Skip to main content

Bell & Ross BR 01 Instrument de Marine Ref. BR01-CM-203: Review with Singapore And Malaysia Prices

The latest Instrument de Marine timepieces cruise into new territory by combining tradition with modernity.

 
Based on round marine clocks which were housed in a square wooden box and fitted to ships in the 17th century, the new marine collection from Bell & Ross reinterprets the ship’s clock as wristwatches in the Instrument de Marine collection, which includes a skeleton chronograph and tourbillon chronograph.

Like the brand’s iconic BR 01, the BR 01 Instrument de Marine is housed in a square case with a round dial. But instead of the collection's airplane instrument panel-inspired signature large-format Arabic numerals against a sporty backdrop, the BR 01 Instrument de Marine features elegant Roman numbers on a white lacquer dial with a small seconds counter at six o’clock. The look is finished with blued steel hands—a nod to the refined watchmaking aesthetics of the 17th century.

In a further move to reference the past, the timepiece is fitted with a bronze case, bezel and winding crown, and finished with a band of rosewood encircling the case. A hand-wound movement, as befits the same era, drives the watch with a power reserve of 56 hours.

At first glance, the antiquated dial seems a little incongruous with the modern machismo that the BR 01 range has come to be identified with. But once you embrace that, it actually comes across rather refined and is a refreshing option in a stable of dive and aviation watches emblazoned with large numbers for legibility in more extreme circumstances. This watch will take you on that seafaring trip with a decidedly more genteel vibe and is perfect for the dapper dude who wants a “proper” timepiece with a hint of sportiness.

 Case

46mm, precious wood, titanium and bronze

 Dial

White lacquer with Roman numerals and blued hands

 Movement

Manual-winding Calibre BR-CAL.203

 Strap

Brown alligator

 Functions

Hours, minutes, small seconds

 Power reserve

56 hours

 Prices

S$13,000, RM36,800


Ex Managing Editor

Like most people these days, Melissa tells the time with her phone. She considers serious timepieces works of art and thinks the perpetual calendar is the handiest complication to date (pun not intended). She's also a Grammar Nazi but promises not to judge if you can't tell the difference between "guilloche" and "guillotine".


End of content

No more pages to load