Bell & Ross has introduced its latest limited-edition timepiece, the BR-05 Skeleton Phantom Ceramic, a watch designed to blend stealthy aesthetics with high-end horology. Limited to just 500 pieces, the blacked-out timepiece aims to offer a distinctive look inspired by aviation, contemporary art, and modernist design.
The BR-05 Skeleton Phantom Ceramic features a unique, fully skeletonized movement visible through a transparent dial, encased in a ceramic case and bracelet with refined finishes. The entire watch is presented in a “full black” finish, which the company describes as “dressed in light,” emphasizing the interplay of shadows and reflections.
This new addition expands the BR-05 line, an urban-inspired collection launched by Bell & Ross in 2019. The BR-05 series quickly became a cornerstone for the brand, known for its integrated design where the case and bracelet form a single unit, a style reminiscent of 1970s watchmaking.
Bruno Belamich, Creative Director at Bell & Ross, highlighted the watch’s integrated design in a statement announcing the launch. “The case and bracelet form a single unit,” he said. “This type of design refers to a style of watches that emerged in the 1970s. Translating it into the Bell & Ross aesthetic yields a result that is both intuitive, modern, and graphically impactful.”
The “Phantom” finish, an all-black aesthetic, has been a signature for Bell & Ross since the BR-01 Phantom in 2007. This design draws inspiration from military stealth aircraft and modern art movements, including artists like Pierre Soulages, Richard Serra, Mark Rothko, and Jackson Pollock. Bell & Ross, known for transforming cockpit instruments into wristwatches, integrates its passion for design and architecture into this piece.
The watch’s technical dial is entirely black, with its central plate crafted from black-tinted sapphire crystal. This transparency reveals the rhodium-plated skeleton movement, adding to the watch’s mysterious allure. The dial is framed by a matte black flange with applied indexes and skeletonized hour and minute hands, all filled with black Super-LumiNova that glows green in the dark, enhancing its technical appeal. A rhodium-plated seconds hand provides a subtle contrast. Despite the dark aesthetic, Bell & Ross asserts that the watch’s legibility, a hallmark of its instrument watches, remains as sharp as ever.
Skeletonization is central to the BR-05 Skeleton Phantom Ceramic. The BR-CAL.322-1 caliber, developed specifically for Bell & Ross, features refined and reshaped components, allowing the inner workings of the mechanism to be showcased. This automatic mechanical movement boasts a 54-hour power reserve and beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour (4Hz). Its performance is visible through both the dial and the sapphire case back, which reveals a custom-decorated black oscillating weight and finely openworked components.
The choice of black ceramic for the case is both aesthetic and technical, offering scratch and corrosion resistance as the material is harder than steel. Bell & Ross applied sophisticated polished and brushed finishes to the 41mm case, elevating its luxurious feel. The watch is water-resistant to 100 meters and is available with an all-ceramic bracelet or a black rubber strap with a folding clasp.
The BR-05 Skeleton Phantom Ceramic is priced at $13,100 and can be purchased through authorized Bell & Ross retailers and the watchmaker’s official website.
