Not to be confused with the 99-piece limited edition Bell & Ross dropped back in 2021, the similarly dubbed ‘Skeleton Golden’ made its way onto the brand’s website this weekend past without too much hullabaloo.
Unlike the previous ‘Gold’ Skeleton, this new LE will be ade in a comparatively egalitarian run of 500 pieces – including a pricier integrated bracelet option that clocks in at $10,700 (chalk this up to a desire to make the skeletonised BR05 design language more widely available).
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Fundamentally, there’s nothing revolutionary about this latest iteration of Bell & Ross’ flagship skeleton sports watch. Following in the footsteps of the grey, blue and green releases; the brand’s most ‘architectural’ version of the BR05 stills sports the BR-CAL.322 – an in-house take on the Sellita SW300, delivering enough power and amplitude to make this a robust daily wearer. Despite the fact that the dial is open-worked, the Skeleton Golden still retains its 10-bar water resistance: again, another factor that is crucial in improving overall wearability.
The aesthetic recipe is also consistent with the effectiveness of previous years. At a diameter of 40mm (with a perfect 1:1 ratio), the latest BR05 skeleton works well on a variety of dainty and Rambo-esque wrists. It doesn’t possess quite the same superficial presence as the solid gold LE that preceded it, but Bell & Ross’ designers have done an excellent job preserving the warmth and essential spirit of yellow gold in what is largely a steel watch.
A great alternative to the traditional style of bi-metal timepieces, the BR05 Golden Skeleton doesn’t in fact sport a gratuitous amount of gold. Of all the various bits of dial furniture, only the handset, hour markers and flange (known in French as a rehaut) are coated in the stuff; with the overall colour coming from the interplay between all these varied elements.
The markers are applied to a tinted sapphire panel – what would, in a conventional wristwatch, be the ‘base’ of the dial – and, when viewed in conjunction with the flange, wearers get the impression of a movement that has been overlaid with a warm golden filter.
While the version equipped with a fully integrated bracelet is priced marginally higher, the aesthetic appeal of accessorising this BR05’s golden dial with a brown rubber deployant isn’t something enthusiasts should discount out of hand. After all, you can always tack an order for the bracelet on later.
