Renault’s F1 team and Bell & Ross have been ongoing partners since 2016, and since then have released five distinct collections on an annual basis dubbed the R.S. series (R.S. stands for Renault Sport, the carmaker’s motorsport, performance and special vehicles division).
This 4- year partnership continues for the 2020 race season with a collection that has been lightly tweaked to follow the dynamic design of the 2020 Renault F1 race car. It starts with the BR-X1 Tourbillon R.S.20, which features a 45mm titanium and ceramic case, a bi-directional PVD bezel ring with time marker, a skeletonized dial, and a hand-wound flying tourbillon movement with a 100-hour power reserve. This watch only has 20 pieces ready for customers willing to pay the USD194,000 price tag.
Bell & Ross BR-X1 R.S.20
Movement:
- calibre BR-CAL.313.
- Automatic mechanical.
- ‘X’-shaped upper bridge.
- 56 jewels,
- 28,800 vph.
- Skeleton chronograph.
Functions:
- hours, minutes, small seconds at 3 o’clock.
- Skeletonised date at 6 o’clock.
- Chronograph: 30-minute counter at 9 o’clock, central seconds.
- Tachymeter scale on the flange.
Case:
- 45 mm in width.
- Satin-polished titanium and ceramic with rubber inserts.
- Bi-directional rotating PVD bezel ring with time marker.
- Rocker push-buttons.
- Case-back with an opening in tinted sapphire crystal, centred on the balance wheel.
Dial:
- skeleton.
- Applique Super-LumiNova®-filled numerals.
- Metal skeletonized Super-LumiNova®-filled hour and minute hands.
Crystal:
- sapphire with anti-reflective coating.
Water-resistance:
- 100 metres.
Strap:
- perforated black rubber.
Buckle:
- pin.
- Steel with black rubber over-moulding.
Then there is the BR-X1 R.S.20 which is a skeletonized chronograph built with an experimental ethos. Housed in a 45 mm case made of PVD-coated titanium, ceramic and rubber which is the same materials used in the F1 race car from Renault. This precision time telling machine features an open-worked dial, a PVD-coated steel ring around the bezel and pushers that evoke the paddle shifters on an F1 car. The selling price for this exquisite watch is just USD21,500 and only 250 pieces will be made available worldwide.
Bell & Ross BR-X1 Tourbillon R.S.20
Movement:
- calibre BR-CAL.283.
- Hand-wound flying tourbillon.
- Mono-pusher column wheel chronograph.
- 282 components,
- 35 jewels,
- 21,600 vph.
- 4-day power reserve.
Functions:
- hours and minutes.
- Chronograph: instant jump 30-minute counter at 11 o’clock, 60-second counter at 1 o’clock.
- Power reserve indicator at 9 o’clock.
- Flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock.
Case:
- 45 mm in width.
- Satin-polished titanium and matt ceramic with rubber insert.
- Bi-directional rotating PVD bezel ring with time marker.
- Rocker mono-pusher.
- Sapphire case back with antireflective coating.
Dial:
- skeleton.
- Metal applique Super-LumiNova®-filled indices.
- Metal skeletonized Super-LumiNova®-filled hour and minute hands.
Crystal:
- sapphire with anti-reflective coating.
Water-resistance:
- 100 metres.
Strap:
- perforated black rubber.
Buckle:
- pin.
- Steel with black rubber over-moulding.
Next is the company’s popular BR 03-94 with a matte black ceramic case, a non-tourbillon version of the BR-X1, and the collaboration is finished off by a BR VR-94 with a 43mm case in stain-polished steel. The aesthetic details of the watch which you can easily spot are a type of typography, which is borrowed from the Renault F1 grand prix car. Also, the black and white checkered squares that decorate the minute track came from the race car also and it pays homage to the sport of motor racing. The watch is not a limited edition and so its asking price is a very easy on the pocket USD4,400 on a calfskin strap or USD4,700 on a stainless steel bracelet.
Bell & Ross BR V3-94 R.S.20
Movement:
- calibre BR-CAL.301.
- Automatic mechanical.
Functions:
- hours, minutes, small seconds at 3 o’clock and date.
- Chronograph: 30-minute timer at 9 o’clock, central chronograph seconds.
- Tachymeter scale on the flange.
Case:
- 43 mm in diameter.
- Satin-polished steel.
- Bi-directional rotating steel bezel with anodised black aluminium ring with a countdown timer.
- Screw-down crown.
- Sapphire case-back.
Dial:
- matt black.
- Applique Super-LumiNova®-filled numerals.
- Metal skeletonized Super-LumiNova®-filled hour and minute hands.
Crystal:
- curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating.
Water-resistance:
- 100 metres.
Strap:
- black-yellow carbon-effect calfskin or satin-polished steel.
Buckle:
- folding.
- Satin-polished steel.
