ON A CHILLY NIGHT IN APRIL, FRANK GREAVES, DROVE 150 MILES FOR A JOB. THAT JOB WAS TO FIGHT A YOUNGER, BIGGER BOXER FOR CASH. HE KNEW HIS CHANCES OF WINNING WERE NEXT TO NOTHING, BUT THAT DIDN’T STOP HIM. WHY? HE’S A JOURNEYMAN BOXER…

WORDS: MATT BLAKE PHOTOGRAPHY: GREG FUNNELL

AUGUST 2018 49 FIRST THING YOU off, you don’t stand a chance.” Tonight’s promoter is Greg Steene, of NOTICE ON THE WAY Warrior’s Promotions, who has organised more than 100 shows like this. “To make boxing pay nowadays, UP TO THE AWAY the house fighters basically pay for the fight through selling their own tickets,” he tells us. FIGHTERS’ DRESSING “They pay for the opponent and put a bit of money into the house. So, most quality journeymen are the ROOM IS THE SMELL. guys who don’t sell tickets – they turn up and fight the home fighter and A potent blend of musty gym bags, compared to some of the venues almost invariably lose. It’s not fixed; stale sweat and Deep Heat rolls down Johnny’s fought in,” he says, catching sometimes they do win and that can the dim stairwell like a mist. The second his breath. help them. But if they keep winning thing is the sound of punches. Each “Yeah,” adds Johnny. “There then all of a sudden they’re poison and blow reverberates down the stairs, were times when I fought literally in nobody wants to ask them back.” drowning out the muffled cheers of 600 a cowshed behind the venue with four In other words, losing’s not so much fight fans baying for blood inside the other fighters – the floor’s tiled, you’re in a journeyman’s genes, it’s in his venue. Then a voice. about, it’s pissing with rain interests. “If you’ve got a boy who’s “Am I looking sharp, or are you just outside and I had to a muddy field super-tough, why would you match him wanking me off?” in my boxing boots to get to the ring. against a boy who’s sold 100 tickets, “Yeah,” says another, in the same The home fighters are warm indoors why take that risk?” Steene adds. “It’s cockney twang. “But you’ve got to while we’re out there going, ‘Here bruv, not good business.” commit to your shots, Frank. It’s a bad can I borrow your jacket? It’s fucking Nobody knows this better than habit you’ve got. Let ’em fucking go, freezing in here’.” Johnny who, with a record of 96 losses straight down the pipe. And if it does in 100 professional fights, is considered land, he’s gonna think twice about THAT’S HOW IT IS FOR A JOURNEYMAN, to be one of the greatest journeymen of having a -up with you. You ain’t AN ON-THE-ROAD FIGHTER, OR SIMPLY JUST all time. That’s because, in this gonna get these days back, Frank. So ‘THE OPPONENT’. The job has different business, journeymen are figures of go out there and enjoy it.” names, but the motto is the same: have respect, not shame. They make boxing gloves, will travel. They are the men tick, and turn losing into an art form. FRANK GREAVES IS PREPARING FOR HIS who will drive across the country, often “I was the guy who’d take a fight THIRD PROFESSIONAL PRIZEFIGHT AT at very short notice, for a grand… and at an hour’s notice, anywhere in the BOURNEMOUTH’S O2 ACADEMY. He batters lose. They are the pawns on boxing’s country,” Johnny tells us. “I was known younger brother Johnny’s outstretched bloody chessboard, sacrificed to protect as the guy who never got knocked out palms. But he’s not warming up inside a king or to make way for a promising and always lost well. I fought nearly 20 his dressing room where he should be; young rook. They fight the ‘ticket sellers’ British champions, two world there’s no space. Two other away of the sport, prospects earmarked for champions, Commonwealth champions fighters are in the 10ft x 6ft shoebox the big time. Without men like Frank and fought in stadiums of 20,000 with their cornermen. So he’s outside and Johnny there would be no Carl people.” on the landing. Here, a space about the Froch, no Amir Khan and no David For most of those, Frank was in his size of a pool table, his needs Haye. In boxing, like in chess, pawns corner. “There ain’t many people who to be perfect. One wrong step could can never become kings. could do what Johnny did,” Frank chips send him tumbling down the stairs. “Boxing is not a sport, it is a in. “He’s the toughest bastard I’ve ever It’s not ideal conditions for a boxer business,” Johnny tells us. “No promoter known.” ahead of a big fight. But Frank – is going to pay for your fights out of his But you need more than that to live like his brother before him – is own pocket unless he is sure you are the life of a journeyman. “I’ve climbed a journeyman. And he knows the score. going to get to a level to repay him. So into the ring with phlegm literally “This is fucking Buckingham Palace unless you’re a ticket seller from the dripping off my back,” recalls Johnny.

