If you are a recruit in the special forces you require certain attributes. You must be strong physically and emotionally. You must be able to put your fitness and intellect to work under extreme conditions to make split second life-or-death decisions. You also need to have determination and courage in order to throw yourself into uncertain and dangerous situations. Once you got all the mental and physical requirements down, you can get equipped. The gear associated with the job is light, rugged, and at the cusp of technology making it extremely effective, expensive, and lets not forget cool. This is why the Bell & Ross limited edition BR-01 Commando Instruments are indispensable to any member of the special forces.

Although my thesis statement is slightly exaggerated, Bell & Ross do make all their watches to be fit for professional use. The strong influence that the military and aviation sectors have had on the B & R style, have produced several models dedicated to different special units or regimes. The BR-01 Commandos capture the stealth and performance of Special Forces troops.

The dial is the primary aspect of the BR-01 96 Phantom that distinguishes it from the other BR-01 Big Date models. The dark gray color, while not black, still offers the same sort of feel as the all-black Phantom dials. The numerals and hour markers consist of copious amounts of the black, photo-luminescent paint that Bell & Ross made famous. While low in contrast in lit conditions, the substance exudes a strong green glow in the dark. The same substance is applied carefully to the bold hour and minute hands. The speciality of the BR-01 96 series is the big date complication. As the name suggests, the date display is larger then usual. This is achieved by displaying the date using two discs instead of one and is suiting for an oversize watch with large hour markers and hands.

A new rubber strap was introduced by Bell & Ross concurrently with the Commandos. Its dark gray color matches that of the dial’s and completes the overall camouflage of the watch. The strap is wide and especially shaped to contour the lugs of the impressive 46mm square black stainless steel case. Blackening of the watch case is a military innovation that came about in order to eliminate any glint that could potentially give away the soldier’s position.

Although not an actual military instrument, the BR-01 96 Commando is up to the task. More importantly, it captures a style that we have all come to know well through movies like “Black Hawk Down,” “Mission Impossible,” and a hundred others.

The strength, light weight, and beauty of carbon fiber is the defining element in two new sports timepieces from Bell & Ross. The watches are part of the brand’s extremely popular Instrument BR collection, and showcase a three-counter automatic chronograph with date (BR 01-94), as well as a BR 01-92 model with a simple time display and sweep center seconds. Both BR 01 Carbon Fiber watches will be restricted to editions of just 500 pieces.

In creating the BR 01 Carbon Fiber watches, Bell & Ross looked to the constructive techniques used in the aeronautical industry. The 46mm cases are entirely produced from carbon fiber, as is the bezel with its distinctly angled edge profiles. Carbon fiber dials produce the visual effect of the case and dial being one piece, and carry on a Bell & Ross design priority of exceptional legibility at any time, and in any lighting condition. The semi-gloss finished strap is also crafted from woven carbon; it joins securely and comfortably to its wearer’s wrist via a broad blackened tang buckle featuring the Bell & Ross “BR” insignia. As with other Bell & Ross Instrument timepieces, the strap can be quickly and easily exchanged for a variety of other Bell & Ross strap options, which number such materials as calf leather, alligator, or canvas.

Rugged, reliable and time-proven automatic ETA movements animate both Bell & Ross BR 01 Carbon Fiber timepieces. The ETA 2894 variant ticking inside the BR 01-94 Carbon Fiber chronograph offers a rapidly adjustable date function, in addition to small seconds and a chronograph with 12-hour and 30-minute totalizers. The legendary ETA 2892 animates the BR 01-92 Carbon Fiber Automatic watch, and features a convenient hacking seconds function for precise synchronization to a time signal, or another watch. Both movements have balance frequencies of 28,800 vibrations per hour, and a power reserve of approximately 42 hours when the mainspring is at full tension.

In keeping with their sporty mission as instruments suitable for professional applications, the Bell & Ross BR 01 Instrument Carbon Fiber limited edition watches are constructed to be water resistant to 100 meters. Flat sapphire crystals feature an anti-reflective coating and optimize the viewers perspective of the dial from any angle.

The many perils confronted by military paratroopers, the US Airborne divisions in particular, have inspired a striking new timepiece from Bell & Ross. Limited to an edition of 500 examples in black carbon powder coated steel, the Bell & Ross BR 01 Airborne watch boldly employs the skull and cross bones in the design of its case and dial–a visually arresting homage to the sacrifices, and silently lethal capabilities, of these warriors from the sky.

During the second World War, imagery involving skulls became a good luck talisman for airborne divisions, who saw in them their ability to deal death to the enemy behind his own lines; it also represented the very real chance of dying the paratroopers themselves faced on every mission. Since that time, this powerful symbol has been widely brought into use on both aircraft and the uniforms of various elite units. A press statement from Bell & Ross says, “The BR 01 Airborne is an anthem to the extraordinary saga of military paratroopers. This new watch is a tribute to those brave young men who fought in one of the toughest army corps, particularly the US Airborne divisions.” The visual effect of the skull dial is most pronounced when the lights go out, and the luminous material gives the symbol and other-worldly glow.

As suits a timepiece intended for the most grave of missions, the Bell & Ross BR 01 Airborne watch presents the time only, with no supplemental functions or complications. Reliable performance is assured by the tried-and-tested ETA 2892 caliber, which features a smooth balance completing 28,800 vibrations per hour, bi-directional winding, and a 42 hour power reserve. The movement is securely protected beneath the solid steel caseback, which is part of the sturdy construction enabling the timepiece to resist water infiltration to 100 meters.

Each Bell & Ross BR 01 Airborne timepiece is completed by a rubber strap bearing the Bell & Ross logo, as well as an additional strap in synthetic canvas or calf leather that, in the manner of all Instrument BR models, can be readily switched out. The shaped crystal is manufactured from synthetic sapphire, an industry standard material which offers outstanding resistance to scratching.

For Swiss watch brand Bell & Ross, the Instrument BR collection of timepieces continues to be a canvas for fun, provocation, and thematic creativity. From Instrument BR watches with brilliantly colored luminous material, to the much-discussed BR 01 Airborne with its skull and crossbones dial, these timepieces never fail to provoke a response from watch fans.  One of the newest such creations to emerge from Bell & Ross is the BR-S Phantom.  Based upon the ceramic-cased BR-S watches which debuted at Baselworld 2008, these models present distinctive new black or white dials with monochrome luminous material, resulting in a distinctive and very stealthy appearance.

The Bell & Ross BR-S Phantom watches feature 39mm x 39mm cases manufactured from black or white ceramic.  Notable for its exceptional hardness and resistance to scratches, ceramic also has the benefit of being hypoallergenic–a definitive advantage for many wearers.  This inherent comfort is enhanced by wide straps in rubber, calf, hand-sewn alligator leather, or a ceramic material.  Despite the monotone aspect of the hands and hour markers against the dial, reading the time at night remains effortless, thanks to luminescent compounds which perform with exceptional brilliance after even the briefest exposure to a light source.

Although a clearly fashionable design priority reveals itself with these ceramic Instrument BR timepieces, Bell & Ross has not strayed from one of the essential cornerstones of its watchmaking philosophy: legibility.

All variations of the Bell & Ross BR-S Phantom watches are animated by a highly precise Swiss ETA quartz movement which draws its power from a battery.  Flat sapphire crystals with an anti-reflective treatment assure outstanding legibility of the Phantom dial at virtually any angle.