Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. Bell & Ross Blazes a Red and White Trail with the BR-05 Chrono Snow Rocket
This limited edition BR-05 Chrono pairs crisp white with bright red, adding ski-inspired hands and a few other changes that look neat on the dial.
Since its introduction in 2020, the Bell & Ross BR-05 Chrono has appeared in quite a few different guises. The Green Steel brought a bright green dial into the mix, as well as mechanical updates. Then there was the A523, created with the Alpine Formula One team, or the Patrouille de France edition. The new Bell & Ross BR-05 Chrono Snow Rocket has a sporting connection of its own, coming from the world of speed skiing. This new watch pairs a white dial with red details and comes with some changes that make it look different from its predecessors.
The watch pays tribute to French speed skier Simon Billy, who set a world record of 255.50km/h in 2023. Its red elements match the colour of his competition suit, while the white dial fits right in with the snowy setting of his sport. The red stands out against the white, with black details adding another layer to the dial. There is a small seconds at 9 o’clock and the 30-minute chronograph counter at 3. Its chronograph hand works with the inner tachymeter scale to measure speed. Despite the new colours and busy chronograph layout, the dial remains easy to read.
It comes with a few changes, starting with the numerals. Most BR-05 Chronos use Arabic numerals at 12 and 6 o’clock, with indexes for the remaining hours. Here, red italicised numerals show up on the dial. The red hour and minute hands are also new, taking their shape from elongated competition skis rather than the metal skeletonised hands of the regular models. Its date has also moved to 6 o’clock. Other BR-05 Chronos have the date between 4 and 5, and with the date now centred at the bottom, the layout feels more balanced, with the two counters flanking the dial’s centre.
The 42mm steel case is 14.25mm thick, has satin-finished and polished surfaces, a screw-down crown, and is water-resistant to 100 metres. Powering the BR-05 Chrono Snow Rocket is the automatic BR-CAL.326 chronograph movement, which is based on the Sellita SW510 that follows the Valjoux 7750 architecture – an update that was introduced with the Green Steel version, as earlier models relied on a modular ETA 2894-2. It runs at 28,800 vibrations/hour and delivers a 60-hour power reserve. Through the sapphire caseback, a red silhouette of a speed skier adds another small detail tied to Billy.
The BR-05 Chrono Snow Rocket is available on either a grooved red rubber strap for EUR 6,900 or a stainless-steel bracelet for EUR 7,400. While the bracelet gives the watch a more restrained look, the rubber option turns up the volume and makes the whole package feel sportier. Limited to 250 pieces, it is a colourful take on the BR-05 Chrono that makes good use of its sporting inspiration without relying on the usual racing colours. Only the price raises a few questions…
For more information, please visit bellross.com.