50 AUGUST 2018 FRANK GREAVES, JOURNEYMAN

FRANK LIKES TO BIND HIS OWN HANDS BEFORE A FIGHT

“I’ve been called every name under the spill their pints. Girlfriends totter about on sun, threatened, abused, even chased needle-heels, wincing whenever their from venues. But that’s the lot of a man takes a hit. The night itself takes journeyman boxer: always the away place under British Boxing Board Of fighter, always the villain. The most hated Control rules, the same rules that govern man in the room. I fucking loved it.” the big, multi-million-pound fights. But there are no TV cameras, no celebrities DOWNSTAIRS, FIGHT NIGHT IS IN or VIP areas, though there is a guy on the FULL AND THE ATMOSPHERE balcony filming the night’s action and IS VISCERAL. This is not a corporate crowd selling the DVDs ‘for a score’. on a jolly. These are ordinary people, This is not or white- supporting a friend, boyfriend or son. collar. This is pro-boxing at the bottom Puce-faced men crowd about the ring rung. Boxers here dream of the pizzazz of hurling abuse at the away fighters, or a big show, a big fight, a belt, a TV >> urging the Spearmint Rhino ring girls to get their ‘growlers’ out, while trying not to

AUGUST 2018 51 date and a spot next to their heroes. For many, this is where it starts. For others, it is where it can end. For Frank, it’s another day at the office. “Chill out, mate, you look a bit nervous,” he chirps as he bounces about the room shadowboxing. “Me? Nah, I don’t get nerves. I was born for this.”

FRANK WAS BORN ON 6 SEPTEMBER 1977 IN THE HEART OF LONDON’S EAST END. Eighteen months later, Johnny came along. As kids they were inseparable, and took up boxing at an early age. Johnny was the feisty one, with Frank often having to help him out of scrapes. And it was Johnny who first entered the world of prizefighting, trading blows with fighters on the amateur and unlicensed scenes before going pro in 2007. For most of this punished by younger fighters in front of We follow the brothers down Frank was by his side, whether holding crowds who’d like nothing more than to the rabbit warren of stairwells and pads in the gym, managing fights, or at see him spread-eagled on the canvas in corridors into the wings, behind the locations from Dudley Town Hall to a puddle of his own blood? stage, where one of the ring girls is London’s O2 Arena. “It’s the ultimate test,” says Frank. fluffing the crowd with a heartbreaking “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for “Fight or flight. I’m far from an operatic aria, still in her low-cut leotard him,” says Frank. “I’ve been in the lion’s adrenaline junkie but, fuck me, what a and fishnet stockings. It’s surreal. den with Johnny more times than I can buzz. It’s like nothing else.” Warbling done, and the fighters are remember. It got to a point where I had Then he pauses for a moment, stops called into the ring. Frank enters first to put my money where my mouth was.” wrapping his hands and looks us dead through a cloud of dry ice to near So, last November, he turned pro, in the eye. “Listen, all that clichéd silence, except for a few four-letter a year after Johnny hung up his gloves. nonsense about how you can be catcalls and chants of ‘who are ya’. He Frank lost his first fight on points, but whoever you want to be. No, you can’t. gives a theatrical bow. Then comes won his second. And tonight, he is top I’m never going to be world champion Hayes and the audience erupts. “’Ave of the card, being paid £1,400 to fight a – But life is mundane. I spend most of the cunt, Joey,” and “Fucking kill him” 31-year-old ticket seller called Joe my time vegetating in a taxi and it’s are among the most discernible Hayes. boring as fuck. Life is about experience screams from ringside. Hayes is visibly Does he think he can win? “Let’s be and in 30 years’ time I’m not going to bigger than Frank, and his muscles are straight,” he says, binding his fists in be talking about the time I dropped an more defined – not to say Frank doesn’t tape. “I want to win and know I can. Do I old lady at King’s Cross, I’m going to be look in good shape. After a few final expect to win? No. This kid’s sold 200 talking about tonight.” words from their cornermen and tickets tonight so, at £35 a ticket, he’s instructions from the referee, the first bringing in seven grand.” IT’S TIME. The other fighters have drifted round of six is rung out. Hayes instantly home. The atmosphere turns eerily launches into a flurry of punishing FRANK IS AN OLD SPORTSMAN BY ANY quiet. Frank’s in the zone. Even Johnny, blows. STANDARD. Johnny says he fought to whose usual chatter makes Floyd “Get off the fucking ropes, Frank,” give his two kids a life he never had Mayweather sound like a grunting Johnny can be heard yelling over the growing up. But Frank has no children, adolescent, is silent. crowd’s deafening roar. “Work that , lives with wife Leanne, in South A muffled voice reverberates through Frank. Keep moving!” Frank seems to Ockendon, Essex, and drives a black the walls: “LADEEEEZ AND hear him, bouncing nimbly around most cab for a living. If he doesn’t do it for GENTLEMEN, IT’S TIME FOR OUR of the punches and throwing a few of the money, why does he choose to be MAIN EVENT.” his own to counter. The round ends with

