Here today, gone tomorrow. This sentiment is central to the philosophy of memento mori, which embraces death rather than fears it. It was a concept that was heavily explored throughout art history, from 16th-century still-life paintings to Baroque tomb sculptures. It eventually made its way into timepieces as watches became more popular. Skull cases, which open to reveal a watch, were especially popular in the 17th century. Bell & Ross takes this concept forward in the Cyber Skull Bronze watch.
Bell & Ross revived the Skull trend in watchmaking in 2009 with the release of the first watch in its Skull collection, the BR 01 Skull. Ten years later, the new Cyber Skull confirms Bell & Ross’s prominent position within contemporary watch design. The plan was to design a Cyber case that resembled a stealth aircraft. It was first available in matte black ceramic, then in this new BR 01 Cyber Skull Bronze.
Now, Bell & Ross has introduced the Cyber Skull Bronze, the latest addition to the series. The iconic Cyber Skull, this time in bronze, assumes the form of an ultra-modern faceted style of this avant-garde model that projects this family into the future
Introducing Bell & Ross BR01 Cyber Skull Bronze
A significant evolution sees the position of the four screws relocated into the structure of the movement inside the case, combining high-tech materials such as ceramic and sapphire crystal with avant-garde design. They now serve as a framing element for the dial and movement elements. The watch’s face, the skull, has also changed, now with far more facets in keeping with the Cyber theme. It is almost entirely covered in rose gold and reveals the balance at 12 o’clock and the barrel at 6 o’clock.
The Skull family is the first Bell & Ross watch to feature an automaton animation. These components are based on mechanisms that first appeared in Europe in the 14th century. Bell & Ross created the BR-CAL.210 calibre, which uses manual winding to activate the automaton. Turning the crown causes the jaw of the skull to sneer and laugh in the face of death.
Meet the new BR05 Skeleton Golden
When it launched in 2019, the Bell & Ross BR 05 collection was without a doubt the brand’s most significant release since the introduction of the iconic BR 01 – the watch that defined the brand’s DNA. This watch, an updated circle within a square with an integrated strap and case, signaled the brand’s entry into the competitive world of sports luxury watches. Since its debut, the Skeleton collection, which is part of this family, has been a huge success. With its fascinating watch mechanism and details revealed by the open dial.
The first all-steel Skeleton was released in 2019, and it was followed by several variations: the Skeleton Blue in 2020, the NightLum in 2021, and the Skeleton Green in 2022. The dial of the Bell & Ross BR 05 Skeleton has been updated with a golden hue. This new Golden version is urban and stylish. The skeletonised version of the sporty-chic BR 05 collection sets the bar and introduces a new colourful, refined, and precious tone to the collection. A work of art not only in the world of watchmaking, but also in the world of design.
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While gold has previously been used in this reference, it was in a solid gold model with a gold-tinted dial and movement. The design is a little different here. For starters, the gold contrasts with the cold steel case. Only the flange, hands, and markers are gold-plated. The movement is still rhodium-plated underneath, but the sapphire dial is tinted in a translucent gold colour. The rest of the BR 05 Skeleton remains unchanged from previous editions.
The case of the BR 05 Skeleton is the same as that of the classic time-and-date version of this rather unique luxury sports watch, which means a rounded square case with a multi-step design and a raised bezel with the brand’s four signature screws. The case is brushed on most surfaces and has nicely executed polished bevels for a dynamic look.
BR01 Cyber Skull Bronze Price & Specs
Case 45 mm Satin-finished and polished CuSn8 bronze with 50 metres water resistance
Movement Manual winding BR-CAL.210 with
Price HKD 97,646
500 piece limited edition
BR05 Skeleton Golden Price & Specs
Case 40mm stainless steel with 100 metres water resistance
Movement Automatic calibre BR-CAL.322 with 40 hour power reserve
Price HKD 55,547 to HKD 60,225
500 piece limited edition
