Bell & Ross BR 01 Cyber Skull Limited Edition Watch Review
Tuesday - 01 December 2020
The legendary Bell & Ross Skull is back, this time fully dressed in matte black ceramic with a uniquely faceted skeleton head at its centre. Nicknamed the Bell & Ross BR 01 Cyber Skull, the slightly terrifying but undoubtedly cool limited edition of 500 pieces boasts yet another automaton movement which allows the mouth of the skull to move up and down as the watch is wound by the crown, giving it the illusion of sinister laughter.
The extraordinary family of Bell & Ross Skull watches are always a favourite for us at Jura Watches. The first, released all the way back in 2009, initiated a trend that would continue for another ten years to come. The first Bell & Ross Skull watch, known as the BR 01 Skull Airborne, was designed to pay tribute to soldiers of the U.S Airborne divisions of War II as a reinvented mascot. Then a few years later, the Bell & Ross BR 01 Tourbillon Skull Airborne was announced, similarly honouring the division. It wasn’t until 2016, however, with the launch of the iconic Bell & Ross BR 01 Burning Skull, that collector’s truly begun to realise the value of these unique timepieces.
The Bell & Ross BR 01 Burning Skull was an artistic masterpiece featuring an elaborate and complex pattern engraved onto the stainless steel to form the shapes of flames, a rose, a scythe, a heart and an hour glass, each designed in the style of a tattoo. Taking things one step further in 2018, Bell & Ross then revealed the one-of-a-kind BR 01 Laughing Skull, which like the new Cyber Skull Limited Edition, featured the unique winding function that made the applied metal skull on the front move – a complication that had yet to be found in the Bell & Ross collections.
Following in the footsteps of its brothers and sisters, the new Bell & Ross BR 01 Cyber Skull Limited Edition showcases an unmissable faceted skull head at its centre handsomely engineered from matte black ceramic. Like the BR 01 Laughing Skull, the exclusive BR-CAL.206 hand-wound mechanical movement is used, an automaton calibre that has been perfectly shaped into a skull to hide behind its centrepiece dial. The ceramic skull and its matching 4 bones that extend out to the case are used to anchor the 4 bridges of the to the main plate of the case. This extraordinary construction allows both the skull dial and the skull-shaped movement to look as though it is floating within the centre of the case.
Sapphire crystal glass treated with an anti-reflective coating sits above the dial and offers optimal protection and legibility over the Superluminova coated hour and minute hands. Like the dial, the case is constructed from matte black ceramic and measures to 45mm by 46.5mm. Its faceted finish is completely unique to any Bell & Ross watch before it, delivering a masculine and rebellious finish. The case also assists in a water resistant rating of 50 metres and secures comfortably to the wrist by a classic black rubber strap.
The Bell & Ross BR 01 Cyber Skull watch is available to order now on the Jura Watches website, and as if previous Bell & Ross Skull watches are anything to go by, the 500 limited pieces won’t be around for long. If you’d like to get your hands on your own Bell & Ross BR 01 Cyber Skull Limited Edition, head over to the Jura Watches website here or get in touch with the team on 01335 453453 or at help@jurawatches.co.uk.
Specifications: Bell & Ross BR 01 Cyber Skull Watch (BR01-CSK-CE/SRB)
- Case Size: 45mm x 46.5mm
- Case Material: Matte black ceramic
- Bezel: Fixed
- Glass: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
- Case Back: Exhibition
- Water Resistance: 50 metres
- Movement: BR-CAL.206 hand-wound mechanical
- Functions: Hours and minutes
- Power Reserve: 50 hours
- Jewels: 21
- Frequency: 28,800vph
- Dial: Skeletonised with black ceramic skull
- Hands: Metal skeleton with Superluminova
- Strap: Black rubber
- Buckle: Black PVD steel pin
- RRP: £8,900
- Limited Edition: 500 pieces
