It’s no secret that Bell & Ross is a brand constantly striving to perfect the look of tools dedicated to aviation. From the oversized face to the robust strap, the feel of instruments you’d find in a cockpit is obvious from the outset. Perhaps less well known is the brands affiliation with road speed too, and Shaw Harley-Davidson in particular.
In 2011, they designed an exclusive motorcycle in collaboration with the British team at Shaw Harley Davidson Speed & Custom – the Nascafe Racer. This year they’ve gone even further with a unique motorcycle inspired by the iconic world of the first jet planes secretly designed in the United States in the 1960s, evoking an aeronautic heyday when anything seemed possible.
The resulting B-Rocket is a concept bike with a neo-retro look with lines encapsulating the essential principles of aeronautical design. An airplane-motorcycle with a unique style whose lines evoke the experimental aviation of the 1960s.
A direct offshoot is the BR 01 B-Rocket, the ultimate watch for drivers. However, it’s the quality of the chronograph that sets the it apart. The ultimate in terms of timing your speed, it has a large minutes counter, with a tachymetric scale on the outer edge of the dial which as a matter of priority measures short periods of time allowing your performance tobe displayed in an instant. It also has three additional counters which provide further information: a 60-second, 30-minute and 12-hour counter.
The more elaborate BR 03 B-Rocket version has a 42 mm satin-brushed steel case and is fitted with two complications. The hours, minutes and seconds display also features a large date window and a power-reserve indicator. As regards the sub-dial, there are cut-outs in the dial revealing the discs operating the large date window, highlighting just how sophisticated the mechanism is. The circular power-reserve counter at 6 o’clock is reminiscent of the fuel gage seen on racing motorcycles or cars.
Both timepieces display the passion and enthusiasm Bell & Ross holds for speed, power and style, the only downside to all this is that the B-Rocket is just a concept cycle, meaning it’s unlikely that you’re going to get your hands on it anytime soon.