For a brand that has always been very closely linked with the world of aviation we have recently seen a new partnership in Formula 1 for Bell & Ross and now you have presented your very own concept car. Is this a new direction for the brand?
The quest for competition and the mastery of time is the same thing, whether you are in the air or firmly on the ground. Formula 1 poses the same challenges as aviation. It’s all about aerodynamics, but in one case you are using it to keep an aeroplane in the air, in the other you are using it to help the Formula 1 car stick to the track. The engineers who work in Formula 1 often come from the world of aviation, and vice versa.
We expect a concept car to be presented by a car manufacturer at the Geneva Motor Show, but not by a watch brand at Baselworld. Why did you embark upon this project?
The AeroGT is not a car, it’s a plane-car. Our inspiration is the same, the only difference is that we are adapting the concept to earth rather than to the sky above. The car has all the traits of a plane, from the cockpit to the ailerons. So our central axis of aviation remains the same, but it’s nice to draw parallels. We have received numerous requests from the car industry and the automotive press because it is the first time that a watch brand has produced a concept car. We are also doing things a lot differently from car manufacturers, because we have greater liberty with our creative approach. And we are also doing it for our own pleasure.
How far could this concept go?
On paper the car can do 320 kilometres per hour and for two million euros we can build it. It’s as simple as that! At the outset I thought it wouldn’t be possible but I’ve had meetings here with people who are interested in the concept and have the money to buy it. But we are not about to start competing with Ferrari or anyone else…
What about the inspiration for the BR-X1 Hyperstellar, which comes from another dimension?
We are a creative brand and we have the advantage of not being linked to any particular universe. With the BR01 platform we have the possibility to do “reasonable” things at prices from 2,000 – 5,000 euros, while the X1 platform gives us the possibility to do “unreasonable” things. We did the sapphire version because we wanted to show off what was under the hood. We made five and have sold all but one, with three different clients fighting over the last one.
You presented a lot of new models at Baselworld this year. What’s next for Bell & Ross?
Our association with Renault F1 is new and there will of course be a watch to celebrate it. But rather than just associating a beautiful watch with a beautiful F1 car we are more interested in design. We are working on two products, the first of which will be unveiled at the Shanghai Grand Prix and will be directly associated with Renault, the second will be a more general Formula 1 themed watch. Later on this year we will turn our attention to the marine world, notably with a wristwatch interpretation of Harrison’s legendary marine chronometer.
