Bell & Ross – BR-X1 Skeleton Tourbillon SAPPHIRE Edition

Bell & Ross – Experimental BR-X1 Skeleton Tourbillon SAPPHIRE 45mm - 3 Colors Edition - Unique piece

EXTREME TRANSPARENCY

Bell & Ross began a new chapter in its history with the BR-X1 CHRONOGRAPH TOURBILLON SAPPHIRE in 2016.

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The brand’s first completely transparent watch caused quite a stir by combining prestigious watches complications, technical performance and its signature design codes.

Three new unique pieces, two online exclusives

A skeletonized version of this exceptional BR-X1 is being unveiled at Baselworld, as part of a collection that underscores the bold creativity of Bell & Ross. Of the six new unique pieces created, three examples that marry transparency and color will be presented. Then by embracing sales innovation: two of the watches will be exclusively available online. This marks a real watershed moment in the Haute Horlogerie sector, once again proving Bell & Ross’ avant-garde spirit in e-commerce and the digital

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As iconic as difficult to work with, sapphire is the embodiment of invisibility: a paradox of solidity and visual transparency. Scientists –who call it corundum– know it as the second hardest material on Earth after diamond, almost impossible to scratch. For watchmakers, creating a case from a block of sapphire is a true technical challenge.

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It requires long and complex machining, grinding and polishing processes and superior expertise. The case of the BR-X1 SKELETON TOURBILLON SAPPHIRE is made from five blocks of sapphire, which are carefully worked on before being assembled with the greatest precision.

Thanks to the transparency of its sapphire case, the BR-X1 CHRONOGRAPH TOURBILLON SAPPHIRE created a magical spectacle in 2016 when its chronograph movement, paired with a flying tourbillon that appears to float weightlessly, was revealed. Last year, Bell & Ross’ design studio pushed the limits even further when it decided to develop an entirely skeletonized tourbillon.

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The transparency of the sapphire case was complemented by a “lace” effect of the openworked bridges, which laid bare the secrets of the watch’s mechanical heart through an off-centered dial especially designed to reveal it all.

COLORS SUSPENDED INVISIBLY

Now, Bell & Ross has set itself a new challenge: to continue experimenting with extreme transparency while adding color. A number of monochrome movements have been individually produced, intended for the most discerning collectors.

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A single color has been used for the main plate, bridges, dial, hands and tourbillon cage, thus creating a customized face for each unique piece.

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The first of these three exclusive pieces is black –the signature color of the Bell & Ross style since its creation and a reference to aircraft instruments. It offers the purest of contrasts with the transparent sapphire case and the translucent bracelet. The rubies in the tourbillon cage are the only touch of extravagance in this landscape of sublime purity.

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The second version offers an interpretation of the refinement and nobility of a precious metal. All the visible metal components of the movement are made from solid pink gold. Like a jewel enclosed in a glass case.

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The third BR-X1 SKELETON TOURBILLON SAPPHIRE honors the traditions of watchmaking with a movement inspired by the blued color of the hands on vintage timepieces. This deep blue, paired with the transparency of the case and bracelet, adds a modern dimension to the watch.

A PIONEER IN E-COMMERCE AND 
THE DIGITAL WORLD

For the first time, Bell & Ross offers modern collectors the opportunity of purchasing two unique Haute Horlogerie pieces online.

The black version of the BR-X1 SKELETON TOURBILLON SAPPHIRE will be available exclusively online from the Bell & Ross e-boutique.

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“We have started a very successful partnership with Mr Porter for a year now and we are especially proud of this new project. Always ahead of its time, Bell & Ross marks a turning point by breaking – once again – the traditional watchmaking codes and shows that high-end luxury and digital can combine perfectly”

Carlos Rosillo
C.E.O. Bell & Ross

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MR PORTER

The blue version will be available from 21st March on MR PORTER, the award-winning online destination for men’s style, which has been a Bell & Ross partner for a year.

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“We are thrilled to partner with Bell & Ross on this unique project to launch an exclusive version of the new BR-X1 Skeleton Tourbillon Sapphire. This exceptional timepiece is a true rarity and an achievement in design and manufacturing. We are excited to make such a special watch available for the first time to our customers, anywhere in the world”

Toby Bateman
Managing Director at MR PORTER

This online sales concept will be launched along with a unique experience and an exceptional service: all customers purchas-ing a watch will have the chance of visiting the Swiss manufacture where these two unique pieces were made, and meet the designers.

