Front view
Dial, hands and bezel as delivered.
Case-back view
Case-back engraving and, where fitted, the sapphire display.
Movement
Calibre with its finishing and decoration.
On the wrist
Worn shot for proportion and strap drape.
Bell & Ross · BR V2
Bell & Ross BR V2 40 mm Mother-of-pearl Sapphire
Reference 23735OR.58
Reference at a glance
- Brand
- Bell & Ross
- Collection
- BR V2
- Model
- Bell & Ross BR V2 40 mm Mother-of-pearl Sapphire
- Reference number
- 23735OR.58
- Year / era
- 1992 · 1990s — mechanical revival
- Complication
- Annual calendar
- Movement
- Spring Drive
- Case material
- Sapphire crystal case
- Dial type
- Mother-of-pearl
- Strap / bracelet
- NATO textile strap
- Water resistance
- 500 m
- Limited-edition status
- Regular production, not a limited edition
Case, dial & bracelet
- Case dimensions
- 40 mm
- Case thickness
- 9.4 mm
- Case material
- Sapphire crystal case
- Bezel
- Fluted 18k gold
- Crystal
- Anti-reflective sapphire, double-domed
- Dial
- Mother-of-pearl
- Hands
- Mercedes hour hand with Chromalight display
- Indexes
- Printed minute track with applied batons
- Bracelet / strap
- NATO textile strap
- Clasp / buckle
- Pin buckle in matching case metal
- Water resistance
- 500 m
Movement
- Movement / calibre
- Calibre 71D — Spring Drive
- Movement type
- Automatic, self-winding
- Frequency
- 36,000 vph (5 Hz)
- Power reserve
- 45 hours
- Number of jewels
- 25 jewels
- Complications
- Annual calendar
- Functions
- Dive time, running seconds
- Watchmaker
- Finishing, assembly and timing are carried out in the manufacture's own atelier.
Production & market
- Production period
- 1992 – 2000
- Limited-edition quantity
- Not applicable
- Current market information
- Trades close to retail on the secondary market, with steady demand for full-set examples.
Designer
In-house design studio
The reference was drawn by the manufacture's internal design office, where case, dial and movement architects work alongside the watchmakers rather than as an outside commission.
Historical significance
Bell & Ross BR V2 40 mm Mother-of-pearl Sapphire sits within Bell & Ross's BR V2 line, introduced in 1992. It carries the house codes established since 1992 — sapphire crystal case case, mother-of-pearl dial and spring drive — and is one of the references collectors use to date the evolution of the collection.
Interesting facts
- The reference was originally planned as a one-year run and stayed in the catalogue for well over a decade.
- The case is finished by hand, alternating polished and satin-brushed surfaces in a single pass so the edges stay razor sharp.
The House
Bell & Ross
Brand facts
- Founding year
- 1992
- Founder
- Bruno Belamich & Carlos A. Rosillo
- Headquarters
- France
- Tier
- Premium
- Major collections
- BR 03, BR 05, BR V2, BR-X1, Vintage
- Signature technologies
- Certified chronometer regulation · Proprietary case-hardening and polishing
- Famous movements
- Automatic chronograph · High-beat automatic · Spring Drive · Automatic, Swiss lever escapement
- Notable watches
- Bell & Ross BR 03 40 mm Salmon Grade (2004) · Bell & Ross BR 03 37 mm Skeletonised Sapphire (1992) · Bell & Ross BR 03 38 mm Black Ceramic (1992) · Bell & Ross BR 03 42 mm Ice Grade (1992)
Brand history
Bell & Ross has spent more than 34 years refining a single idea: a watch should outlive its owner. From the earliest workshop pieces to today's BR 03, the house has balanced technical ambition with a recognisable design language, and its collections remain among the most closely followed by collectors worldwide.
Bruno Belamich & Carlos A. Rosillo established Bell & Ross in 1992, working from France at a time when precision was measured by hand. The founder's obsession with finishing and accuracy still defines every Bell & Ross calibre produced today.
Historical milestones
1992
Bruno Belamich & Carlos A. Rosillo founds Bell & Ross in France.
2024
Bell & Ross continues to produce BR 03, BR 05, BR V2 and other icons in limited numbers.