THE KINGS OF THE SKY
The Parisian brand pursues its involvement in the field of aviation by becoming the official partner of the Patrouille de France (French air force aerobatics team), a collaboration now showcased through the creation of a limited-edition chronograph.
On July 14, date of the French national holiday, aka Bastille Day, a group of fighter jets fly over the Arc de Triomphe towards Place de la Concorde leaving a tricolored fume trail in the sky. They are the Patrouille de France, a world-renowned professional aero-acrobatic formation led by 9 pilots, based in the south-east of the country, with which Bell & Ross has just become officially associated. To celebrate this partnership based on the creation of sturdy, reliable timekeeping instruments to accompany these aviators, the Parisian brand proposes a 500-piece limited edition: the BR 03-94 Patrouille de France chronograph.
The case, crafted in matt black ceramic, measures 42 mm and is topped by a bidirectional rotating bezel forged in the same material and engraved with a seconds scale. It hosts the BR-CAL.301 automatic movement which delivers a power reserve of 40 hours once fully wound.
The dial features a finely-sandblasted navy blue which contrasts with the white Super-LumiNova® of the indexes and pair of hands displaying the hours and minutes. The snailed counters (small seconds at 3 o’clock and minute totalizer at 9 o’clock), date at 4:30 and tachymeter running along the flange boast the same duo of colors. The running seconds as well as the chronograph function ones are varnished in red. The bottom of the dial center stages the Patrouille de France logo, i.e. a golden disc highlighting the silhouette of 9 jets displayed in “Concorde” position which appears to be lifted up by a tricolored tongue of smoke.
Two black straps complete this watch, one fashioned in rubber clasped by an ardillon buckle and the other in textile with Velcro® attachment.
Price: CHF6,100
By Sharmila Bertin