Bell & Ross BR05 GMT
Does it meet expectations?
The BR05, launched two years ago, is Bell & Ross’ interpretation of an integrated bracelet sports watch-this may be the most popular type of watch now. The brand subsequently introduced a skeletonized version and a dual-counter BR05 chronograph. Now Bell & Ross has unveiled the cover of perhaps the most useful iteration to date-BR05 GMT.
Although the BR05 is a new product of a mature genre, it is essentially derived from the brand’s iconic square case. The design of the case dates back to 2005 and was inspired by the dashboard of a fighter jet. But the BR05 is different from those of military origin. Through the combination of its case finish, polished and brushed surface, and elegant bracelet integration, it has obtained a more refined and slightly retro look. The new Greenwich Mean Time adheres to the same design while increasing the utility of the second time zone.
When Bell & Ross (B&R) offered to lend me the BR05 GMT prototype for a few days, I did not expect any surprises. But when I got the watch for the first time, I found its fit and finish were unexpectedly good. BR05 has an attractive touch, derived from the exquisite case and attractive design. My initial impression was positive-BR05 GMT met the expectations set by its retail price.
The biggest feature of GMT is the things it shares with the brothers and sisters in the series, namely the BR05 case and bracelet. They are well done and beautiful in appearance. But Greenwich Mean Time is known for its simplicity—not overly simple. replica Bell & Ross BR05 GMT
Red GMT hands and lettering, as well as a wide 24-hour dial, give the dial more details. This eliminates the wide openness of the dial in the time-only model, making it look sparse. But the GMT dial did not try to do too much, but deliberately kept it simple, very suitable for those who feel that the basic model is too flat and the chronograph is too complicated.
Although the reviews of other BR05 models have been pointed out before, it is worth mentioning that this case is well-made. Its structure and finishing finally give the watch an attractive visual quality.
Because the internal movement is relatively thin, the case is 41 mm wide, which is large and heavy, but not bulky. Nevertheless, this watch is very much like a big sports watch, certainly more sporty than elegant.
Alternatives to BR05 GMT are divided into two categories: sports watches with integrated bracelets with ETA or lower cost similar movements, and GMT watches with integrated bracelet designs with internal movements but not the same cost.
In its price range, most of BR05 GMT’s competitors rely on in-house movements, while GMT is powered by ETA, albeit with attractive modifications.
My initial impression was that this watch was excellent value for money, but after I wore the watch for a week, I started arguing about this conclusion, purely because of the movement inside. After all, the prevailing wisdom is that internal movement is better. Bell & Ross replica
I came to a conclusion: BR05 GMT’s fit and surface treatment are significantly better than more affordable alternatives, both in the case and movement surface treatment, which is very obvious in metal.
Compared with watches of the same price with its own movement, BR05 GMT is not surprising in terms of technical characteristics, the most obvious power reserve and the most important intangible prestige associated with its own movement. But these shortcomings are made up for by its case and design-there are not many competitors for integrated bracelets at this price.
It is worth mentioning that BR05 GMT can be used for bracelets or straps, just like other products in the BR05 series. The natural choice is the bracelet. It doesn’t cost too much, but it greatly increases the appeal of the watch in terms of appearance and feel. Especially because the watch head is quite heavy and balanced by a steel bracelet.
Dual time zone
Adding a second time zone indicator may seem trivial, but it brings many benefits in terms of functionality and appearance.
With a GMT pointer with a red pointer, the watch displays the second time zone on the outermost 24-hour scale. But perhaps more importantly, especially in an era of reduced travel, red hands and matching text look good. They add contrast and vitality to the dial, just enough exercise but not distracting. Of course, they are reminiscent of retro sports watches with red text on the dial.
The dial finish did not disappoint. The dial printing and drawing on the Greenwich Mean Time hands are well done, and they can show neat edges even when they are close. Reading along with the Greenwich Mean Time hand is the 24-hour circle-from an aesthetic point of view, this is a particularly interesting detail. best watches
The 24-hour ring is set on the inclined flange around the dial, compressing the dial, giving the watch a better proportions than the chrono-only model, while adding some visual depth. The 24-hour ring echoes the case and dial. The dark part is finished in matte black, and the bright part is linearly brushed like the case.
It is also worth mentioning that the time scales, especially the oversized Arabic numerals at the quarter, are reminiscent of the brand’s pilot watches. Therefore, the dial can be identified as B&R.
