Bell and Ross has unveiled a limited edition version of its BR-X5 watch complete with a very special dial. That’s crafted from Meteorite, and is roughly as old as the Earth itself.
Specifically, the slab used here comes from the Muonionalusta meteorite. That’s mostly comprised of iron, and was first discovered in 1906 in Northern Sweden. It’s estimated that the rock fell to Earth about 1 million years ago, and was preserved under the permafrost in the region.
Here, it offers a neat, silver-toned backdrop against which the watch design can really shine. The BR-X5 range makes use of a less complex design in terms of indices, which works well against the busy patterns of the meteorite.
You’ll find a power reserve indicator at the 9 o’clock position, which tells you how long the watch will continue to tick for. That’s offset at the 3 o’clock position with a date indicator. This is one of those watches which uses a wide aperture here, showing the dates before and after the current one, too.
All of that sits within a 41mm case crafted from stainless steel. It’s a square shape, though, which will make it wear a little differently to a round 41mm – expect something more like a traditional 43mm design.
The model is offered with a matching steel bracelet which integrates directly into the case. There’s also a black rubber strap, for those who prefer that style. I’m a big fan of the steel bracelet here, though, which rounds out a monochromatic design language neatly.
If you’re looking to get your hands on one, you’ll need to act fast. This particular model is limited to just 250 pieces worldwide, and I can’t imagine they’ll hang around for long.
Priced at £7,700 (approx. $10,500) on the rubber strap or £8,200 (approx. $11,200) on the steel bracelet, this one commands a bit of a premium over others in the brand’s catalogue. It’s not hard to see why when you contemplate the uniqueness of that dial, though.