What happens when the luminous pigment used to make watch hands glow escapes the confines of the dial and leaks out all over the case? The answer to that admittedly left-field question is called the Bell & Ross RB-X5 Green Lum.
Available now and limited to just 500 examples, the watch has a case made from a new luminescent composite that blends quartz fibres with Super-LumiNova to create the most bold glowing effect I think I’ve ever seen on a timepiece.
That glowing composite case incorporates a micro-blasted titanium container and bezel, with everything held into place by a set of four exposed screws. The screw-down crown and its guard are also made from titanium, while the dial is protected by a sapphire crystal. A second crystal, this time slightly tinted with a smoked grey finish, acts as the case back and offers a view of the movement within.
The matte black dial is home to splashes of glowing Super-LumiNova to help make the hands and hour markers visible at night, along with the frames of the watch’s power reserve dial and date window.
Water-resistant to 100 metres, the Bell & Ross RB-X5 Green Lum is driven by a calibre RB-CAL 323 automatic mechanical movement developed by Kenissi and with a lengthy power reserve of approximately 70 hours.
A black rubber strap completes the stealthy look, fastened with a steel folding buckle with a diamond-like carbon (DLC) finish.
Bell & Ross isn’t wrong when it says the glowing watch “pushes the limits of creativity and innovation”. It’s a watch capable of pushing the limits of your credit card, since it carries a price tag of £12,000.
