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Bell & Ross BR X5 Black Steel 41mm Automatic Mens Watch Black
Ref. BRX5R-BL-ST/SRB
The BR X5 sits directly above the BR 05 in Bell & Ross's square-case family, and the step up is defined almost entirely by what is inside. The BR-CAL.323 was designed by Kenissi — the movement studio co-owned by Tudor and Chanel — which puts the engine in company that stretches well beyond Bell & Ross's own catalogue. It drives a power reserve indicator alongside the small seconds, a combination that makes daily winding habits visible in a way a date alone never does. The multi-component case construction is one of those details that reads as pure geometry from the front and only reveals itself at the side, where the layered architecture of the middle becomes apparent. The four-screw crown system sealing the whole thing is purposeful engineering for a square case, where pressure management across corners is less forgiving than on a round one. On the rubber strap, the 41mm form wears lighter than its presence suggests.
- Reference
- BRX5R-BL-ST/SRB
- Brand
- Bell & Ross
- Collection
- Case Size
- Case size
- 41mm
- Case material
- Two-tone
- Case shape
- Tonneau
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Unidirectional rotating
- Movement
- Solar
- Calibre
- BR-CAL.323
- Functions
- Chronograph, GMT, Day-date, Small seconds, Moonphase, Power reserve indicator, Tachymeter, Skeleton dial, Stopwatch, Countdown timer, Alarm, Backlight, World time, Perpetual calendar, Solar powered, Radio controlled, Bluetooth, Step counter, Heart rate, GPS, Compass, Thermometer, Altimeter, Tide graph, Dual display
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Mesh bracelet
- Strap colour
- Bronze
- Clasp
- Butterfly clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Condition
- Ex-display
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Learn more about Bell & Ross
Bruno Belamich, a designer, and Carlos Rosillo, a business graduate, founded Bell & Ross in 1992 as school friends with a shared interest in professional instruments. The early watches were made in partnership with the German manufacturer Sinn, which shaped the brand's technical bias.
Its identity crystallised in 2005 with the BR 01. The design takes an aircraft cockpit instrument — a round dial in a square bezel, secured by four visible screws, with oversized luminous numerals — and puts it on a wrist at 46mm. It is one of the few genuinely new watch shapes of the last thirty years, and it remains the brand's entire visual signature.
The functional argument holds up: legibility, water resistance, and anti-magnetic construction to specifications drawn from aviation requirements. Bell & Ross watches have been issued to French bomb disposal units, air force pilots, and special forces divers.
The range has since expanded in both directions — the smaller BR 03, the vintage-styled BR V line drawing on 1940s military chronographs, and the BR-X experimental series with tourbillons and skeletonised movements.
The company is based in Paris for design and Switzerland for production, and has partnered with Renault's Formula One team and the Alpine marque. Chanel took a significant stake in 2004.
- 1992
- Bruno Belamich and Carlos Rosillo found Bell & Ross.
- 1994
- Early production runs in partnership with Sinn.
- 2005
- The BR 01 brings the cockpit instrument to the wrist.
- 2011
- The vintage-inspired BR V line launches.
Also in 6 collections
This watch appears in Stainless Steel Watches (2,953), Automatic Watches (1,324), Chronograph Watches (1,211), Mesh Bracelet Watches (233), Skeleton Watches (210) and GMT Watches (187).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Second time zone for travelling
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 100m it is rated for swimming and snorkelling, though not for diving.
Will the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Does it need a battery?
No. It charges from light, and the cell behind that is designed to last a decade or more.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
Goldsmiths at £5,120, ex-display. No UK retailer we track lists this reference new.
Is this available new?
Not from the UK retailers we track. This reference is listed as ex-display only, at £5,120 from Goldsmiths. Ex-display watches are unworn shop stock rather than second-hand — sold below the recommended retail price, and with the manufacturer’s guarantee intact.
Who are Goldsmiths?
Goldsmiths has been selling watches in Britain since 1778 and is part of the Watches of Switzerland Group, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange. They are an authorised dealer, so a watch comes with the manufacturer’s own warranty.
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