Bell & Ross Takes Flight with the New BR-05 36mm Blue Diamond Eagle

 

Swiss watchmaker Bell & Ross has launched the striking new BR-05 36mm Blue Diamond Eagle, combining aviation inspired design with a fresh and imaginative approach to diamond set watches.

Rather than following the traditional formula of simply adding diamonds to a smaller ladies’ watch, Bell & Ross has created something far more distinctive. The BR-05 36mm Blue Diamond Eagle features a deep blue aventurine glass dial designed to resemble the night sky. Across the dial, 18 diamonds are arranged to recreate the Eagle constellation, with larger stones representing the brighter stars.

According to Bell & Ross Managing Director Fabien de Nonancourt, the eagle theme ties directly into the brand’s aviation heritage.

“One of the things Bell & Ross is about is aviation. So it’s about being in the sky, and the king of the sky is the eagle,” he explained.

The result is a creative and elegant interpretation of the classic diamond watch, while remaining relatively accessible with a retail price of approximately AUD $6,800.

Founded in 1992 by childhood friends Bruno Belamich and Carlos Rosillo, Bell & Ross built its reputation on professional instrument watches inspired by military aviation and extreme environments. The brand became instantly recognisable with its signature “circle within a square” case design first introduced with the BR-01 in 2005.

Over the years, Bell & Ross has balanced functionality with bold creativity. Collections such as the BR-03 Flight Instruments series have showcased colourful aviation inspired displays while maintaining accessible pricing and strong everyday wearability.

At the higher end of the market, the brand has also expanded into more technical haute horlogerie creations. One recent example is the BR-X3 Tourbillon Micro-Rotor, a limited edition skeletonised model featuring a manufacture movement developed with Swiss specialist Concepto.

Building on that success, Bell & Ross has now introduced the more accessible BR-X3 Micro-Rotor. While it omits the tourbillon complication, the watch retains the same architectural aesthetic, inspired by the geometric works of Dutch artist Piet Mondrian and designer Charlotte Perriand.

The 40mm steel watch features a semi skeletonised dial with a striking grid pattern, while maintaining a slim 9mm profile thanks to its integrated micro rotor movement and minimalist case construction.

De Nonancourt believes collectors are increasingly seeking originality and individuality in modern watchmaking.

“What we are seeing now is that people are looking for creative products, and something different that nobody else has. That’s the strength of Bell & Ross,” he said.

Despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainty affecting luxury markets globally, the brand says its performance in 2025 has remained stable as it continues focusing on innovation and distinctive design.

Source: DCLA

Swiss Watch Slump: Exports to China down 25%

Swiss watch exports slumped in February, down 8.2 per cent, with sales in China down by a quarter.

The Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry Exports (FHS) described it as a “marked slowdown in an uncertain climate”.

It follows a brief return to growth in January, when foreign sales rose by 4.1 per cent after a 2024 marked by steady decline.

China, the third biggest market for Swiss watches, saw sales plunge by 25 per cent year-on-year in February. Exports to Hong Kong, the second biggest market, fell by 12.5 per cent, and they were down 19.1 per cent to Japan.

In the US they fell 6.7 per cent, in marked contrast to a 16.2 per cent increase the previous month.

“Most of the main markets saw significant declines in February,” the FHS said in its monthly update. “Swiss watch exports fell back by 8.2% in February, despite a favourable base effect.”

The six biggest markets, representing just over half of all Swiss watch exports, recorded a combined decease of 12.5 per cent.

Mid-priced watches – CHF 500 to CHF 3,000 ($550 to $3,300) – suffered the biggest losses, down over 15 per cent by value.

Source: IDEX

US Watch and Jewelry Sales Dip in January

Sales of watches and jewelry in the US dipped in January, for the first time in well over a year. They were 3.0 per cent less than the previous January, according to the latest figures from the US Department of Commerce.

In addition, revisions to November and December sales figures now show slower growth than originally reported.

Figures based on actual through-the-till transactions, rather than estimates, put sales at +2.6 per cent and +1.5 per cent respectively, rather than the revised figures of +3.0 per cent and +4.0 per cent.

Sales of watches and jewelry had been in positive growth since October 2023, and they peaked last September and October at around 10 per cent. Prior to that they’d been in overall decline since October 2022.

Source: DCLA

Vacheron Constantin Heure Romantique Jewelry Watch With Diamonds

 

With more than 200 years of watchmaking expertise, Vacheron Constantin – the oldest, continually operating Swiss watch brand has a lot of archives to turn to for inspiration.

That is exactly what it did when the brand opted to release a new timepiece to its Heures Creatives collection.

Today, Vacheron Constantin unveils the highly sophisticated and somewhat dramatic new Heures Creatives Heure Romantique ladies’ watch.

With this new diamond-set 18 karat gold ultra feminine timepiece, Vacheron Constantin not only showcases its ability to embrace the past and translate it to today with ease, but also deftly demonstrates its watchmaking and gem-setting expertise. 

