Carlos Rosillo, as well as long-time friend Bruno Belamich, set out to create their own line of functional watches rooted in aviation and military heritage (All photos: Bell & Ross)
It has been more than 30 years since Bruno Belamich and Carlos Rosillo, friends since they were 15, set out to create their own line of functional watches rooted in aviation and military heritage. Their crystal clear vision from the start and unwavering commitment are the reasons Bell & Ross has been able to carve a niche for itself in a saturated market.
On a recent visit to Kuala Lumpur, Rosillo, who is no stranger to the city, recalls the time when Bell & Ross first expanded into the country.
“We started in the early days when the watch market was probably not so sophisticated in Malaysia, but we had the right comprehension from the beginning. So, the brand has grown along with the market here.”
There are now seven Bell & Ross boutiques across the nation, the latest in The Exchange TRX.
“I think TRX is very interesting, modern and sophisticated. I visited and there’s good traffic so we’re very happy to be there among many other brands,” he says.
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Bell & Ross made its mark and strengthened its identity with the BR 01 in 2005. Inspired by the clocks in airplane cockpits, the circle-within-a-square look struck gold among collectors who had been on the lookout for something out of the ordinary.
“You can recognise a Bell & Ross at first glance,” Rosillo says matter-of-factly. “And this is important because there are a lot of beautiful products out there, but what catches your eye is always something different. I think we’re well-accepted here because Bell & Ross is very avant-garde and we show a lot of creativity. We have that element of surprise, but it is always in keeping with the philosophy of the brand.”
The watchmaker’s offerings are created in line with several guiding concepts. Over the years, the resulting collections have evolved linearly, both in breadth and depth as the company expanded its roots of creativity, innovation and technicality.
The brand’s Flight Instruments collection, which transposes the graphics of aircraft navigation instruments onto the wrist, is a good example.
“The BR 03 Gyrocompass displays the time in a very different way,” Rosillo says. A neon yellow fighter plane foregrounds its dial, which pays tribute to the mechanical design of the aeronautical gyrocompass. The plane acts as the hour hand while a white pointer tracks the minutes and a slim central seconds hand animates the dial with a large counterweight. “You don’t see that in any other watch,” Rosillo adds.
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The second concept is Lum, which represents a fundamental quality of Bell & Ross watches — legibility. Luminescent materials have been used since the 1930s to cover the indices and numerals on watches designed for professionals. Many brands utilise Super-LumiNova, which swiftly recharges through photoluminescence, ensuring the indicators are clear even in low light. But Bell & Ross, always a fan of experimentation, took things a step further with the BR-X5 Green Lum. The watch debuts LM3D, a new photoluminescent composite material made of quartz fibre. It is exclusive to the brand, so you will only see that in its tickers. The material is employed in the multilayered case, sandwiching the titanium body and emitting a spectacular vivid glow in the dark.
Speaking of new innovations, Rosillo believes there needs to be integrity in experimentation. “Behind every innovation is the brand’s philosophy. Is it done for the sake of conceiving a new product or does it actually relate to the real DNA?
“A brand is like a person. You wake up every day, but no day is the same. You want to stay faithful to who you are.”
The next concept is the Skull. While it is universally acknowledged as a symbol of death, Bell & Ross is employing it as a talisman. A common motif on military equipment, it references the courage of the combatant in the face of danger. As for pirates in the 18th century, the symbol was emblazoned to frighten the enemy and ward off misfortune. It is also often juxtaposed against vanity and serves as a reminder of the impermanence of pleasure. When the BR 01 Skull was released in 2009, the daring timepiece boldly challenged and disrupted established traditional watchmaking norms, exemplifying a commitment to push boundaries and the gumption to challenge the status quo.
The Cyber concept is similar. Futuristic and avant-garde, the collection’s timepieces take inspiration from the sharp-edged fuselages of stealth aircraft. The BR 03 Cyber Ceramic’s dial and main components are openworked, revealing a self-winding BR-CAL.383 movement. Despite its complexity, the watch maintains a graphic purity, demonstrating an expert balance of vaunt and restraint.
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“We have an iconic shape, present it in new materials and a reliable movement. When you combine all that, you get a good cocktail,” says Rosillo. “If there was only the design aspect, it’s good, but it’s only fashion. When you combine it with innovative materials and a sophisticated movement, you have something that stands out through form and function. Sometimes, in the watch industry, the competition is based only on technicity, precision and movement. But this is not enough. You need all the aspects to stand out.”
With Watches and Wonders 2024 around the corner, Rosillo is keen to return to the fair a second time. As a relative newcomer, his goal is to get Bell & Ross to be part of the club of manufacturers there.
“There will be more spectacular innovations with, of course, that Bell & Ross consistency,” he says, evading the bid for hints.
“Black is back,” he divulges in the end. “And that’s all I’m going to say.”
This article first appeared on Mar 18, 2024 in The Edge Malaysia.