This special initiative serves to strengthen Bell & Ross’ links to e-commerce and the digital world. One of the first watch brands to create a website, back in 1999, Bell & Ross once again led the way in 2008 by opening an online European boutique, fol-lowed by an American one the following year with 300 product references in its virtual catalogue.

E-commerce, therefore, became a vector for sales and a tool for forging closer ties with customers and fans of the brand. The strong community spirit was further reinforced in 2009 with the creation of an official forum and partnerships with various forums for enthusiasts.

Last year, the Bell & Ross website was completely redesigned to improve the ergonomics and user experience, enabling the brand’s devotees to directly share their photos using the UGC (User Generated Content) method. This new website fosters privileged and personalized relationships, and has a presence in more than twenty countries (Europe, USA, Australia, and now Asia).

This March, Bell & Ross will embark on a new stage in its digital adventure by offering two unique Haute Horlogerie pieces for sale online.

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And the story continues for the BR-X1 SKELETON TOURBILLON SAPPHIRE collection, with new versions featuring other colors inside their invisible showcases, demonstrating Bell & Ross’ mastery of sapphire as a watchmaking material.

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Technical Specifications

Collection: Experimental

Model: BR-X1 Skeleton Tourbillon SAPPHIRE  45mm

• - BLACK Edition  - Unique piece (e-boutique only ) - Ref: BRX1-SKTB-SABLK
  

• - GOLD Edition  - Unique piece - Ref: BRX1-SKTB-SA4N

• - BLUE Edition  - Unique piece (MR PORTER e-boutique only) - Ref:  BRX1-SKTB-SABLU

Movement
Calibre BR-CAL.288
Hand-wound skeletonized flying tourbillon
252 components,  
Jewels: 20 jewels,
Frequency: 21,600 vph
Power reserve 4-day (100-hour )
Case
Diameter 45 mm
SAPPHIRE
Dial
Skeleton
Skeletonized at 12 o'clock.
Superluminova ® indices.
Metal skeletonized Superluminova ® -filled hour and minute hands.
Crystal: sapphire with anti-reflective coating.
Functions
Hours and minutes.
Flying tourbillon at 6 o'clock
Strap
Translucent rubber.Buckle: pin. Satin-polished steel.


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Press release - 2018
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www.facebook.com - Bell Ross
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www.Bell&Ross.com

CHOPARD – Mille Miglia 2018 Race Edition

CHOPARD – Classic RACING Mille Miglia 2018 Race Edition “30 Anniversary di Passione”

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Celebrating 30 years of automobile passion and style

Thirty years of a tireless passion for the “corsa la più bella del mondo”. Who else could lay claim to such constancy? To celebrate this important landmark, Chopard has created a special limited, numbered and COSC-certified Mille Miglia 2018 Race Edition.

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A 44 mm timepiece forged from a blend of passion, style and precision is taking to the road this year. Be ready at the starting line however, as only 1,000 of them will emerge from the Chopard watchmaking workshops in steel, and just 100 in a version combining 18-carat rose gold and steel.

A story of passion and Italian elegance

It all began in 1988 when Chopard became partner and official timekeeper of the famous Mille Miglia classic car rally.

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This lasting union was born from the personal passion of Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, Chopard co-president and a keen collector’s car driver.

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He played a trailblazing role in the watch industry by choosing to associate the world of classic racing with prestigious watchmaking.

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This now inseparable bond of love between fine mechanics and sporting performance proved the starting point for the much sought-after Mille Miglia watch collection.

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The latter is distinguished by its virile, sporty models featuring high-precision mechanics with a chic exterior embodying the spirit of the legendary Italian competition dubbed the “world’s most beautiful race” by Enzo Ferrari.

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Each spring, the prestigious endurance rally sees more than 400 teams compete on a splendid thousand-mile (1,600 km) route running from Brescia to Rome and back.

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For 30 years, at the very heart of the race, Chopard has presented a limited series inspired by these legendary speed machines.

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This year, gentlemen drivers and aficionados will discover the Mille Miglia 2018 Race Edition which celebrates this anniversary in suitably Italian style.

