CONCEPTUALLY SPEAKING

Expanding outwards from the cockpit of an aeroplane, Bell Ross explores various concepts to reach new audiences.

- DANIEL GOH

If you had asked me a couple of years ago to describe Bell & Ross as a brand it would have been an easy answer: They were an airplane cockpit onto the wrist. These days however the answer is not that simple anymore. Indeed, as a brand, being a 'one trick pony' won't suffice in today's luxury watchmaking environment, especially with so much competition around. Therefore, in the last couple of years, we have seen Bell & Ross continue to evolve beyond their initial aviation-focused inspiration. And the way they have managed to branch out while still keeping a cohesive brand identity is through the exploration of concepts.

"What is a concept?" the CEO and Co-Founder of Bell & Ross, Carlos Rosillo, muses as we sit down with him for a chat. "A concept is an abstract representation of an object or an assembly of objects with common characteristics. At Bell & Ross, concepts are at the source of new ranges to nourish the brand's DNA. They enable the company to push back the boundaries of innovations and know-how." In fact, their obsession with aviation instruments also began as a concept in 2005 when the watch now famous for its 'round within a square' design first debuted. Now, close to two decades on, this concept is still wildly popular for Bell & Ross and remains one of the most iconic watches in their collection.