Bell & Ross BR 01-92 Carbon Watch Review

The BR 01 (BR01) watch collection is probably the most iconic timepiece of the Bell & Ross brand, and one of the most influential timepieces of last decade. Exactly where did it come from and why is it so popular? Bell & Ross as a brand is highly inspired by the German brand Sinn. In fact, one of the founders of Bell & Ross worked at Sinn, and early Bell & Ross watches were actually Sinn watches that were dual branded.

Sinn is sort of the anti-Swiss watch in theme. The brand offers high-quality tool and professional-use watches that are reasonably priced and have zero lifestyle marketing behind them. I believe at the time, the new Bell & Ross brand saw an opportunity to market the Sinn concept to a more lifestyle and fashion oriented demographic, while retaining the core look and functionality that made Sinn what they were.

Soon after having success with offering Sinn watches in a new way Bell & Ross quickly started to develop its own personality and was among the first high-end watch brands that I recall ever noticing and lusting for. Born from historic military watches and functional instruments, the brand then (about 10 years ago), and now is still easy to love. A major part of that reason is that the majority of Bell & Ross watches feature very refined designs and dials that are often extremely easy to read. The mission of the brand was to offer a good-looking watch that said the people wearing them had good, but conservative taste, and weren't afraid to get their hands dirty when necessary.

Using Swiss movements, Bell & Ross is a contemporary French company. Even their "vintage" models have a fresh feel, while the brand's entire collection is modern through and through. How did Bell & Ross manage to retain this look while featuring a collection that is mostly aimed at the past for inspiration? I think it has to do with restraint. Design restraint. Most Bell & Ross watch designs are simple at first glance. There are a few key design features that make each piece what it is - without going overboard. I can only guess that this type of design process is difficult because rather than adding features designers often need to strip them away.