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Bell & Ross Phantom Appeal

The Bell & Ross Phantom is the watch Batman might wear on his night-time forays into Gotham City, a symphony in grey and black – gunmetal, lead, worn tarmac – offset only by the dull silver sheen of the rims on case and bezel.

It is also a watch almost to be felt before it is viewed, in which the minute and second hands, the 12 and 6 on the face, and the BR of watchmaker Bell & Ross on the rubber strap, stand out in relief or as insets, giving it a layered solidity that is likely to have long-time B&R fans swooning.

The Phantom has many of the watchmaker’s trademark features, most obviously the circular face and bezel set in the square 42mm-diametre case, a screw prominent at each corner.

It also has the rugged simplicity of its forebears. In line with the company’s focus on watches for pros – everyone from divers and aviators to bomb disposal experts and astronauts – it has the look and feel of a work watch, an industrial instrument as much as a timepiece.

Powered by an automatic movement, the Phantom is a available as a 2 counter chronograph BR03-94, or the more paired down classic of the BR03-92. It has a matte black anti-reflection dial and the case comes in polished-satin stainless steel, in steel glass bead blasted with a black powder coating, or in pink gold, coated again with black powder.

And the hands and index marks – in white or orange though in most models the Phantom’s greys and blacks still set the tone – are highly luminescent. Miscreants beware.

About the Author

Time² is a watch specialist with over 100 brands ranging from Emporio Armani to Rolex, Casio to Omega and offer the very latest Designer Watches, Mens Watches and Ladies Watches. Time² specialise in rare and limited edition pieces not found anywhere else in the UK