An evolutionary case
The case and bracelet are the best elements of BR05 GMT because they distinguish the watch from the competition. They have the main hallmarks of luxury sports watches-exquisite, exquisite finishes, and of course a bracelet integrated with the case.
The case is composed of three parts-the bezel, the middle of the case and the back of the case-the case is fixed together by four screws at each corner, and the details are taken from the original BR01 case.
Although the case is square, the dial is round, and the transition between the two contrasting shapes is smoothed by the rounded edges and round screws on the bezel. In other words, although the edges of the bezel are softer, the edges and corners of the case are sharp, especially around the lugs, allowing the watch to mix geometric shapes and surfaces well.
A consistent element of the BR05 design is the exposed screw-a common element in luxury sports watches.
For example, the crown guard is two separate parts screwed into the watch case. The screw is simply finished with a polishing head. In other words, the screw groove on the bezel has a narrow polished countersunk hole.
The BR05 shell is the best in finishing. The brushed surface and the polished bevel are finely processed, with fine linear textures and precise edges, so that the surface can capture light well. For the same reason, the bracelet is also very attractive: the alternating brushed and polished surface reflections give a feeling of being above its price point. http://www.chrono4usale.co
What is less obvious is that the surface treatment is the result of high-quality production-the surface does not have the deformations usually found on simple stamped housings. Given that B&R is owned by Chanel, Chanel also owns one of the largest manufacturers of watch cases and bracelets in Switzerland, so this is not surprising.
Outsourced movement, completed in-house
The BR-CAL.325 in the watch is based on the tried and tested ETA 2893-2, and the large rotor bearing is a gift of its origin. ETA 2983-2 is based on ETA2892-2, which is a slim time and date movement with the addition of a 24-hour hand.
A real GMT watch with a movement built from scratch will have 12 hours, the local time of the hand can be adjusted independently in one-hour steps, and the time away from home is not affected. But the function of ETA 2893 is different, because the GMT function is an additional function.
In ETA 2893, the 24-hour local time hand can be adjusted independently, forward and backward in units of one hour. But the local time hour hand cannot be set independently—because the hour and minute hands are adjusted synchronously on the basic movement—so adjusting the local time will also move the 24-hour hand. Therefore, after setting the time for the new time zone, an additional step is required to return the 24-hour hand to the home time.
This setting does bring an advantage. ETA 2893 has a quick date setting, which means that the date can be cycled forward or backward easily. However, the date on a real GMT watch can only be adjusted by circulating the hour hand for a full day or 24 hours.
At the same time, ETA 2893 is also very suitable for people who do not travel but need to track different time zones, because the 24-hour hand can be adjusted without affecting the local time.
Although the movement is obviously the estimated time of arrival to a keen observer, it cannot be immediately recognized.
That’s because BR-CAL.325 is not stock ETA 2893. It has been upgraded, especially in terms of appearance. The most obvious is the addition of a complete rotor that has been cleverly hollowed out. The open work leaves more weight on the half, while retaining a relatively symmetrical design, reminiscent of the “mysterious” rotors on some high-end movements.
The bridge and bottom plates are sandblasted to form a granular surface-which certainly looks better than the nacre for industrial applications-in sharp contrast to the brushed surface on the rotor. On closer inspection, the inclined surface on the bottom plate and the bridge is slightly shiny than the inclined surface on the rotor, indicating that it was milled on a CNC machine with a diamond drill.
BR05 GMT is a beautiful, practical and well-made watch, perhaps the most cost-effective watch in the BR05 series. On the one hand, it is more attractive than the time-only model in terms of design and functionality, but only slightly more expensive. The chronograph is indeed more interesting, but the price is much higher. For those who appreciate simple design but want more talent, GMT is in the best position for style, economy and practicality.
Compared with competitors, BR05 GMT did not disappoint. Except for the outsourcing movement, every part of the watch feels good. But this is not a natural bad thing-ETA has been upgraded-although it does mean that the movement lacks the specifications of modern internal movements, most of which have a longer power reserve.
Bell & Ross BR 05 GMT
Ref. BR05G-BL-ST
Diameter: 41 mm
Height: 11.5 mm
Material: Steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 meters
Movement: BR-CAL.325 (ETA 2893-2)
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, date and Greenwich Mean Time
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 times per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 42 hours
Strap: steel strap or rubber strap