52 AUGUST 2018 THE ATMOSPHERE RINGSIDE IS VISCERAL

FRANK’S YOUNGER BROTHER (AND EX-JOURNEYMAN) JOHNNY LOOKS ON FROM HIS CORNER

FRANK’S OPPONENT IS A LOCAL ‘TICKET SELLER’ NAMED JOE HAYES

AUGUST 2018 53 IN THE BUSINESS, A JOURNEYMAN IS A FIGURE OF RESPECT, NOT SHAME

a clear victory to Hayes. Round two is Frank’s lost none of his sense of more evenly matched. Frank throws more humour: “What? For being a fat cab punches and looks lighter on his feet. At driver a year ago?” one point, he even dances away from “He was, an’ all,” agrees Johnny, Hayes, gives a grinning shrug of the grinning from cauliflower ear to shoulders and mouths the words, “Is that cauliflower ear. “It was a bit emotional, all you got, mate?” though, to be fair. But I couldn’t be Judging by the crowd’s reaction, he prouder. Now, it’s been a stressful night. I might as well have pulled down his need a lager.” shorts and defecated in his opponent’s He goes to look for an off licence spit bucket. while the postmortem continues. “It was It is quite apparent Frank is way more tough, I knew I was in for a fight,” says than just cannon fodder. He is quick- Frank. “There were a couple of times footed, fast-punching and difficult to hit. where I felt like saying, ‘Will you just fuck have cancelled my next fight,” he He is a great boxer. Still, by the end of off mate?’ But it’s frustrating because in says. “So every cloud…” the third, red patches have formed the gym environment, I’d have boxed his It’s past midnight. The crowd’s around his kidneys and a dark bruise tits off. And I know I won at least a gone, a lone man is dismantling the below his right eye. The fourth and fifth couple of those rounds.” ring, and it’s a three-hour drive back rounds are kinder to Frank. A fan may Others nod in agreement. “But with the to Essex. Johnny’s returned and has well have awarded him both. By the sixth adrenaline and the crowd, it was always a four-pack of Tuborg under his arm. both look weary, and with the final bell, going to be tough mentally. That’s what “Who’s up for a good piss-up and they stumble back to their corners. It it’s like fighting on the road.” karaoke in the back of the car?” he doesn’t take long for the referee to call says, waving his beers. them to the centre of the ring. He takes IT DOESN’T REALLY MATTER TO FRANK THAT HE “Not tonight, John,” Frank replies Hayes’ hand and raises it. The decision is LOST. Yes, he says he’d like to have won, as we walk towards the car park. “The unanimous. but there’s something far more important promoter’s offered me another bout at stake: reputation. He may have lost in a few weeks so I’m back in the BACK IN THE AWAY DRESSING ROOM, THE but he lost well. He fought with skill and gym tomorrow. You know I never ATMOSPHERE IS FAR FROM SOMBRE. It’s heart and, above all, put on a great show. drink before a fight.” almost as busy as when we arrived as And that is a golden ticket to any other fighters pile in to congratulate promoter with a war chest of untested Frank and Johnny train fighters Frank. “That was a great fight,” says one. fighters and pound signs for pupils. “If I’d at Peacock Gym in East London. “Well done, mate.” have won tonight, they would probably See peacockgym.com

