Up Close With the New Bell & Ross BR-05 Chrono Snow Rocket

Bell & Ross has streamlined their lineup a bit in recent years and really leaned into what they’re best at: striking, unusual, square sports watches. The red-and-white Bell & Ross BR-05 Snow Rocket, featuring ski-shaped hands inspired by French skier Simon Billy and limited to 250 pieces, is no exception.

BR-05 Chrono in Context

We outline all of the brand’s past and present model lines in our Bell & Ross collector’s guide, but the quick version is this: Bell & Ross was founded in the 1990s and has essentially been known for square watches since 2005.

Their current lineup consists of two case shapes: simplistic square, or rounded-off square with an integrated bracelet. For each shape, there is a “regular version” (BR-03 and BR-05) and an “X version” with more complicated (“experimental”) case construction and a power reserve indicator (BR-X3 and BR-X5). The BR-05 Chrono is the chronograph version of the rounded, non-experimental type.

The BR-05 was first seen in 2019, and a chronograph version appeared a year later sporting a 42mm case housing an ETA movement with a chronograph module.

In 2023, the BR-05 Chrono got an integrated chronograph movement (BR-CAL.326, based on the Sellita SW510) which added to the power reserve as well as thickness (now 14.25mm). The BR-CAL.326 is what’s in the Bell & Ross BR05 Snow Rocket.

Let’s go over all the specs now:

Bell & Ross BR-05 Chrono Snow Rocket Specs

Model name	Bell & Ross BR-05 Chrono Snow Rocket
Reference number	BR05C-KL-ST/SST (bracelet) BR05C-KL-ST/SRB (strap)
Case material	Satin-finished and polished stainless steel
Case width	42 mm
Case thickness	14.25 mm
Case lug-to-lug	50 mm
Water resistance	100 meters
Movement caliber	BR-CAL.326 (Automatic, 8 beats per second, Sellita SW510 base)
Power reserve	60 hours
Movement functions	Hours, minutes, small seconds, date, chronograph (minutes and seconds)
Dial	Matte white with red italic numerals and tachymeter scale
Crystal	Sapphire with anti-reflective coating
Caseback	Sapphire exhibition back with red speed-skier motif; visible 360° oscillating weight
Crown	Screw-down crown with crown guard
Bracelet/strap	Satin-finished and polished stainless-steel bracelet or grooved red rubber strap; satin-finished and polished steel folding clasp
Limited edition	250 pieces
MSRP (USD)	$7,700 (bracelet) $7,200 (strap)

Thoughts on the Bell & Ross BR-05 Chrono Snow Rocket

I think the red-and-matte-white color scheme of the Bell & Ross BR-05 Chrono Snow Rocket is executed very well, and I can’t think of many other watches with this palette. Because of the italic Arabic hour markers, I would call its dial a “racing dial.” And the whole watch works well with that aesthetic. The ski-shaped hands are highly legible, so their unique form certainly doesn’t hinder function, which is perhaps more than I can say for some of the wackier Bell & Ross models.

The only negative things I have to say are that the “limited” text on the dial is a little bit corny, the red image of a speed skier on the exhibition caseback isn’t quite as cool as a truly specially-made rotor would be, and the bracelet has neither quick-adjust nor quick-release functionality. The 14.25 mm thickness is on the upper end of acceptable, and it feels good on a medium-large wrist (mine is 7.5 inches, or 19 cm). I’m usually a bracelet guy, and that’s probably the direction I would lean here, but Bell & Ross’s lined rubber strap is quite supple. The cost ($7,200 on a strap and $7,700 with the bracelet) represents a $400 premium over basic/standard colors.

Generally, I think collectors tend to associate Bell & Ross most with the simple square shape of their BR-03 and discontinued BR-01, but the more rounded BR-05 seems to be gaining some momentum. And the Snow Rocket Chrono looks to be one of the more interesting variants of it.