A family story

The Mille Miglia is a family story of passion for the Scheufele’s. This passion is transmitted from generation to generation.

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All the members of the family have taken part or attended the Mille Miglia under the Maison Chopard flag. Karl-Friedrich Scheufele will be on the starting line under the watchful eye of his own father, Karl Scheufele, who instilled in him his own fascination and enthusiasm for classic cars.

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These moments are special and precious for a father. There is of course a deeply rooted desire to pass on a personal penchant…

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What could be finer than to transmit a passion for fine mechanics, whether of the horological or automobile variety? Yet, the Mille Miglia is a demanding mistress. A trying race that requires constant attention and tolerates no imprecision.

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It is all about passing on, as well as teaching, sharing and accompanying in order to help avoid potential pitfalls and lead the car to victory. The qualities required to take part in this rally are well-known and quite logically similar to those of the Chopard watchmakers.

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A stylish COSC-certified watch

Constancy? Regularity races epitomise this quality. It is not just peak speeds that are measured, but also the drivers’ ability to maintain a certain pace.

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A watch calibre chronometer-certified by the COSC like the one powering the Mille Miglia 2018 Race Edition must also maintain a variation in rate ranging from minus four to plus four seconds per day. Nothing is left to chance, with a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour and a 42-hour power reserve guaranteeing the regularity of this self-winding watch.

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Rigorous discipline? That too. There is no room for approximation when it comes to competing in the Mille Miglia. Careful route reconnaissance, an accurate road book and meticulous preparation are all indispensable assets in ensuring the rally goes smoothly.

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Created over 30 years ago by the master-watchmakers of the Manufacture in accordance with rigorous procedures, the Mille Miglia collection now welcomes the Mille Miglia 2018 Race Edition, developed in accordance with the same demanding criteria.

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The engine-turned dial, the details of the pushers and crown, as well as the sapphire crystal case-back bearing markings celebrating 30 years of passion, all testify to the superlative degree of finishing lavished on this chronograph.

… featuring perfect ergonomics…

Precision? Absolutely. At the wheel of his Porsche 550 Spyder RS, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele does not negotiate with the road. A sharp turn of the wheel, sophisticated braking… the finely tuned speed machine tolerates no compromises.

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The same goes for the layout of this 44 mm-diameter chronograph that must enable the driver to keep track of time with one eye on the peripheral tachymeter scale, while the other looks out for any pitfalls the road may bring.

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This paragon of ergonomics highlights the three dashboard-inspired counters and their graduations displaying seconds, minutes and hours. More than just an instrument, the Mille Miglia 2018 Race Edition is an integral part of the controls for gentlemen drivers.

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… and undeniable elegance

A glimpse of Karl-Friedrich Scheufele getting into his car in front of the Vittoria Hotel in Brescia is enough to grasp the essence of the gentleman driver. An impeccable polo shirt, a camel-toned leather jacket with just the right patina, perforated leather driving gloves and chino trousers are de rigueur at the wheel to embody the “racing in style” spirit cherished by Chopard.

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Comfort is of course essential to ensuring freedom of movement, yet never to the detriment of elegance.  It is worth recalling that he drives the favourite car of another style icon, a certain James Dean, who piloted with natural charm and ease.

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In the evening, the prize-giving ceremony and various receptions call for a more formal touch. The perfect combination of a well-cut blazer with a club tie plus a Mille Miglia 2018 Race Edition in 18-carat rose gold and steel naturally takes over. One can safely guess that this father will also be keen to teach his son the customs and conventions of this competition: sport and performance, consistently governed by style and panache.

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Therein also lies the strength of this chronograph that makes the perfect transition between casual chic by day and elegant evening wear. Water-resistant to 50 metres, the Mille Miglia 2018 Race Edition is able to handle pelting rain at the wheel, then slide neatly under a jacket when it’s time for cocktails, seamlessly matching the more formal attire without losing an ounce of its character.

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The strap with its short lugs is particularly suitable, with the perforated red-lined leather on top evoking vintage racing driver bucket seats and the legendary Dunlop racing tyre tread below providing the perfect grip. The analogies continue with a notched crown resembling a petrol-tank cap and pushers shaped like engine pistons.

