Following its move in 2016 to offer watches inspired by the world of racing, Bell & Ross partnered with the Renault F1 team. To celebrate the arrival of the Alpine brand at this year’s Grand Prix races, the team has been renamed Alpine F1 Team, and Bell & Ross continues to be its official timekeeping partner. Officially marking this change, the watchmaker has unveiled a new range of models called the Alpine F1 Team A521 Collection — A521 is a reference to the current Alpine A521 single-seater. This new Alpine F1 Team A521 Collection marks the sixth range of Bell & Ross watches inspired by the world of Formula 1, and as is often the case, launches with three models. Being related to motorsport, they are all, not surprisingly, chronograph models made to time races and calculate average speeds. And since the F1 team name has changed from Renault to Alpine, coincidentally changing its livery from black/yellow to mostly blue, it was time for Bell & Ross to update the F1 collection with a new color scheme.
First up is the BR V3-94 which comes in a classic round case, breaking the Bell & Ross norm of being housed in the brand’s signature squared case. With its 43mm stainless steel case it is a robust and sporty chronograph with classic pump pushers and a bi-directional bezel. On top of it is a black aluminum insert with a 60-minute countdown scale. The BR 03-94 is the second watch in the Alpine F1 Collection. With its chronograph movement housed in the brand’s signature squared case with a round dial opening, it measures 42mm x 42mm. The steel case alternates brushed surfaces and polished accents and is topped by a bi-directional bezel with a black aluminum insert with a 60-minute countdown scale – used to time the start of the race. Finally, a technical, bolder, larger, and more exclusive take on the Alpine F1 concept is the Bell & Ross BR-X1 watch. Known to be the largest and most technical watch of the brand, it has a modular 45mm x 45mm square case that combines grade 5 titanium, ceramic, and rubber.
Relatively similar, the dials of these timepieces reflect the visual identity of Alpine, in particular the constructor’s basic color code of blue, black, and white. This 42mm, automatic mechanical chronograph with caliber BR-CAL.301 movement is water-resistant up to 100 meters and features applique super-luminova-filled numerals, a matte black dial, and metal skeletonized super-luminova minute and hour hands. Functions include a 30-minute counter at 9 o’clock, a tachymeter scale and flange, central chronograph seconds, minutes, hours, and small seconds at 3 o’clock, and the date. The polished steel and satin-finished buckle and ultra-resilient black synthetic fabric and perforated black rubber straps complete this sporty look. The Bell & Ross BR V3-94 and BR 03-94 are limited to 500 pieces for each model, while the BR-X1 is limited to just 50 pieces. All are currently available for preorders and will begin shipments in July.
Check out another recent B&R release – the BR 03-92 Red Radar Ceramic.
