Each year French watchmaker Bell & Ross offers its fans a special treat. It drops at least one new watch to celebrate its partnership with the Alpine F1 Team. This year is particularly notable as, for the first time, Bell and Ross has kitted out a watch from the BR 05 collection in the Alpine colours. This latest release has all the hallmarks of a classic Bell & Ross watch but is also infused with Alpine team DNA. The BR 05 Chrono is a great watch to complete the brand’s Alpine collection and can already be seen on the wrists of the team’s drivers, Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon.
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Motorsports enthusiasts will know that the Alpine F1 Team is the renamed Renault F1 Team and it has a long and successful relationship with France’s famed watchmaker. The collaboration has produced some handsome watches with 2022’s limited edition models named after last year’s A522 car. This year it’s a new watch and a new car – the stunning Alpine 523. It boasts 950 horsepower and a top speed of 355 km/h and is the ideal inspiration for an ambitious watch.
Previous Bell & Ross x Alpine F1 watches have featured yellow as the accent colour, but this year blue—France’s national colour and the colour of the A523 car—is the tone of choice.
The BR 05 Chrono is a chunky piece and has a 42mm case forged from stainless steel. The style is instantly recognisable and features Bell and Ross’s signature squared circle case. This distinctive case includes a prominent bezel with exposed screws – a style also favoured by Audemars Piguet.
The almost-square case is contrasted with a round sapphire crystal and there’s a splendid mix of polished and satin finishes to add even more character. The case is finished off with squared pushers and angular crown guards.
The black dial is finely graduated and includes two horizontal chronograph sub-dials. There are also blue accents, a subtle French flag and a counterweight on the second hand shaped like the Alpine logo. It all gives the watch a contemporary and urban feel while still ticking the boxes of a racing chronograph.
This latest addition to the Alpine series is powered by Bell & Ross’ BR-CAL.326 automatic movement which is visible through the exhibition back. It’s also equipped with 100M of water resistance and comes with the choice of a satin-polished bracelet or a calfskin leather strap. It’s limited to 500 hand-assembled pieces.
Bell & Ross BR 05 Chrono A523
Reference: BR05C-A523-ST/SST & BR05C-A523-ST/SCA
Diameter: 42mm
Height: 14.25mm
Case: Stainless Steel
Movement: Calibre BR-CAL.326
Strap: Stainless Steel or Black/Blue Leather
