THE RIGHT STUFF

Bell & Ross enters the manufacture club with the Kenissi-powered BR-X5, and celebrates with a stellar event in KL

- ASHOK SOMAN

This story comes to you from outer space. No, not the space above the outer reaches of our atmosphere. Even the uncharted territory that Artemis 1 will be exploring will not cover the distance. You have to go quite a bit farther than this, past the moon and indeed all the planets of our solar system. One might even say that this story comes the very edge of the galaxy, where the forces of gravity and dark energy reign supreme. This seemed to be the idea that Bell & Ross had, when it came to the regional launch in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, of the BR-X5 watch the latest wonder from the Swiss watchmaker and French brand.

Space and time were the literal themes for the launch event, held at Level 57 of the Exchange 106 in heart of the city in November. Now we know what you are thinking, or rather we can hazard a guess, with regards to the choice of metaphors here: this new watch is destined to be amongst the brightest stars in the firmament of fine watchmaking. The launch event took this idea and made it palpable, with direct appeals to all five of our senses (a play on the X5 name). It even kicked off with a very particular sort of scent - outer space has a smell after all, although it is too complicated to get into here.

Well, if you did entertain 'watch-of-destiny' ideas you are not entirely wrong because the BR-X5 does indeed represent a new high for Bell & Ross. We will have more to say about this watch shortly, and we have already done so online, at Luxuo.com. The short of it is this: the new automatic calibre BR-CAL.323 was built by Kenissi for Bell & Ross, and the BR-X5 is part of the core collection.

MOVING ON UP