There was a time when watches were sensible, restrained things, built to tell the time with quiet efficiency and absolutely no interest in theatrics. And then, somewhere along the way, watchmakers decided that perhaps a little drama would not go amiss, that perhaps the wrist could host something rather more imaginative than a simple dial and a pair of hands. Enter the Bell & Ross BR-05 Blue Diamond Eagle, which takes the familiar, rather industrial charm of the BR-05 and gives it a decidedly celestial twist. It is, at first glance, a compact and well-proportioned piece of steel, all sharp lines and polished surfaces, but look closer and you begin to notice that this is not merely a watch, it is an attempt to capture the night sky itself and strap it to your wrist. The latest BR-05 features a sparkling aventurine dial enhanced with seven diamonds.
This is not, as some might lazily assume, a case of simply shrinking things in the wash and calling it a day. No, the 36mm case, with its rather clever 8.7 millimetre slimness, has been completely rethought so it actually looks right instead of like a full sized watch that has been put on a diet. The whole thing flows as it should, with the bracelet not so much attached as absorbed into the case itself, the first link blending in as though it was always meant to be there. You still get that signature circle within a square arrangement, complete with softly rounded corners and a raised bezel held down by four polished screws, which gives it just enough attitude. The surfaces are brushed where they should be, polished where it matters, and the bracelet carries on this theme with admirable consistency. And because it is not just for show, there are proper crown guards flanking the screw-down crown, ensuring it can handle 100 metres of water without throwing a tantrum.
And then you arrive at the dial, which is where things take a sharp turn from sensible into something altogether more poetic, and slightly mad in the best possible way. It is made from blue aventurine glass, a material that glitters like a perfectly clear night sky, as though someone has bottled the cosmos and flattened it into a disc. Scattered across this shimmering expanse are brilliant cut diamonds, doing the job of hour markers but with considerably more flair. And then, just when you think that is quite enough sparkle for one watch, Bell and Ross decides to map out the Aquila constellation using seven diamonds of varying sizes. The largest sits at 10:30, marking Altair, the brightest star and the eagle’s head, while three medium stones stretch outward to form the wings and tail, and three more complete the outline. Each diamond is carefully set into the aventurine using a custom brass mounting with four prongs, because of course, if you are going to recreate a constellation on your wrist, you might as well do it properly.
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Turn the watch over, and the whole celestial theme rather cleverly refuses to end, because etched into the caseback is the Aquila constellation itself, as if to remind you that this is not just a decorative flourish on the front but a fully committed idea. Inside, doing the serious work while all this stargazing carries on, is the calibre BR-CAL.329, an automatic movement with a very respectable 54-hour power reserve, quietly getting on with the business of keeping time without any fuss. The bracelet, meanwhile, is a reassuring mix of satin finished and polished steel, solid, purposeful, and properly integrated, secured with a folding clasp that feels as robust as the rest of the watch, which is exactly what you want when you are wearing something that looks like it has borrowed a piece of the night sky.