54 AUGUST 2018 A POSTMORTEM INTO THE NIGHT’S RESULT BEGINS IN THE DRESSING ROOM

THE GREATEST BRITISH JOURNEYMEN OF ALL TIME PETER BUCKLEY KRISTIAN LAIGHT JOHNNY GREAVES JODY MEIKLE DANIEL THORPE

Boxing expert Mark Among others, he Known as ‘Mr He turned the A lovable lunatic, A gifted operator Turley – author of impressively fought Reliable’, he may unappreciated who has been in who once put world Journeymen: The five world champs, well surpass journeyman art into prison four times, champ Ricky Burns Other Side Of The including Prince Buckley’s record entertainment. Jody routinely has on his arse. He Boxing Business, Naseem Hamed. before retirement. He’d give audiences howling even held the A New Perspective None of them A defensive master, opponents a little with laughter. He Central Area title On The Noble Art, knocked him out. he has fought from kiss, throw an is the only fighter at one time. He published by Pitch In fact, in a 19-year featherweight all Ali-shuffle or make in UK boxing eventually took the – picks his top five pro career, often the way up to faces at the crowd. history to have journeyman path as fighting three or light-middleweight. Never KO’d, he ‘excessive a way to make a four times a month, stood up to some clowning’ given living, retiring from he never even of the best around as an official the scene in 2011. got cut. despite smoking reason for points 20 a day. being deducted. ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY: REX, GETTY, ALAMY GETTY, REX, ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY:

AUGUST 2018 55 56 AUGUST 2018 KRISTY ANN Kristy is a goal driven American glamour model that has appeared in movies, commercials, music videos and on billboards.

Photography by Charles Williams, MUA by Tashy Marie Makeup

AUGUST 2018 57 58 AUGUST 2018 AUGUST 2018 59 Tell us about a bit about yourself? I’d best describe myself as driven, I set goals and constantly work hard to achieve them. I’d like to think I’m hysterically funny, at least people are always laughing when I’m around. My family is my main priority in my life.

What was your initial reaction when you were chosen to shoot for FHM? I was so excited, FHM has always been on my bucket list for publications so this is truly an honour.

How do you prepare for a shoot? I don’t eat for 6 months. Just kidding! A lot goes in to preparation, I definitely kick things up at the gym and eat very clean. Then of course there is finding the perfect wardrobe, spray tan, nails, hair, make up and coming up with the perfect location and concept.

Describe your perfect man Someone who is just real and unapologetically themselves. They have to be confident, adventurous, intelligent and have a great sense of humour.

What is your ideal date? During the day, something adventurous or athletic ending with a picnic of fancy cheeses. At night, a romantic dinner and an outing to a casino or a show.

What do you do for fun? I love to work out, hike, really anything that gets my heart rate up. I love murder mysteries, spontaneous road trips and of course shopping.

Tell us a bit about your most embarrassing moment Well I’m super clumsy and socially awkward so there are many. One time when I was on a first date and feeling so sexy; hair, make up, outfit, everything was on point. I went to the restroom and my date was waiting at the end of the hall for me, this was my moment to strut my stuff all the way to him, but as I got closer I could see he had an odd look on his face, turns out the whole time I was strutting my stuff to him I had the longest piece of toilet paper stuck to the bottom of my shoe.

