Looking at buying a new watch, and really like these..
Anyone own one?
What are your views on it..
Just wanting something a bit, er, different for a new watch.

I’ve got one. Really like it, never had any problems with it. I’m a sucker for square watches anyway.

The square ones do have a fairly unique signature, quite easy to spot in the crowd of plain ‘ol round cases.

Sure someone will chip in that they’re overpriced for the movement inside etc. though. Though the argument anything over 20 quid is probably overpriced stands with that one.

I’d get another one.

So Bell & Ross are a young company with a weird history.

They started off by rebranding Sinn watches. Literally just putting their logo on their watches.

They now have their own designs, but use very standard off-the-shelf ETA movements. This is both good and bad.

Good: Easily and cheaply serviceable. The movements are incredibly reliable, workhorse movements
Bad: The movements are inexpensive, and shared by a lot of cheaper watches.

They’re a young company, and all the “aviation heritage” stuff is completely fabricated marketing fluff. It’s up to you if that bothers you.

The “watch communities” biggest gripe is that they are relatively expensive for a watch with no/fabricated history and an off-the-shelf ETA movement.

For what it’s worth, my personal opinion is that they are cool watches that feel well put together – my friend has one and I’ve tried on a number. I’m a great fan of their “Vintage” line (that chronograph is sexy) – but I think they are very very expensive for what you get inside.

That chronograph for example, is £3600!!! You could get a new Omega Speedmaster with a fair bit of change and have a watch with a completely in-house movement with all the fantastic history and prestige a Speedmaster comes with.

They’re lovely watches in the metal, but need to be a touch cheaper for me to spend my money.

But the one thing they do have is a very unique aesthetic (with the square ones) – and if thats what you want, there’s only one place to get that….

I’d happily wear many of the Vintage line ones, I think they all look great. But I’d struggle to pay that when I could get something like this for a couple of quid more.

I had a BRS for a bit. Loved it, wish I still had it actually. The rubber strap is great.

The square ones wear very large, so think hard if you want one with a 39mm, 42nmm or 44mm face.

I like them purely because they’re a little different, but for the reasons above, I’d never buy one at retail price.

You’re not going to go wrong with regards to reliability, again for the reasons above – if it does go wrong you probably don’t need to send it back to the OEM for work as most local watch repairers have easy access to the parts.

Yeah, I’d agree with Finbar, I can’t imagine anyone shy of Popeye who could carry off the 46mm versions.

They’re lovely watches in the metal, but need to be a touch cheaper for me to spend my money.

But the one thing they do have is a very unique aesthetic (with the square ones) – and if thats what you want, there’s only one place to get that….

I think that sums them up nicely.

You could get a new Omega Speedmaster with a fair bit of change and have a watch with a completely in-house movement with all the fantastic history and prestige a Speedmaster comes with.

although it doesn’t have that history with that movement in !

although it doesn’t have that history with that movement in !

I’d disagree, the 1861 has still been to space! And has been used in the Pro for 30 odd years.

It’s not strictly in-house though, as I said above. It’s a Breguet movement, but only used by the Speedmaster.

I’d disagree, the 1861 has still been to space! And has been used in the Pro for 30 odd years.

but has the co-axial movement been to space ?

but has the co-axial movement been to space ?

Probably not, but who cares about a non-professional Speedy 😉

EDIT: in my post above I was referring to the Speedmaster Professional, not the newer “Speedmaster” with the co-axial movement.

Plyphon is quite correct, but then the “issue” of brands using off the shelf ETA movements and charging top dollar isn’t new. For some people, they prefer in-house movements; others want a watch they like the style of and enjoy wearing without worrying about movement types.

Neither of those positions is wrong.

As for heritage – I’m on the bench, so I wouldn’t let a lack of it that stop me from buying something.

The real challenge is finding one you like and then getting it for a good price..!

A contractor at my last place who was the MD of a fairly large Motorsport company specialising in Crabon Fiber had a large square watch that I think was a Bell and Ross.

One of the hands fell off, so he sent it back under warranty.
They returned it and said nope, they’d found a mark on the case that indicated it had had some kind of impact so wasn’t covered by the warranty. I think they were asking for around £2k to repair.

Using a 10x loupe at work you could just about see the slightest mark that we think was this so called ‘impact’.

Last I heard he’d got his solicitors involved.

I have a round Bell and Ross (one of the cheaper ones) and wear it quite a lot. Seems nicely put together and is very comfortable.

As for heritage – I’m on the bench, so I wouldn’t let a lack of it that stop me from buying something.

Crap anecdote time. A few years ago I had dealings with a guy who was a watch dealer and at the time was the sole agent for some watch company that was flavour of the month with professional footballers and the like,iirc they were big multi dial jobs that cost tens of thousands. Strangely when we turned over his safe deposit box he didn’t have any of them in it only rolexes and patek phillipes so based on his view point I’d go for something with some heritage.

I had one a few years ago. I really liked it until it stopped working and the crown fell out.

These things happen but B&R were such a complete bunch of knobbers to deal with I got my money back after a long light.

In conclusion. I like the look but wouldn’t have another , even as a gift .

