46 mm square case in aged bronze, skull in hand-engraved solid gold, hand-wound movement with four complications (tourbillon, regulator, accuracy indicator and power reserve), distressed brown alligator leather strap: such are the main features of the BR 01 Skull Bronze Tourbillon that will be offered by Bell & Ross as part of the Only Watch auction.
The most fearsome fighters and pirates have historically flaunted their bravery by displaying the skull symbol, both to intimidate their opponents and to ward off ill fortune.
Faithful to this spirit, the BR 01 Skull Bronze Tourbillon displays the skull and crossbones, formed by the bezel and the screws, which resemble the pirate flags of the past. The hands on its relief honeycomb dial reveal other traditional motifs from the military world: the sword and the dagger.
Seemingly protected by the skull at the centre of the watch, the tourbillon reveals its revolving cage in pink gold at the bottom of the dial.
A genuine technical feat, the production and integration of this tourbillon movement in an equally idiosyncratic case, required the combined skill of the brand’s engineers and the finest Swiss master watchmakers.
To give the new timepiece a unique look, Bell & Ross designed its case using bronze with a microblasted finish. This alloy of copper (92%) and tin (8%) sports a very distinctive colour. Initially presenting a shade that suggests tones of pink or red gold, bronze acquires a patina over time, which gives it an incomparable and unique ancient look.
While bronze has resolutely survived many millennia, Bell & Ross brings it into the modern age by combining it with grade 5 titanium, which gives the back of the case hypoallergenic properties and extreme lightness. This caseback also features a transparent sapphire crystal aperture revealing the main plates, jewels and gears of the BR-CAL.281 Calibre.