An exclusive timepiece combining performance with refinement

Meanwhile, the dashboard-inspired engine-turned dial single-handedly sums up the watch with its fusion of performance and vintage spirit.

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The red Mille Miglia logo at 12 o’clock, date at 4 o’clock, as well as the subtle touch of Super-LumiNova®-painted hands… no detail is coincidental. Some may be tempted to forget that the Mille Miglia is above all a distance of 1000 miles: more than 1,600km from Brescia to Rome and back in four days, often ending after nightfall.

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The luminescent coating on the hands thus proves eminently useful in checking average speed at a glance even in the dark. Upon arriving back in Brescia and glimpsing the ramp on the Viale Venezia, the often worn-out teams are torn between a sense of relief and a wish to start all over again. The tough, long and demanding Mille Miglia does not spare its participants. But, like its “flagship watch”, it remains all the more endearing.

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The exclusive, powerful and sophisticated Mille Miglia 2018 Race Edition is a true everyday team-mate, a stylish watch that will doubtless be adopted by gentlemen drivers of all generations.

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Technical Specifications

Collection: Classic RACING

Model: Mille Miglia 2018 Race Edition

Ref. 168589-3006 – in steel on calfskin and rubber strap
1,000-piece steel limited edition 

Case:
Steel
Total diameter    42.00
Thickness    12.67 mm
Water resistance 50 metres
Steel screw-lock crown with steering wheel motif 7.50 mm
Polished steel bezel
Glareproofed sapphire crystal
Steel pushers
Exhibition back with screws bearing Mille Miglia logo around its rim and special transfer-printed inscription reading “Chopard & Mille Miglia 30 anni di passione”
Movement:
Mechanical self-winding chronograph movement
Total diameter    28.60 mm
Thickness 6.10 mm
Number of jewels  37
Frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
Power reserve    approx. 42 hours
Chronometer-certified (COSC)
Dial and hands:
Engine-turned anthracite dial with white transfer-printed railtrack markings and tachymeter scale
Red Mille Miglia logo
Metallic black Arabic numerals painted with Super-LumiNova®

• Azure silver-toned counters at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock
• Rhodium-plated facetted hours and minutes hands
• Rhodium-plated counter hands at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock
• Rhodium-plated sweep-seconds hand

Functions:
Hours, minutes, seconds
Hours counter at 6 o’clock, minutes counter at 9 o’clock, seconds counter at 3 o’clock
Date window between 4 and 5 o’clock
Strap and buckle:
Black calfskin leather strap with red stitching
Rubber lining inspired by 1960s Dunlop racing tyre tread
Polished steel pin buckle

1000-piece limited edition

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Technical Specifications

Model: Mille Miglia 2018 Race Edition

Ref. 168589-6001 – in steel and 18-carat rose gold with calfskin leather and rubber strap
1,000-piece steel limited edition 

Case: 
Steel and 18-carat rose gold
Total diameter    42.00
Thickness    12.67 mm
Water resistance 50 metres
18-carat rose gold screw-lock crown with steering wheel motif    7.50 mm
Polished 18-carat rose gold bezel
Glareproofed sapphire crystal
18-carat rose gold pushers
Exhibition back with screws bearing Mille Miglia logo around its rim and special transfer-printed inscription reading “Chopard & Mille Miglia 30 anni di passione”
Movement:
Mechanical self-winding chronograph movement
Total diameter    28.60 mm
Thickness 6.10 mm
Number of jewels  37
Frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
Power reserve    approx. 42 hours
Chronometer-certified (COSC)
Dial and hands:
Engine-turned anthracite dial with white transfer-printed railtrack markings and tachymeter scale
Red Mille Miglia logo
Metallic black Arabic numerals painted with Super-LumiNova®

• Azure silver-toned counters at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock
• Gilded facetted hours and minutes hands
• Gilded counter hands at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock
• Gilded sweep seconds hand

Functions:
Hours, minutes, seconds
Hours counter at 6 o’clock, minutes counter at 9 o’clock, seconds counter at 3 o’clock
Date window between 4 and 5 o’clock
Strap and buckle:
Black calfskin leather strap with red stitching
Rubber lining inspired by 1960s Dunlop racing tyre tread
Polished steel pin buckle

1000-piece limited edition

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Press Release - 2018
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www.facebook.com - Chopard
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www.Сhopard.com