Just lurking the thread and ended up on one of the links…

For tha mad lolz I checked out the watches priced high to low. At the top of the steaming pile is this @ 175k. Now call me conservative but wtf? It looks like a plumber’s dropped his tools down the shitter and then thrown up on them. Is it me?

<sortofstealthad>
You can buy my Ikepod Megapode – like this but a slightly different colourway:

I love their aesthetic, a bit different but it’s just been sat in the winder for goodness knows how long..</sortofstealthad>

Oh – and more specifically to the B&R q – the two people I know who had them, they both had issues with reliability. One now wears a Rolex, the other a Chopard racing thing

That ikea watch. Needs more numbers.

Handsome square case chronograph with Valjoux 7750 movement for 1/4 price of a B&R

I’ve got a B&R 123 GMT as my ‘second watch’ on a rubber strap.
I love it; reminds me of the GMT Explorer II but nicer looking. Keeps great time.

Sadly for sale due to change in personal circumstances. 😡

That ikea watch. Needs more numbers.

Its not a quiet face that’s for sure – it’s a rotating slide-rule bezel – handy for those times you want to convert km to miles 🙂

…And that makes them good for visualizing that a logarithmic scale conceptually have no beginning or end. Apparently.

Bell and Ross are far from the only ones charging a lot of money for watches with ETA movements. Plenty are well regarded too; Breitling, Tudor (using more in house now) and Sinn being three. I do agree that B&R are overpriced though, I can’t imagine choosing one over a watch from any of those brands.

Its not a quiet face that’s for sure – it’s a rotating slide-rule bezel – handy for those times you want to convert km to miles

It’s nice. The more I look at it, the more I like it. Which is bizarre as I’m usually quite the minimalist. But then, I suppose it is minimalist… it just does lots of things. It reminds me of a watch that a diver would wear in an early bond film.

Cheers all, lots to think about..
It is one of the Square ones I’m thinking of- a BR 03 Automatic Chronograph.
I’m not skinny wrisred, so should be able to wear the 42mm I reckon..
Still, gonna head into the Manchester shop, and see what gives..

Oh, and The Flying Ox?
Yup.. that looks pretty nice, it’s gotta be said.. 😀

That Steinhart is interesting, my 1969 Yema Rallygraf uses a Valjoux movement with three complications, cost me £480 to get a broken mainspring fixed and the movement serviced, but genuine original ones are going for upwards of €1000 now, I saw an ad for a blatant frankenwatch for around €1100!
The case was original, not sure about the movement, the case back was wrong, as was the winder and supplementary buttons, the tacho ring on the bezel was laser-printed, not anodised, and the face looked like a reproduction.
Apart from that, it was fine…
Rather than a B&R, I think I’d rather spend that sort of money on a Tudor, or a Seiko ‘Tuna’ with the Grand Seiko movement, which is built to chronometer standards.

I’m a big fan of Tudor, I think my next watch and first dive watch will be a black bay steel. Great value for money considering the Rolex tech they inherit.

I see David Beckham is the new face of Tudor. That rules them out for me!

And Lady Gaga – I know, sad times. I too was slightly put off.

B&R are nice watches, but… are expensive for what they are, as many have already said.

Have you looked at their Space collection from a few years ago? These were all Sinn-made but had some nice, unusual touches which set them apart IMO (not square cases though). You can pick one up on Chrono24 for under the £2000 mark. There are a few different models to choose from too.

My current obsession is to find something interesting from 1980 (a watch I mean, not just generally).

Thanks again all..
Still thinking of getting a BR 03, just need to go and try and find a local stockist. 😉

I like the br03 it’s a nice watch but it is expensive for what it is and that is reflected in the sell on value. You could buy something else of similar value and lose less, but if you like the br03 then you have to decide if you’re buying a watch to wear or an investment. I’ve worn one and it doesn’t feel like a 2k watch imo.

They share a bit of a brand image with Bremont who again are expensive for what is inside them but both do sell and both make really nice watches.

There are a few other square/cushion divers out there – take a look at Magrette watches, they are keenly priced but you can’t try one in the UK. I’m quite tempted to have a go at one, but it’s a punt.

Oh and pedant mode slightly, but there isn’t a Breguet movement inside a speedmaster professional. Breguet bought lemania, and the manual wind in the current watch is a cal 1861 which is based on a lemania movement. The original 321 had a Breguet overcoil but it was dropped from the 861/1861. It’s only a name, but they’re all owned by Swatch anyway… along with ETA.

All 3 have been to space though and for me it is one of the most iconic and historically significant watches you can buy today, just stick with the proper hand would plexiglass version.

Just had another look at Magrette and you can get this for under £500, titanium case, 44mm, Swiss made copy of the eta 2824 workhorse movement, brilliant value I think.

just stick with the proper hand would plexiglass version

I’m very happy with my hand-wound moonphase – there’s no other watch I lust after so it does its job.

nickdavies – Member
Just had another look at Magrette and you can get this for under £500, titanium case, 44mm, Swiss made copy of the eta 2824 workhorse movement, brilliant value I think.

Damn you nickdavies, I’ve just put my initial $200 payment down for one!