Bell & Ross Instrument BR01-92 & 94 Carbon Fiber

The Swiss watchmaker has recently released a new addition to their Instrument family: the three-hander Bell & Ross Instrument BR 01-92 Carbon Fiber and a more complicated Bell & Ross Instrument BR 01-94 Carbon Fiber chronograph watch. As you have already gathered from the names, both watches have their bodies crafted from ultra-lightweight and corrosion resistant carbon fiber material.

In times when even passenger aircrafts are made almost entirely of carbon fiber (well, the fuel-efficient Boeing 787 Dreamliner has only performed its first flight less than a week ago and will possibly take a couple of more years before interested airlines around the globe will receive the first bunch of airliners, but the trend has been set) it is no wonder that watch manufacturers start to offer more or less affordable time measuring devices made of this lightweight and extremely durable material.

The new Bell & Ross Instrument BR01-92 & 94 Carbon Fiber watches have their cases, dials and even straps made of carbon fiber.

While Audemars Piguet last year presented the gorgeous Royal Oak Carbon Concept Tourbillon and Chronograph watch that was almost entirely crafted from this material (even some parts of the AP Calibre 2895 that powered the watch were made from carbon fiber,) Bell & Ross decided to limit the use of the material to their cases, dials and straps

Also, while Audemars Piguet featured parts machined from a single block of forged carbon fiber, the new piece from Bell & Ross showcases a different approach.

First, the BR01-92 &94 cases are actually a number of carbon-fiber sheets glued to each other in the same fashion as car tuners make their carbon bumpers, air diffusers and hoods.

The second thing is that, trying to make the new watches more affordable to the general public, Bell & Ross decided to put inside the hi-tech cases rather average ETA 2892 and 2894 automatic movements.

Anyway, it looks good, reads easily, will certainly be quite reliable and, at a limited production run of only 500 pieces, may well become a collector’s item.

Photos: Bell & Ross

Bell & Ross Instrument BR01-92 & 94 Carbon Fiber collection specification

Price range: N/A
Movement: ETA 2892 (BR 01-92) and 2894 (BR 01-94) automatic movement
Complications: Date (BR 01-92); Date and chronograph (BR 01-94)
Power reserve: 42 hours
Case material: Carbon-fiber
Case shape: Square
Case size: 46 mm
Case height: N/A
Dial: Black, carbon-fiber
Hands: Black
Water resistance: 100 meters
Strap: Carbon-fiber
Crystal: Sapphire, AR-coated