Bell & Ross is best known for making watches that look like they belong in a fighter jet cockpit. Diamonds? Not so much. But every now and then, the French watchmaker reminds us that aviation and jewelry are not mutually exclusive.
Meet the Bell & Ross BR-05 36 mm Blue Diamond Eagle Diamonds. Yes, that is a mouthful. Thankfully, the watch itself is much easier on the eyes.
At first glance, it looks like a particularly sparkly BR-05. Look closer, and you will discover that Bell & Ross has turned the night sky into a dial. The deep blue face is crafted from aventurine glass, a material filled with shimmering inclusions that resemble a star-filled sky. Scattered across this celestial backdrop are diamonds arranged to recreate the Aquila constellation, also known as the Eagle constellation.
The choice is not random. Aquila has long been associated with flight, freedom, and soaring through the skies, making it a rather fitting tribute to Bell & Ross’s aviation roots. The brightest star in the constellation, Altair, is represented by the largest diamond positioned between 10 and 11 o’clock.
As if a diamond constellation was not enough, Bell & Ross went ahead and framed the dial with a bezel set with 108 diamonds. Add in the twelve diamond hour markers, and you have a watch that sparkles harder than a clear summer night.
Underneath all that jewelry is still a proper BR-05. The 36 mm stainless steel case houses the automatic BR-CAL.329 movement with a 54-hour power reserve and 100 meters (328 feet) of water resistance. The caseback even carries a laser engraving of the Aquila constellation, just in case anyone misses the point.
The Bell & Ross BR-05 36 mm Blue Diamond Eagle Diamonds is available now for US$6,600. There’s also a model with a diamond-less bezel, simply called Blue Diamond Eagle, going for US$5,000 if you prefer a little less bling.
Images: Bell & Ross.
