Bell & Ross BR-05 Chrono Snow Rocket honours speed skiing world record holder Simon Billy in a 250-piece limited edition. Available in the Middle East.
The Big Picture
- Houses the automatic BR-CAL.326 calibre inside a 42 mm polished-satin steel case, with a matt white dial, skeletonised red hands filled with Super-LumiNova BGW9 Grade X1, and a tachymeter inner bezel for direct speed reading.
- Limited to 250 pieces, each carrying reference BR 05C-KL-ST, making this among Bell & Ross’s smallest sporting editions.
- The edition pays tribute to French speed skiing champion Simon Billy, who set the world record at 255.50 km/h on 22 March 2023 and has held four consecutive World Championship gold medals since 2022.
- Ships with two bracelets: integrated satin-finished steel and vivid red rubber, mirroring Billy’s competition suit.
Origins in the Hautes-Alpes
Simon Billy grew up in Vars, in the Hautes-Alpes, where his father trained him with one ambition: the world speed skiing record. He was already wearing Bell & Ross watches well before that record came, which gave the collaboration its personal foundation rather than a purely commercial one. The brand states this edition was born from mutual admiration, not a brief.
Design & Mechanics
The 42 mm case, 14.25 mm thick, carries the BR-05’s characteristic integrated bracelet profile, launched in 2019 as Bell & Ross’s urban counterpart to the professional BR-03. On the Snow Rocket, the matt white dial does what a speed skiing course demands of any surface: nothing distracts from the essential information. Red italic numerals, red-highlighted sub-counters at 3 and 9 o’clock, and a central chronograph hand that reads directly against the tachymeter scale convert elapsed time into speed at a glance.
The skeletonised hour and minute hands are shaped to recall elongated competition skis. Their white Super-LumiNova BGW9 Grade X1 fill emits blue in darkness, keeping legibility consistent across the mountain conditions Billy operates in. The BR-CAL.326 delivers 60 hours of power reserve and 100-metre water resistance. Through the sapphire caseback, a red silhouette of a speed skier is printed on the glass, so the tribute is visible even from the underside.
The Watch in Context
At 250 pieces, the Snow Rocket sits alongside Bell & Ross’s tightest sporting editions. Two bracelets ship with each piece: the integrated steel option for everyday urban wear; the red rubber strap for occasions when the competition reference needs to be stated clearly. The Bell & Ross BR-05 collection has previously anchored the maison’s urban line; this edition extends it into a new discipline, following earlier partnerships with the Patrouille de France and the Defender Rally team.
Specifications
| Movement | BR-CAL.326, automatic mechanical, 60-hour power reserve |
| Case size | 42 mm wide, 14.25 mm thick |
| Case material | Satin-finished and polished steel; screw-down crown; crown guard; sapphire caseback |
| Dial | Matt white; red italic numerals; skeletonised red hands with white Super-LumiNova BGW9 Grade X1 (blue glow); date at 6 o’clock |
| Strap | Grooved red rubber or satin-finished and polished steel bracelet; folding clasp |
| Water resistance | 100 metres |
| Price | Not stated |
| Availability | On request from the maison or an authorised retailer in the Middle East |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What movement does the Bell & Ross BR-05 Chrono Snow Rocket use?
The BR-05 Chrono Snow Rocket is powered by the automatic BR-CAL.326 calibre, offering 60 hours of power reserve and water resistance to 100 metres.
How many pieces of the BR-05 Chrono Snow Rocket are being made?
Bell & Ross has limited production to 250 pieces, each bearing the reference BR 05C-KL-ST.
What strap options come with the BR-05 Chrono Snow Rocket?
Every piece ships with two bracelets: a satin-finished and polished steel bracelet integrated into the case, and a grooved red rubber strap referencing Simon Billy's competition suit.
Who is Simon Billy, and why is the Snow Rocket dedicated to him?
Simon Billy is a French speed skiing champion who set the world record at 255.50 km/h on 22 March 2023 and has won four consecutive World Championship gold medals since 2022. Bell & Ross created the Snow Rocket as a personal tribute, given Billy's long history of wearing the brand's watches.
Is the Bell & Ross BR-05 Chrono Snow Rocket available to buy in the Middle East?
The watch is available on request from the maison or an authorised Bell & Ross retailer in the Middle East, through the brand's network of over 600 retailers and 25 exclusive boutiques worldwide.
