The Bell & Ross BR 05 Horolum

French brand Bell & Ross has made a name for themselves with the circle-in-a-square design of the iconic BR 01 and BR 03 collection. With a clear and present connection to the world of aviation and flight instruments, these robust square-cased watches are instantly recognizable. The concept was revamped into the sporty-chic BR 05 collection, which saw the light of day in late 2019. Ever since, Bell & Ross has been expanding the BR 05 collection regularly, with added complications or new aesthetics. With the Bell & Ross BR 05 Horolum, it moves closer to the more tool-like BR 01 and BR 03 collections than ever before.

The Horolum concept was first introduced by Bell & Ross in 2017, with the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Horolum. This monochromatic interpretation of the BR 03-92 featured a micro-blasted steel case with a dial closely matched in terms of finishing. A year later we saw the introduction of the BR 03-94 Horolum, a chronograph version following the same aesthetics. Both watches had a sandwich construction dial, with the lower layer being generously coated with C5 Super-LumiNova.

The BR 05 Horolum follows suit with the previous Horolum models, as it is again given a micro-blasted finish for the case and bracelet, with a dial closely matching in colour and texture. Still measuring 40mm in diameter, the steel case has a softer, more urban-oriented design whilst retaining the essential Bell & Ross DNA. The basic shape is still squared, but in the BR 05, it’s softer, more rounded. It also has a circular dial opening and a functional screw on each corner. The new micro-blasted treatment gives it a far more tool-ish look, however, and it’s quite appealing, to be honest.

The dial for the BR 05 Horolum of course features ample amounts of luminescent material. The hour indices are again coated with the very intense C5 Super-LumiNova, emitting a bright green glow at night. The indices are partly recessed into the sloped outer flange, something we’ve seen on the BR 05 Skeleton models, but not on full-dialled ones to this day. In essence, it combines elements of the BR 03-92 Horolum with the BR 05 Skeleton Nightlum. The hour and minute hands are also filled with C5 Super-LumiNova. The green-coated seconds-hand does not glow in the dark, a missed opportunity if you ask me.

Movement-wise, there’s no surprise as Bell & Ross once again opt for the Calibre BR-CAL.321. This is based on the Sellita SW300-1, which is a slimmer version of the SW200-1 (by 1mm) and used in the BR 05 Steel & Gold and the BR 05 Skeleton Blue for instance. The automatic movement runs at a frequency of 28,800vph (4Hz) and has a 42-hour power reserve. It is wound by a full, skeletonized winding rotor, designed to mimic the wheel of a sports car. This can be seen through the sapphire crystal caseback.

The Bell & Ross BR 05 Horolum comes on an integrated stainless steel bracelet with the same micro-blasted finishing as the case, or alternatively on a black rubber strap. Both options are equipped with a folding buckle. Presented as a Boutique-only model, it is limited to 250 pieces and priced at EUR 4,500 on rubber or EUR 4,990 on the steel bracelet. Next to being available through the 15 Bell & Ross Boutiques worldwide, it is also available on the brand’s eCommerce platform.

For more details and orders, please visit www.bellross.com.