True to the Bell & Ross philosophy, the BR 01 RADAR watch is inspired by aircraft cockpits, where each instrument is a reference point in terms of legibility, reliability and performance. An aircraft’s radar allows easy, accurate and instantaneous reading of what is often a complex situation. Bell & Ross has borrowed the radar display and adapted it to the BR 01 RADAR watch, going beyond the concept of the traditional reading of the time.

An innovative display
What first stands out about the RADAR is the simplicity of its display, a departure from normal convention. It is reminiscent of the light beam that sweeps the circular screen of the radar.

•    The hands and the dial merge onto a single plane. In their place, three brightly coloured line segments are placed on three independent concentric disks. They indicate the hours, minutes and seconds as the eye moves towards the centre of the dial.

•    The glass of the dial resembles a target. Two graduated perpendicular axes are superimposed on the disks to indicate the time.

•    To read the watch, each differently coloured line segment refers to a unit of time: red indicates the hours, yellow the minutes and green the seconds. The dial and the casing are matte black, providing a simple contrast that increases the legibility of the watch.

Technological feats
The simplicity of the BR01 RADAR’s design masks the great complexity of its inner workings. The technological challenge posed by its design and production required the collaboration of the finest watch making engineers.

•    Since each disk weighs 30 times more than a watch hand, ultra-light disks needed to be created that maintained the watch’s power reserve and accuracy. Furthermore, each disk needed to be sufficiently resistant so as maintain its integrity and minimize friction. This dual challenge required the development of specific materials and new techniques.

•    During the rotation, an adjustment to the nearest micron ensures that the disks are constantly parallel. The accuracy of the assembly requires all the know-how and skill of the master watchmakers.

A unique watch

Combining the dial and hands on a single plane, the BR 01 RADAR offers watch enthusiasts a new perception of time by liberating them from the conventional manner of reading a watch. The elegant simplicity of the RADAR’s display hides a treasure chest of complexity, and its tri-coloured style never ceases to surprise – every minute of the day.

Technical specifications
Movement:
automatic mechanical ETA 2892. Disk-based display system.
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds. Case: 46 mm diameter. 316 L glass bead blasted stainless
steel with vacuum carbon black finish. Screw crown.
Dial-Index: 3 concentric black disks marked with 3 distinct colours: red indicates the hours, yellow the minutes and green the seconds
Glass: anti-reflective sapphire. Water resistance: 100 metres. Strap: Rubber

In stores: summer 2010

Photography by: Robert Watson

You already know about Charvet shirts, you’ve gone to the trouble of finding the right shoes to go with a tux, and you know better than to wear a ski jacket with a suit or to tuck a man bag under your arm. But unless you have three different watches—or more specifically, at least one watch from each of three different categories—you cannot be said to have yet mastered the art of the wardrobe. Allow us to make a few suggestions to set you on the path to full sartorial enlightenment, or at least get you to dinner on time.

$500 to $1,500

Looks good with: jeans, leather jackets

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Multi-function movements. In this category, most movements are quartz rather than mechanical, but that should not suggest any sort of technical compromise. Multi-function quartz movements are loaded with features, including world
timers, barometers, altimeters, compasses, and countdown functions, even solar-powered batteries.

Steel or titanium? Both are solid options. Steel is standard and non-
corrosive (preferable to a leather strap if you’re diving in salt water) but rubber works, too. Titanium, lighter and stronger than steel, is great for sports watches, but generally more expensive.

WHAT TO AVOID

Gold plating, unless it’s used strictly for trim. You won’t get a solid 18k gold watch in this category, only electroplated gold. Plus, full gold plating can look fake. Solid plastic and ceramic are better alternatives
to steel.

$1,500 to $5,000

Looks good with: suits, ties, overcoats

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Mechanical movements, usually with at least one complication (anything beyond hours, minutes and seconds) like the large date window on the
Bell & Ross Commando, the air speed measurement function on the Hamilton or the chronograph timers on the IWC and
Raymond Weil.

In this category, you should expect some kind of outstanding quality feature, such as luminescent-coated hands and markers (Longines, Bell & Ross, IWC), guilloched finishes (Hamilton), adjustable deployant buckles (Ebel), or some sort of special coating, like the carbon case of the Bell & Ross Commando.

WHAT TO AVOID

Trends. Don’t go for anything too wacky in this category, like striking colours or obscure case shapes. You want to demonstrate a sense of style, not reckless abandon. Leave the mauve lizard straps to the ladies and Mickey Rourke.

$12,000 to $15,000

Looks good with: anything

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Elite Swiss brands. The guys that invented watchmaking, and whose workshops routinely produce complications priced upwards of $200K, are also making high-quality watches at comparatively reasonable price points, which represents solid value and reliability. For example, Blancpain, whose average price is $20,000, makes a Grande Complication that sells for over $1 million, making the Fifty Fathoms a bargain at $14,300.

Unique bonus features, such as IWC’s iron shield for magnetic and shock resistance or Ebel’s micro-adjustable deployant buckle. A COSC accuracy rating is also common in this category.

WHAT TO AVOID

The Internet. It goes without saying that you should acquire one of these watches from an authorized dealer. Specialists at jewellery outlets are generally steeped in product knowledge and having a chat with a store’s watch expert is time well spent.