In conversation with Carlos Rosillo and Bruno Belamich Co founders and CEOs of Bell&Ross

Can you please introduce yourself and give us a brief overview of your journey at Bell & Ross?

I am Carlos Rosillo, CEO, and co-founder of Bell & Ross. The roles between myself and my partner Bruno are very clearly defined: I look after the business side of the company, and my partner looks after creation and design. We met the right person at the right time, Helmut Sinn, and worked hard. Bruno and I are childhood friends, we studied together, and we complement each other very well, which is what led us to create our brand together.

How would you describe the essence and unique identity of Bell & Ross to those who are unfamiliar with the brand?

The brand's identity is key to its success. With a very strong design, the company stands out from round watches. This square shape and this round in the square that has made Bell & Ross models unique and iconic. You can spot a Bell & Ross on a wrist from a distance. I was challenged to put the aircraft cockpit clock on my wrist, I transcribed it while keeping in mind a military and aeronautical DNA that I'm passionate about. - BB

Bell & Ross has a reputation for blending traditional Swiss watchmaking with modern aesthetics. How do you ensure this balance reflects in your new timepieces?

At Bell & Ross our aim is to offer useful watches, tools. Our watches must be easy to read, with simple information on the dial. It is this simplicity in the dials that makes our watches timeless and therefore modern. - BB

Innovation plays a pivotal role in the watch industry. How does Bell & Ross continue to push the boundaries of watchmaking with its new launches?

Bell & Ross knows how to be innovative, as demonstrated by our latest family launch: the BR-X5, and it is by collaborate with one of the best, Kenissi, that we have been able to offer a range with a manufacture movement for the first time in our core range. The union of skills, an extremely dear value to the company, represented in our ampersand, shows that in our opinion it is by combining the expertise of each that we can continue to push the boundaries of watchmaking. In our Haute Horlogerie range, we have more freedom to offer unique and particularly interesting pieces, whether in the movement or in the details of the dial. Our sapphire pieces are a good example of this, also the watch revealed this year for Only Watch. - CR

Bell & Ross has often emphasized its strong connections to aviation and military heritage. How do these elements translate into your new timepiece designs?

Aviation and military heritage are always present in our collection and will always be. Our inspirations remain the same, and we continue to offer timepieces with optimum legibility day and night, and colours reminding of the military or aeronautical world. Every year we come up with an instrument watch inspired purely by the cockpit of an aircraft, like the iconic red radar or the radiocompass launched last year. – BB

Who, in your opinion, would be the perfect person to wear these new timepieces, and why?

The Bell & Ross customer is passionate about watchmaking, aviation, military world, or he is looking for an original watch with a unique design that cannot be found in other brands. Even if certain models can be imposing due to their size, the sober and uncluttered (épuré) design makes our watches less visible and discreet for a luxurious object. – BB

Lastly, what are your aspirations for Bell & Ross as a brand, and what is coming up for you in the next year or so amidst the ever-evolving horological landscape?

As a brand in a saturated watchmaking landscape, we strive to meet the demands of our loyal customers by offering new versions of each of our families every year. We evolve constantly in order to continue to surprise and delight, with the launch of the BR-X5 last year, our participation in Watches and Wonders for the first time as a main brand, and this year a big surprise is also coming in September, proving that the company knows how to evolve with his times. - CR