People whose mission—and lives—depend on their watch depend on Bell & Ross.

Astronauts, military pilots, elite police, race car drivers, divers and underwater bomb-disposal experts all count on Bell & Ross watches to go the distance despite violent accelerations, dramatic temperature swings, high pressure and other extreme conditions so they can get the job done.

From Cockpits to Wristwatches
Founded in 1992 by childhood friends Bruno Belamich and Carlos A. Rosillo, Bell & Ross is a youngster among the Swiss watchmakers. But their bold, utilitarian timepieces immediately made a mark with aerospace and military professionals. Two years later, they began selling to the public.

The first watches were crafted by Sinn, a German manufacturer of dashboard instruments. In fact, the first Bell & Ross model (Space 1) was actually a re-issue of Sinn 142—the first automatic chronometer used in space, worn by German astronaut Reinhart Furrer on the 1983 Spacelab mission.

Space 1 and subsequent Sinn models re-issued under the Bell & Ross name featured both companies' logos. The partners also collaborated on new watches until 2002, when Bell & Ross began its own independent production in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.

Watches with a Purpose
"The essential is never compromised by the superfluous" — the Bell & Ross motto underscores the clean aesthetic and insistence that every detail on a  watch have a purpose and function. Each timepiece must also pay homage to the company's four basic design and manufacturing principles:

• Readability
• Performance
• Precision
• Water-resistance

Each watch is assembled, then tested and adjusted under a variety of conditions for two weeks to ensure it meets precise accuracy standards. It must also provide a 40-hour power reserve through wrist movements alone–so the wearer never has to stop and wind during an important mission. Afterward, a master watchmaker examines each timepiece to give final approval before it is sold.

The Vintage collection was Bell & Ross' response to customers wanting  high quality watches they can wear in their daily lives. The original models resembled 1950's aircraft control panel meters, later ones evoked aviation watches of other decades.

Despite the minimalist philosophy, variety abounds with Bell & Ross watches. Many are available in both chronograph (stopwatch) and non-chronograph versions. A watch line using quartz instead of mechanical movement is also available. Limited editions of 500 or less are also frequently issued for popular models.

Breaking New Ground in Functionality
To meet its customers’ exacting expectations, the company unites a team of professional users, designers, engineers and master watchmakers for the development process. This unique teamwork has led to innovations, such as:

• Hydro Challenger—cited by the Guinness Book of World Records for its water resistance rating of 11,000 meters in 1997, the watch’s patented system uses liquid silicon for perfect water tightness and readability

• Vintage 123 Heure Sautante—the first jumping hour-hand watch with power reserve indicator and automatic movement, created through collaboration with legendary Swiss master craftsman Vincent Valabrese in 2002

• BR 01 Instrument—inspired by aircraft cockpit instrument panels, two disks—one for hours and one for minutes—rotate beneath a stationary vertical line, allowing the wearer to read the time through the top crystal

Bell & Ross has also been awarded patents for its water-resistance indicator, which absorbs potentially damaging humidity and alerts the wearer about possible water problems by changing color, and its T-crown system. Developed for the Space 3 model, the latter features a screw-in, telescopic and collapsible crown that perfectly integrates into the watch case to avoid damage.

When reliability, professional quality and functionality are top priorities, professionals of all stripes turn to Bell & Ross.