Bruno Belamich—Bell— and Carlos A. Rosillo—Ross—, two boyhood friends, formed the Bell & Ross brand in 1993. Known for its iconic aesthetics with their oversized watches and distinctive easy-to-read dials, Bell & Ross continues to position itself as a strong player in the watch collecting arena.

Their BR01 instrument series, perhaps the most popular within the brand collection, was based on airplane cockpit instruments. The BR WW1-96 is part of the Vintage series and is reminiscent of the first pilot watches of the 1920s and designed to resemble the look of a pocket watch but on a strap.

This beautiful watch comes fitted with a black alligator strap and a massive 45mm stainless steel case that wears nicely and comfortably for a watch of this size. The sunburst dial on this timepiece is just magnificent. At first glance, it appears to be jet black; however, upon closer inspection and while exposing the watch to a bright source of light—especially natural light— you get the mesmerizing effect of its sunburst finished dial in charcoal gray.