Bell & Ross continue to flex their metropolitan appeal, with a new BR-05 GMT reference that’s been tailor-made for travellers.
Bell & Ross is, in every sense, niche by nature. Specialising in aviation-inspired designs, the French brand has made a name for itself with a core philosophy that is predominantly utilitarian. Much of its success can be ascribed to its commitment to the square case, directly evocative of bolted-in flight instruments. But in 2019, that began to change with the introduction of the BR-05 collection.
While it still bore the same silhouette as previous models, the BR-05’s new integrated bracelet transformed the once-pragmatic form into one that felt bold and modern in its own right. It was still a Bell & Ross, but it had left the tarmac and headed for the city streets.
Such a uniquely designed watch deserves an equally distinctive colourway, and Bell & Ross agrees. This year, they’ve expanded their BR-05 offerings with a new release that puts a chic spin on the metropolitan piece, alongside a complication that ties it back to its airfaring identity.
Steel Strong
The new Bell & Ross BR-05 GMT Green Steel brings back the same contemporary integrated bracelet design. Sized at 41mm in diameter, it wears slightly larger due to its square case. Combined with a 49.3mm lug-to-lug and a modest 11.6mm thickness, however, the watch doesn’t feel as bulky as it perhaps could. I would still recommend a larger wrist size, though, as the end links of the integrated bracelet extend the overall wearing length significantly.
Finished with alternating brushed surfaces and polished chamfers, it feels worlds apart from the original inspirations. Yet the Bell & Ross DNA remains instantly recognisable, thanks in part to the four exposed screws holding the bezel in place. From the outside, the integrated bracelet is undoubtedly the star of the show, flowing seamlessly from the lugs down to a folding clasp emblazoned with the brand’s ampersand logo. Yes, that is what an ‘&’ is actually called. Cool, huh?
If the bracelet isn’t to your liking, though, don’t worry. Bell & Ross also offers the watch on a comfortable green rubber strap fitted with a chunky steel pin buckle. Water resistant to 100 metres, the BR-05 GMT Green Steel doesn’t reinvent the wheel. Instead, it continues to do what it does best, allowing the new design to play to its handsome silhouette.
Cool As A Cucumber
Speaking of the new design, it completely hinges around the singular colourway Bell & Ross has selected for this latest iteration of the BR-05 GMT. The new backdrop is what the brand calls sage green, a non-primary green carrying subtle silver tones. We’ve seen another interpretation of sage green elsewhere at Hublot, but this version is less muted, standing out more boldly against the cooler stainless steel.
To achieve the colour, the sunray-brushed metal dial was first given a green tint before being coated with a layer of transparent glossy varnish to really make it pop. The result is a unique green that recalls manicured golf greens, with the shifting light across the sunray brushing further enhancing the effect.
Atop the dial, the design elements indicative of a Bell & Ross also make their return. The applied indexes and bold cardinal numerals remain instantly recognisable, finished with generous dollops of lume, while a colour-matched date wheel makes up for the absence of the three o’clock numeral.
The fourth GMT hand, complete with a broad triangular arrow, separates itself from its rhodium-plated peers with a two-tone finish of sage green and rhodium. Finally, the printed rehaut displays the 24-hour scale for the GMT hand, complete with another green-and-silver finish distinguishing day from night.
Clean Calibres
Turning the watch around, the BR-05’s more modern aspects immediately become apparent. Unlike most other models, such as the BR-03 collection, the BR-05 uses an open caseback, allowing the movement to be viewed through a sapphire crystal.
Inside is the BR-CAL.325.1, an automatic movement that beats at the luxury-standard 4Hz (28,800VpH) and offers a 54-hour power reserve. It’s similar to the BR-CAL.303 last seen in the BR-03 GMT Green Lum, which itself is based on the Sellita SW330-2 architecture.
Thus, the BR-CAL.325.1 is a reliable movement that powers both the date and caller-style GMT complications of the watch. Unlike a flyer-style GMT, the BR-CAL.325.1 permits independent adjustment of the fourth GMT hand, allowing the user to actively track a second time zone.
It comes in most useful for overseas business calls, or if you yourself are travelling abroad and want to know what time it is back home. Finally, visible through the caseback, the work Bell & Ross has put into the movement is evident. The finishing is practical but well executed, complete with the brand’s signature full-circle skeletonised rotor.
Initial Thoughts
Colour changes are what they are: just that. But they’re necessary if a watch is to stand out in the sea of sameness. There’s only so many blue, black, silver and white dials I can stand before my head explodes from boredom, so seeing brands like Bell & Ross experiment with colour is always welcome in my book.
For a watch as bold as the BR-05 GMT Green Steel, the sage green tone helps restrain what might otherwise be an overwhelming strength of character. Though it retains the same lines as the brand’s aviation-inspired timepieces, in sage green it feels better adapted to a dynamic modern life on the ground rather than in the sky.
Yet with the addition of a GMT complication, this new model is built for business both ways. Whether that’s boots on the ground or up in the air, headed to meet clients in another exotic destination, the BR-05 GMT Green Steel has you covered.
Reference & Specifications
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Reference | BR05G-GN-ST/SRB (Strap) BR05G-GN-ST/SST (Bracelet) |
| Dimensions | 41mm case diameter x 49.3mm lug-to-lug x 11.6mm thickness |
| Case | Stainless steel |
| Dial | Sunray-brushed green |
| Crystal | Sapphire |
| Caseback | Open, sapphire |
| Movement | Automatic BR-CAL.325.1 with caller-style GMT & date complications |
| Power Reserve | 54h |
| Beat Rate | 4Hz / 28,800VpH |
| Water Resistance | 100m / 10bar |
| Strap/Bracelet | Integrated green rubber strap with steel pin buckle Integrated steel bracelet with folding clasp |