Bars & Ross
Key West with a Bell & Ross BR03-92 Black Matte Ceramic Diver
The older we get, the more we feel the weight of our existence and our impending expiration. Bearing this weight can squeeze the willfulness to celebrate as much as we used to. Age is both cruel and beautiful. It can become physically painful to do what we love, time can fertilize the distance that grows between us, and we (allegedly) grow wiser through it all. To counter this, we tend to celebrate certain things with enthusiasm. As one should. We only get one chance at this (allegedly), after all.
Squared Grouper
The Bell & Ross Diver Black Matte Ceramic and Key West are an amalgamation of things I consider to be a celebration with gusto. This trip was in celebration of a near-lifetime friend, he reached a certain milestone and wanted to share the occasion at the southernmost point in the United States. The Bell & Ross was a gift to me, for a similar milestone not long prior. Since Bell & Ross revealed the stainless-steel model of this diver in 2017, I thought I would like to have it. When the matte black ceramic version was announced a year or so later, I knew I would like to have it.
Bell & Ross’ style tends to be polarizing. They are easy to spot in the wild if you happen to be aware of their existence. Their squared-off design is very unique to them (outside of some more niche brands) and can be considered bold, masculine, or offensive. I happen to love the way they look, especially this one. The ceramic’s matte color combined with its texture almost makes it look soft to the touch. Being ceramic it is very unsoft, so hard that it is brittle and can break if dropped from a certain distance onto a hard(er) floor. Don’t do that. It is, however, nearly completely resistant to scratches which eases my mind as we begin our extended weekend way down south through the evening and into the night, surrounded by opportunities and doorknobs to bang this thing into. I attempted to get some shots of this on a crowded bar but gave up fairly quickly. This will be a common theme.
Irish Kevin's
In the heat of summer, Key West is best explored in the earlier hours before the sun gets up to full speed. Walking around the island at this time reveals a side of Key West most visitors don’t typically get to see. The small houses tucked away behind thick planters; even smaller swimming pools tucked behind said houses gives you a glimpse of what it would be like to be a resident here. So close to so much activity yet shrouded from uninitiated eyes. It was during one of these walks I spotted a very unique house. It appeared industrial in a way, near brutalism with its sharp angles and dark paint. Juxtaposed next to a more traditional keys house I couldn’t help but draw comparisons to my diver—a stark beacon in a sea of similarity.
You look different
Also down in Key West at this time was a Corsa America rally event. Making the right just past the southernmost point during a morning walk opened up to a street packed with exotics and classics alike with the shimmering Atlantic as a backdrop. Watches, cars, and Key West; not bad.
After a private dinner at Bagatelle under both a sunset and the threat of a storm, we carried on into the night stopping at Sloppy Joe’s (don’t order the house champagne), Irish Kevin’s, General Horseplay, among others. Throughout all this and despite its weight, I forgot I was wearing the matte black block. The Bell & Ross OEM rubber strap is very soft and remained comfortable even faced against the standard painfully humid night in the keys. Humid to the point that everyone, at all times, has a sheen. At the end of the night, we made our way back to our Bed & Breakfast and jumped into the closed pool. One of the less talked about romanticisms of being in Key West is that no matter how close the Duval St. noise can be, you are minutes, even seconds away from a quiet night floating under the stars.
Following up one of my favorite aspects of the island with another one of my favorite things, the next morning was spent in the pool under the bright sun with a light rain. Sometimes you just get lucky. This day consisted of additional spots to check out for the first time. A highlight for me was the Chart Room Bar. About the size of a walk-in closet and filled with barrels of peanuts this space makes you forget that this is the last evening before heading home. It is never easy to hit the road and head home, but some return trips are easier than others when you know improving on the weekend would be a challenge.
Considering how much fun it had, the Bell & Ross diver managed to remain focused and did not appear to gain or lose any time at all. The build quality is right on par for the price, if not better. This leads to one of the criticisms of Bell & Ross as a whole. The prices are premium when you consider that the movements are mostly modified off-the-shelf Sellita movements rather than in-house. Is this a deal breaker for me? No. COSC-certified? Again, no. Accurate and tough enough to celebrate all weekend? Very much yes.
