New Watches

Bell & Ross Announces the Limited‑Edition BR‑05 Chrono Snow Rocket (250 Pieces)

Editorial Staff

28 Oct 2026 — 6 min read

A TRIBUTE TO AN EXCEPTIONAL CHAMPION

Some watches are born out of a need, others from a meeting. The BR-05 Chrono Snow Rocket was born from a mutual admiration between Bell & Ross and Simon Billy, French speed skiing champion and a great admirer of the Maison. Long before becoming the fastest skier in the world, he was already wearing Bell & Ross watches on his wrist. Today, this edition pays tribute to him, celebrating an exceptional athlete who has always shared the spirit of the brand. At 34, Simon Billy lives in Vars, in the Hautes-Alpes, home to the world's fastest speed skiing track. From an early age, he followed in his father's footsteps; his father trained him with a single goal in mind: to break the world speed skiing record. This legacy, built on high standards and trust, has shaped his journey. On March 22, 2023, Simon Billy set the world record at 255.50 km/h. Since 2022, he has dominated the World Championship with four consecutive gold medals. These achievements reflect the man: passion, perseverance, performance, extreme speed and pushing one's limits. All values that Bell & Ross recognises as its own, and which have guided every detail of this new creation. Founded in 1994 by Carlos-A. Rosillo and Bruno Belamich, two passionate watchmaking and aviation enthusiasts, Bell & Ross has, since its beginnings, designed watches conceived as true instruments, created to provide an immediate and reliable reading of time. This connection naturally fits within the Maison's universe. Since its beginnings, Bell & Ross has worked with professionals operating in extreme environments and has forged close and lasting ties with those who push boundaries, from the Patrouille de France and the Rafale Solo Display to the Defender Rally team. After the skies and rally-raid tracks, the Maison now takes to the snow.

SPEED SKIING

Speed skiing is a discipline whose principle is as simple as its practice is extreme: descending a very steep slope at the highest possible speed. Nothing is left to chance. Every piece of equipment is designed to meet this pursuit of performance. The skis are specially lengthened. The suit, helmet and protective gear feature aerodynamic shapes, designed to minimise air resistance while maximising the athlete's safety. Every detail matters, because at such speeds, the slightest mistake can have serious consequences. Time is not merely a backdrop: it is the very objective of the race. This world directly echoes Bell & Ross's DNA: precision, performance, legibility and mastery of time. True to its motto, « Master time, make a difference », the Maison, which has made the cockpit instrument its source of inspiration, explores new territory: that of high-speed gliding, where every fraction of a second can make all the difference. An exacting standard at every moment, shared by both the skier and the Maison, giving this collaboration its full meaning.

A CHRONOGRAPH INSPIRED BY HIS WORLD

Launched in 2019, the BR-05 is Bell & Ross's urban collection. Inspired by the BR-03, it features the iconic « circle within a square » and is distinguished by its integrated bracelet and case design. Its 42 mm chronograph takes on a new, decidedly sporty expression here. For Simon Billy, Bell & Ross has created a competition chronograph directly inspired by his equipment and his world. The matt white dial evokes snow. Against this immaculate background, the vivid red hands, italic numerals and indices recall the champion's competition suit. This sharp, immediate contrast primarily serves legibility, the fundamental principle behind every instrument watch. The red-highlighted counters enhance the readability of the graduations: small seconds at 9 o'clock and a 30-minute counter at 3 o'clock. The date is positioned at 6 o'clock. At the centre, the chronograph hand indicates the measured speed on the tachymeter scale of the inner bezel. Thanks to it, time is translated into speed at a single glance, a reading perfectly aligned with the world of speed skiing. An emblematic function of the sports watch, the chronograph makes it possible to measure a duration precisely, from an athlete's race time to the time of a descent. Here, it becomes the natural tool for a tribute dedicated to speed. Its legibility has been developed with the same care as that of the cockpit instruments that inspire the Maison. The skeletonised hour and minute hands borrow their shape from elongated competition skis. Red in colour, they are filled with white Super-LumiNova® BGW9 Grade X1, whose blue emission ensures clear reading in all conditions. This functional approach guides the entire design: every colour, shape and graduation serves a precise purpose, without ever giving in to the superfluous. The polished-satin- finished steel case houses the automatic BR-CAL.326 calibre, offering 60 hours of power reserve and 100-metre water resistance.

A LIMITED EDITION

The tribute continues on the hidden side. The sapphire case back reveals the movement and features the silhouette of a speed skier printed in red on the glass. Thus, even when the dial is not in view, the reference to Simon Billy remains present. This meaningful decoration turns the case back into a true signature. It underlines the personal dimension of a project imagined for a champion, giving each timepiece the status of a collector's piece, intended both for speed skiing enthusiasts and Bell & Ross aficionados. The BR-05 Chrono Snow Rocket is available as a limited edition of just 250 pieces. A rare series, befitting the achievement that inspired it: that of a champion who, on snow as on the wrist, places speed, precision and mastery of time first.

TWO BRACELETS, ONE TROPHY

The BR-05 Chrono Snow Rocket is offered with two bracelets, for two personalities. The first, in polished-satin- finished steel, extends the case in continuity with the collection's integrated design, asserting its sporty yet urban character. The second, in vivid red rubber, echoes the colour of Simon Billy's competition suit and carries the energy of the dial through to the wrist. This choice allows each wearer to make the watch their own according to their style: the technical mutedness of steel for everyday wear, or the boldness of red to express the love for performance. In both cases, the watch is intended to be a true trophy: a symbol of his victories against time. Every title, every record, every descent represents another race won against the clock, and it is this constant battle that the timepiece brings to life. This watch was conceived around the notion of precision, essential in speed skiing descents, where the difference between victory and defeat comes down to as little as hundredths of a second, and where the slightest mistake can be fatal. An instrument watch, but also a witness to achievement, reflecting the champion who inspired it.