Bell & Ross has added a new timepiece to its iconic skull collection that promises to catch eyes and turn heads.
Watch brand Bell & Ross released its first cranium-themed chronograph, the BR01 “Skull”, in 2009, and since then has periodically added new manifestations of the original to the collection, including a tourbillon in 2011 and a burning skull model in 2016.
The latest addition, the BR01 Laughing Skull, features an automaton movement, with the mandible offers free movement and the skull grinning at the wearer.
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The skull symbol has been used for centuries, particularly by pirates. They consider it a talisman that brings them courage and frightens off their enemies. It is also used by the military, as a constant reminder of their own vulnerability. These professionals often face death in the line of duty and this image appears on their uniforms and aircraft. The BR 01 Laughing Skull pays tribute to them all.
With its new BR 01 Laughing Skull watch, Bell & Ross is venturing into the field of automata for the first time. These autonomous mechanisms, which feature an animated display, appeared in Europe in the 14th century at the same time as mechanical clocks. They often took the form of a Jaquemart, an animated mechanized figure of a person, fitted to a church clock tower to strike the hours on a bell. The Laughing Skull model continues this tradition.
The new Bell & Ross watch conceals a powerful character. The skull’s mandible is animated during winding. To create it, the brand developed the BR-CAL.206, a calibre entirely produced by the manufacture that is also skull-shaped, so that the mechanism fits the case perfectly. In the extension of the four bones, the four bridges secure the main plate to the case and come together to form a single assembly floating in the centre of the watch.
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Made from micro-blasted steel, the piece’s 46mm case is decorated with a “Clous de Paris” finish, a guilloché pattern requires special machining. The skull itself is made from metal appliqué, which has been embossed to create a relief pattern in a process usually used to mint coins or make medals. The effect gives the impression that the skull is floating weightless in the centre of the case. The sword-shaped hands are similar to those on the earlier Skull collections but have now been skeletonized and coated with SuperLuminova.
Priced from US$10,700, the model is limited to just 500 pieces, with two additional variations available decked out with diamonds.
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