneau case design; It's lovely. It's akin to wearing a machined billet of stainless steel on your wrist. The BR02 measures in at 44mm diameter and 17mm thickness, with an overall width of 50mm. It's definitely not for small wrists. However the combination of the tonneau case lines and the specially designed rubber strap help keep the overall look aggressive and not 'overly' large.
The case features a mixture of satin and polished finishes, which gives some nice reflective qualities in bright light. The top surfaces of the case are satin, whereas the edges and sides of the case are polished. Even the crown guards follow suit, with polished sides and a satin top finish.
Which moves me onto the hex chrono pushers ... 8)
The chrono pushers are covered in a rubberized material and unlock/lock with an almost frictionless feel to them. Literally, one quick flick is all that is required to fully unlock/lock the pushers. The locking bezel control has more resistance, but is smooth and gently 'clicks' when unlocked. A light push and twist returns the bezel control to a locked position.
The large domed sapphire glass with thick AR coating provides excellent legibility in light conditions, but also gives a distortion effect at extreme angles, similar to that as if you were underwater. This effect might be a bit marmite for some, but I love it! The profile of the glass suddenly drops at the edges, which refracts the dial and light more so. The effect is difficult to capture with a rubbish camera ...
There are lots of other small details that at quick glance go unnoticed. The two chrono dials have a slightly raised centre, with the 'dropped' areas incorporating several fine rings for decoration. Also, the date is at 4:30 and has a tapered viewing window.
To finish off, here are some pics of the incredibly bright, long lasting blue lume, the nicely finished caseback (a bit dirty from wearing it over the weekend!) and a few wrist shots :)
Good review, thanks for taking the trouble - great pics too
Great looking B&R with an excellent review :!:
My B&R 02 carbon chrono,
perfect mariage between round and square...
I had the PVD version and really wish I hadnt sold it. Was too scared of the pvd! but really fantastic feel and finish to these pieces.
Very nice review - thanks for taking the time.
Nice... Am getting a bit bored with my Superocean Heritage and a BR02 is top of my trade list... Thanks for the review and pics
Good review and I have the Bell and Ross BR-03 which is a clear bit of kit but soon to go.
Great review & Photos. I have the same watch,always brings a smile to my face :)
I will hopefully have mine back from BR this week - only had it for a day before the chrono function messed up. Luckily it was covered under the warranty.
Great review....
Wish I hadnt clicked on this! They look great, anybody selling one anytime soon?
I might....
Nice review, many thanks!
thats a great review and has opened my eyes to a whole new brand of watches!
very nice btw
Jon
Lovely! 1st B&R I've seen that I've liked, and I REALLY like it!
I agree, never really been a fan of the B&R but this one looks great. Thanks for posting the review, it's good to read about different watches.Originally Posted by Andrew-C
When I get my Macro lens back from Sigma, I might post a review of my U-Boat....
A
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