The Vacheron Constantin Heures Creatives Heure Romantique ladies’ watch was inspired by an archival … [+] © VACHERON CONSTANTIN

The new flower-shaped watch with great curves recalls the Art Nouveau era in its shape and its setting.

The watch boasts a striking black mother of pearl dial with beautiful striations and highly stylized Roman numerals within the arabesques.

It is meticulously set with diamond brilliants on the case, case sides, and leaf like lugs using a prong setting that was prevalent in the early 1920’s and ‘30’s and that is still relevant today.

In fact, the 18 karat white gold watch boasts a total of 104 diamonds set on two levels of the case for stunning appeal.

Even the white gold folding clasp and the crown are set with diamonds – for a total of 123 stones weighing 2.6 carats. 

As if the diamonds and the meticulous setting which takes an artisan hundreds of hours to complete Vacheron Constantin also adds finely engraved small gold beads to the entire circumference of the case, with another row of beads outlining the diamonds on the case.

This incredible detailing takes dozens of hours of work and is barely noticeable from a distance. However, Vacheron Constantin would have it no other way. The brand is a stickler for details. 

The Heure Romantique ladies’ watch features diamonds set on two levels, as well as the leaf-shaped VACHERON CONSTANTIN

The Heures Creatives Heure Romantique watch, which was inspired by a 1916 archival piece that was created with an all diamond bracelet, joins Vacheron Constantin’s Heures Creatives collection.

The series was started five years ago in 2015, with the first watches released being a trilogy of watches inspired by the Belle Epoque era and forward through the 1970’s. 

Looking at this elegant watch, one would guess it to be fitted with a quartz movement. However, Vacheron Constantin prides itself on its watchmaking as well as its artistic craftsmanship.

This watch is more than just a beautiful statement piece, it also boasts a top notch in-house-made mechanical movement.

Powered by the extremely thin manual winding Caliber 1055,  with 115 individual components and 21 jewels, the petite watch boasts 40 hours of power reserve.

It is finished with a black satin strap perfect for any black-tie soiree.  The watch retails for $54,500.

Vacheron Constantin has been creating romantic watches for women for centuries. © VACHERON CONSTANTIN

Source: DCLA

Vacheron Constantin Heure Romantique Jewelry Watch With Diamonds

 

With more than 200 years of watchmaking expertise, Vacheron Constantin – the oldest, continually operating Swiss watch brand has a lot of archives to turn to for inspiration.

That is exactly what it did when the brand opted to release a new timepiece to its Heures Creatives collection.

Today, Vacheron Constantin unveils the highly sophisticated and somewhat dramatic new Heures Creatives Heure Romantique ladies’ watch.

With this new diamond-set 18 karat gold ultra feminine timepiece, Vacheron Constantin not only showcases its ability to embrace the past and translate it to today with ease, but also deftly demonstrates its watchmaking and gem-setting expertise. 

The Vacheron Constantin Heures Creatives Heure Romantique ladies’ watch was inspired by an archival … [+] © VACHERON CONSTANTIN

The new flower-shaped watch with great curves recalls the Art Nouveau era in its shape and its setting.

The watch boasts a striking black mother of pearl dial with beautiful striations and highly stylized Roman numerals within the arabesques.

It is meticulously set with diamond brilliants on the case, case sides, and leaf like lugs using a prong setting that was prevalent in the early 1920’s and ‘30’s and that is still relevant today.

In fact, the 18 karat white gold watch boasts a total of 104 diamonds set on two levels of the case for stunning appeal.

Even the white gold folding clasp and the crown are set with diamonds – for a total of 123 stones weighing 2.6 carats. 

As if the diamonds and the meticulous setting which takes an artisan hundreds of hours to complete Vacheron Constantin also adds finely engraved small gold beads to the entire circumference of the case, with another row of beads outlining the diamonds on the case.

This incredible detailing takes dozens of hours of work and is barely noticeable from a distance. However, Vacheron Constantin would have it no other way. The brand is a stickler for details. 

The Heure Romantique ladies’ watch features diamonds set on two levels, as well as the leaf-shaped VACHERON CONSTANTIN

The Heures Creatives Heure Romantique watch, which was inspired by a 1916 archival piece that was created with an all diamond bracelet, joins Vacheron Constantin’s Heures Creatives collection.

The series was started five years ago in 2015, with the first watches released being a trilogy of watches inspired by the Belle Epoque era and forward through the 1970’s. 

Looking at this elegant watch, one would guess it to be fitted with a quartz movement. However, Vacheron Constantin prides itself on its watchmaking as well as its artistic craftsmanship.

This watch is more than just a beautiful statement piece, it also boasts a top notch in-house-made mechanical movement.

Powered by the extremely thin manual winding Caliber 1055,  with 115 individual components and 21 jewels, the petite watch boasts 40 hours of power reserve.

It is finished with a black satin strap perfect for any black-tie soiree.  The watch retails for $54,500.

Vacheron Constantin has been creating romantic watches for women for centuries. © VACHERON CONSTANTIN

Source: DCLA