4 days ago
Co-founder of Bell & Ross Carlos Rosillo on the brand reaching the 20-year milestone with its iconic luxury square watch
Photo 1 of 3 Bell & Ross BR-03 Skeleton Black Ceramic
Photo 2 of 3 Bell & Ross BR-03 Skeleton Grey Steel
Photo 3 of 3 Bell & Ross BR-03 Skeleton Lum Ceramic
The BR-03 Skeleton Black Ceramic comes in a full ceramic case with baignoire-style indexes and numerals, as well as skeletonised hands. These indicators are coated in Super-Luminova that glows a surreal green in low-light conditions.
The BR-03 Skeleton Grey Steel features polished and satin-finished surfaces with faceted indexes for a striking Brutalist-inspired sculptural look. Described as the more luxurious version of the skeleton series, it is limited to 250 pieces.
If the Grey Steel is luxury, the BR-03 Skeleton Lum Ceramic is sci-fi sleek, also limited to 250 pieces. The black ceramic is paired with a black dial highlighted with neon-like luminescent SLN C3 and placed on a translucent smoked plate for a tinted effect. The green outline illuminates the outline of the cutouts, evoking the appearance of a glowing car grille.
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Above After 20 years, Carlos Rosillo is still surprised that the Bell & Ross 'circle within a square' case shape has become so iconic
We caught up with Carlos Rosillo, co-founder and CEO of Bell & Ross, on arriving at this significant milestone.
Congratulations on 20 years. Did you imagine the brand would grow to this point when you started?
The last 20 years for Bell & Ross have been bold in terms of creation, taking risks and innovating. I didn't expect the square watch would become so popular. It was a watch from the cockpit (instrument)—a watch that made a statement. And today, it is an icon.
Take us back to the beginning. How insane was it to launch a luxury sport watch in a square shape?
It was absolutely insane! But I asked, how could we differentiate ourselves in the competitive market? What would make us different? We were—and still are—influenced by the airplane, by its cockpit. So Bruno (Belamich, co-founder and creative director) took up the challenge to design a watch that corresponded to the cockpit instrument. It was simple, straightforward, no superfluous details. And since then, he was able to regenerate, innovate and come up with something that always surprises every year. Just look at the new BR-03 Astro—timekeeping is indicated with the help of a satellite. It's weird but you could tell it's a Bell & Ross by its case shape.
Above The BR-03 Astro features an astronomical display of the Earth, Sun, and Moon on the dial
How does Bell & Ross keep this spirit of boldness?
Bold, to us, is the ability to be creative without fear. It's having the capacity to be different and defy expectations.
I'd go as far as to say that the Bell & Ross square shape is a classic. Why do you think it has endured?
Probably because it's a very simple design. It's a combination of two strong shapes—the square and the circle.
Do you often have conversations with Bruno about design?
Bruno is a talented designer—he knows how to be consistent but also always be surprising. We have a product meeting every week where we discuss how to innovate by combining different aspects such as design, engineering, manufacturing, and professional use.
What is your favourite moment from the last 20 years?
It's a difficult question to answer because I've had many important moments. I remember the first reaction [to our square watch] from a Japanese collector who told us we had made a big creative jump. There have been many more memorable moments after that, but I will never ever forget that first reaction because it was a big surprise.
