SAVED BY THE BELL. DA MAN Caliber chatted with Bruno Belamich, the co-founder and principal designer of Bell & Ross, on the latest work with Harley-Davidson and a special tribute to a French pilot
Bruno Belamich
The B-Rocket Motorbike
Big part of modern timepieces is creative design. Although relatively new in the game, 12-year-old brand Bell & Ross has carved a niche in the market due to its iconic design and strong association with the aviation industry. the founding duo, French and Swiss designer Bruno Belamich and businessman Carlos A. Rosillo, are not only shrewd in positioning the brand but also bold in realizing innovative ideas. Such is the B-Rocket, one aerodynamic concept motorbike showcased at the last Baselworld, where Belamich, met in the well-built, three-storied booth, shared the behind-the-scene story.
DA MAN Caliber: let’s talk about this year’s collection. It seems like there’s a wider range of color palette than that of last year.
Bruno Belamich: When you design a functional or utility watch, everything has a sense, including colors. the contrast between black and white is intended for highlighting the utility, and red is to show important information—just like in an airplane. And orange can be used for the wrist color.
B-Rocket speedometer
A snazzy exhaust pipe
DA: You commissioned Shaw Harley-Davidson this year to create B-Rocket, a very special motorbike. How did the project come about in the first place?
BB: We had the opportunity to design our own bike, and so we asked ourselves what is a Bell & Ross bike. Naturally, it is a bike inspired by the aviation, so we designed an “airplane bike,” which is an aerodynamic motorbike akin to the design of the ‘60s. Then, we designed the motorbike with Harley-Davidson, and after that we designed the watches.
DA: How much were you involved in the whole process?
BB: From day one. We’re the one who drew the aerodynamic bike, and of course it’s not a one-man project. It’s a team project.
Sketches and the bike
DA: How do you normally start a watch design process?
BB: It depends on the story. I don’t design the same watches for the B-Rocket and a US Air Force pilot. For the latter, I asked a pilot what should be in the watch, and thus functionality is of the utmost priority. But for the B-Rocket, it’s a kind of dream. I imagine the moment from the period that is the ‘60s to the story around the bike itself—I see a guy on the bike in a white suit and wearing this sophisticated watch.
DA: Since you mentioned about the ‘60s, are you into vintage pieces?
BB: With vintage items, they remind us that everything has been done in the past. So, the best inspiration, I think, comes from the past, especially from the history of watchmaking. But if you want to cultivate innovation as a [watch] designer, you have to also see around what’s happening in movies, architecture, cars, fashion, etc.
“I imagine the moment from the period that is the ‘60s to the story around the bike itself”
BR 01 B-Rocket watch
DA: Before launching Bell & Ross, you designed products like water bottles and other lifestyle goods. How’s that different
from designing watches?
BB: First of all, it’s a matter of culture, a question of know-how. But then, the most important thing for designers is to have a vision, a point of view. Once you have that, you can approach any design, from cars to furniture to watches, with your own philosophy. However, I must say that it takes time to become a good designer.
DA: Out of all Bell & Ross watches, which is your favorite?
BB: In this new collection, of course, it’s the BR 01 B-Rocket because it’s the most sophisticated watch, which encompasses our watchmaking know-how in the fields of watch movement and case construction.
A pilot off a hangar
The pilot wears BR 09-34
DA: With an exciting new collection coming up, where do you position the brand?
BB: Bell & Ross is good for authentic, utility watches. It’s also good value for money considering the functionality, the pricing and the technology.
DA: What’s interesting about Bell & Ross is the fact that the brand isn’t shy to embrace the French heritage. Such is the case with the new timepiece WW1 Guynemer.
BB: It’s totally French. French is my culture, first of all, so it’s easy for me to build a story around it. But I don’t want to limit myself only in the French culture when it comes to watch designs. that’s why I travel to Asia—it’s the place for new creations and innovations today—and the United States—to broaden my horizon and expand my design point of view.
“The best inspiration, I think, comes from the past, especially from the history of watchmaking”
The BR 03-94 watch
WW1 Guynemer
DA: How do you see the company has developed so far since its inception in 1992?
BB: We are still a small brand, and it’s so, so comfortable to be a small brand, because I can keep the spirit, the real value of artisanal timepieces and craftsmanship.
DA: Will there be more collaboration in the future?
BB: I would love to!