bell and ross military 126

Bell&Ross slightly modifies their signature design watches and unveils the BR 03 Instrument Type Aviation. The BR 03 Instrument Type Aviation has two LCD displays, one of them shows in letters the current selected function.The new Bell&Ross features a quartz movement with analogue and digital display, ref. ETA 988.333. 32,768 HZ. 7 rubies.The battery is a Silver oxide, high-drain battery 1.55 V.The inhibition period issixty seconds. Theoretical running time of this BR 03 is 35 months (depending on how often the alarm and chronograph are used). The end of battery life indicated by digital display blinking. Casein satin-polished stainless steel or glass pearl blasted stainless steel with black carbonfi nish. Diameter 42 mm. Water-resistant crown with push-piece function. Unidirectional,revolving inside bezel, toothed and graduated to 60 minutes. The triangular mark (O or60') is marked by a luminescent dot in the dark. Black dial. Figures, index and handscoated with highly luminescent paint to optimise night reading. Anti-refl ective coatedsapphire glass. Water-resistance: 100 metres. Satin-polished stainless steel or rubberstrap.Via the Bell and Ross site.

Watch maker Villemont Geneve recently filed for bankruptcy after the boutique brand declared it was insolvent. After closing its doors, the brand made no mention of being purchased or saved, though their website is still operational. This comes as sad news as the weakening economy is beginning to have a serious effect on watch makers, especially those with a low volume output. Villemont produced only 311 watches last year, with a volume around that amount on average each year. The company employed just over a dozen employees. When a watch maker sells only a small amount of watches each, it relies on a good deal of profit from each watch. A large dip in sales from a company with already slim distribution can spell disaster. Larger companies with higher volume and wider distribution are not immune from the economic situation, but can hold on much better. In stronger economic times, boutique brands with niche products offer wonderful variety to the watch industry. The current economic situation will likely spell disaster for many unique brands just like Villemont, and larger companies may be less likely to offer experimental or overly avant garde watch designs until the economy improves.Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.