Inspired by Aviation: The Artline Range
Launched in 2022, the Artline range by Bell & Ross brings a robust design inspired by the Art Deco movement of the 1930s. The BR 05 urban collection embodies this aesthetic, blending industrial design with aerodynamic elements.
“This name indicates that it incorporates an artistic dimension (art) in its design (line). When you look at it, you immediately think of the American Streamline style,” explains Bruno Belamich, Creative Director and co-founder of Bell & Ross. The Streamline movement, emerging in the 1930s in the United States, harmoniously combines form, materials, and technical expertise. This movement, emphasizing functionalist aesthetics, marked the rise of designers who brought originality and aesthetics to industrial products. Pioneers like Raymond Loewy introduced avant-garde designs inspired by contemporary trains, aircraft, and automobiles.
With the Artline series, Bell & Ross pays homage to these visionary designers.
A Jewel of Strength: BR 05 Artline Steel & Gold
The gold and steel combination, celebrated in the 70s and 80s, brings a rare and precious elegance to timepieces by merging refinement with power. As contemporary watchmaking revisits this bold era, Bell & Ross reinterprets it with the BR 05 Artline Steel & Gold. This urban watch eschews nostalgia, opting instead for a modern blend of strength and sophistication.
“With the Artline, we aimed to offer a watch that is adorned and elegant at the same time. Decorating its large surfaces (case and central links) allowed us to reveal the potential of the BR 05 through the prism of refinement, the precious and jewellery,” says Bruno Belamich. The use of 18-carat rose gold alongside steel also makes this precious watch more accessible.
Aviation-Inspired Design
The BR 05 Artline Steel & Gold immediately captivates with its gold elements. The fluted bezel and central links of the integrated bracelet are reminiscent of modern architecture, providing a unique character. The fluted design, unusual in technical pieces, evokes the sturdy aluminium fuselages of 1940s cruise planes—a nod to Bell & Ross’s aviation heritage.
“Several references were swirling in my mind while creating this piece. The first of these was about air travel,” confirms Bruno Belamich. This watch integrates a valuable dimension into the Maison’s urban collection, combining refinement with underlying strength.
Distinctive Dial and High-Performance Movement
The dial of the BR 05 Artline Steel & Gold features baton indices coated with luminescent material, replacing the large numerals typical of Bell & Ross. For this limited series of 99 pieces, the seconds hand is crafted from gold to complement the sunlit brown dial, achieved through a specific manufacturing technique involving tinted brown varnish on the metal plate.
The watch is powered by the precise and high-performing Swiss self-winding movement, the BR-CAL.321-1 calibre, offering a 54-hour power reserve. The sapphire case back of the 40mm watch, waterproof up to 100 meters, reveals the intricate finishes and the full 360° oscillating weight.
A Statement of Contemporary Elegance
The BR 05 Artline Steel & Gold is rich in symbolism, blending architectural rigour, versatile urban style, modernist industrial aesthetics, and aeronautical inspirations. This new timepiece stands as a testament to contemporary elegance, merging multiple and complementary references into a cohesive design.
For more information, please visit BellRoss.com.