Limited to 250 pieces, this timepiece is the latest addition to the Bell & Ross watches inspired by cigar (All photos: Bell & Ross)
Bell & Ross, in partnership with Cortina Watch, hosted a sunset celebration to launch its newest timepiece: the BR 05 Chrono Edición Limitada. Held at Coppersmith @ Troika Sky Dining, with a dazzling view of Kuala Lumpur city amid bustling traffic, the event’s dress code was Havana Chic to perfectly match the vibrant vibe of the evening. As this year marks the 50th anniversary of the inception of Cortina Watch, the night was truly special as both brands went all out.
Naturally, brown and gold were the go-to shades for the event, from the watches themselves to the décor and accents. With Latin-French electro groove filling the air, courtesy of DJ Shawn Zod, there was a charge of electric energy in the space. Trays of cocktails and easy bites were whisked in on trays, completing the party atmosphere. From watch displays to a rack of sartorial creations — curated by stylist Andrea Wong, who is best known for her work on blockbuster hit Crazy Rich Asians — the environment matched the suave sophistication of the BR 05 Chrono Edición Limitada.
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Limited to 250 pieces, this timepiece is the latest addition to the Bell & Ross watches inspired by cigars. Previous models include the 2006 sporty chronograph BR Vintage 126 XL Edición Limitada and the 2015 WW1 Edición Limitada, which takes design cues from the first wrist watches. While the newest member of this range also sports the classic gold and brown shades, it also features steel, creating a fresh and modern design, a step away from the vintage aesthetics.
Powered by the automatic BR-CAL.301 calibre, the BR 05 Chrono Edición Limitada includes a small seconds display at 3 o’clock, a date window, a 30-minute counter at 9 o’clock, and central chronograph seconds. If the 42mm timepiece were a cigar, it would be akin to the Robusto Maduro, a popular thick and short cigar that sports a square tip, much like the square satin-finished and polished steel and 18-carat rose gold case of this watch.
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Even the colours of the cigar (brown, pink and deep red), alongside the dark brown wrapper finished with a red and gold ring, are emphasised in this piece. The deep brown dial features gold-plated applique numerals and indices, as well as brown subdials with rose gold markings. To stand out from the darker elements of the watch, the hour and minute hands are skeletonised metal filled with Super-LumiNova. To celebrate the roots of Cuban cigars, Edición Limitada is inscribed on the dial in red, a colour also used for the stopwatch hand.
The BR 05 Chrono Edición Limitada is complete with a sporty brown rubber strap or a 4N rose gold and steel bracelet that matches the case. This exclusive piece comes in an elegant varnished ebony and cedar wood case, designed such that it may be used as a watch case or authentic cigar box. It is adorned with the Bell & Ross logo on the lid in gilded steel and 5N gold.
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In a corner of the event space and encapsulating the theme of the evening was a table with copper cocktail equipment, thoughtful cocktails and Robusto Maduro cigars for guests to enjoy. Being the inspiration behind the new timepiece, the cigars were arranged in the thoughtfully designed Bell & Ross cigar box.
As the BR 05 Chrono Edición Limitada is meant for the stylish dandy and urban epicurean, it made sense that the evening went on to honour all things gold. With more music, food, drinks and, of course, cigars, the party drummed on to celebrate Cortina Watch and Bell & Ross.
This article first appeared on May 30, 2022 in The Edge Malaysia.