What would you say is the most difficult part about being a model? My biggest challenge as a model so far, would probably be dealing with other people’s opinions and negativity. I love modelling and I’m very comfortable in my own skin but people can be judgmental.

What are you most looking forward to doing this year? I have a lot of exciting modelling jobs and travel coming up. I love to travel so I always look forward to that.

Lastly, what is your life motto? Or a quote that means a lot to you? “I didn’t come this far, to only come this far.”

60 AUGUST 2018 AUGUST 2018 61 62 AUGUST 2018 AUGUST 2018 63 A T U R E I N F G THE EVER-RAD HIGH PRIEST OF PRONGS

BBQ YOUR LIFE BRILLIANT

TRUE BBQ NEVER DIES. THE EMBERS GO OUT, THE COALS (OR FANCY CHERRY SMOKE WOODCHIPS) GET CHUCKED, THE DISHES ARE WASHED AND THE CANS RECYCLED, BUT THE ESSENCE OF THE THING LIVES ON INSIDE EVERY MAN THAT WAS PRESENT. IN THAT RESPECT, IT’S A BIT LIKE WAR. BUT INSTEAD OF THE DEAFENING RATTLE OF ASSAULT RIFLES AND BELLOWING DRILL SERGEANTS, YOU GET THE SIZZLE OF SAUSAGE MEAT AND THE GENTLE, SEMI-PISSED CONVERSATIONAL BABBLE OF OLD ACQUAINTANCES. MUCH THING IS, THERE ARE BBQS AND THEN THERE ARE BBQS. AND WE VERY MUCH WANT YOUR GRILL-OUT TO BE OF THE LATTER VARIETY. THE KIND. THE KIND THAT GO DOWN IN CULINARY HISTORY. THE KIND THAT PEOPLE DON’T MENTION WITHOUT INTO A NOSTALGIC SWEAT, COMPLETE WITH TEARS FORMING IN THE CORNERS OF EYES. FOLLOW THIS ADVICE AND YOU’LL ACHIEVE ALL THIS AND MORE…

Photography: James Byrne, Marco Vittur

64 AUGUST 2018

BBQ YOUR LIFE BRILLIANT NEVER MESS UP A STEAK EVER (ever) AGAIN

Forget rubs and marinades for the moment. That stuff’s all for nothing if you don’t know the basics of grilling up an immaculate, mouth-watering T-bone steak. Here are DJ BBQ’s tips for getting your fleshy fundamentals down pat:

“Steak you want on a hot heat. Always. There’s a sweet point on the charring. If you take it too far, the steak goes bitter. “Hit it for about a minute, no more. Then flip it. That’s how you get good searing. “Coat it in herb butter made from unsalted butter and (not too much) thyme while it cooks. The creaminess of butter with the woodiness of thyme is incredible. “Forget timers. Poke your Fillet is Sirloin is steak to see when it’s cooked. softer and tougher Unlike chicken and pork, the melts in but has inside of steak is sterile. When your mouth more flavour you poke it, you don’t want too much punchback, unless you want it well done. “Once it’s cooked, let the steak rest for five minutes. This allows the juices to go back into the muscle, preventing a dry steak. While it’s resting, apply pepper. You don’t want to apply pepper beforehand because a lot of black pepper goes acrid when you cook it.”

66 AUGUST 2018 OPEN UP YOUR BBQ HEART TO YOUR LIFE QUALITY BRILLIANT TOOLMANSHIP

Dig, if you will, a picture: it’s an enchanted forest and you and your band of plucky adventurers are about to ambush a brigade of heavily armoured Orcs. Do you equip yourself with marshmallow helmets and spears fashioned from marzipan? No! You grab the most reliable armaments you can find. A barbecue is no different. So get yourself some of these. GRANT CIDER A REPRIEVE THE WRONG TONG There are few sights less becoming than a man with an inappropriate set of Cider? Who likes cider? Goths and tongs. Grotesque is what it is. murderers, that’s who. Well, all that Don’t know what’s what? Here’s one piece of advice you can take to the tong changes the moment you pop open a bank right now: GO LONG. bottle of Älska cider and let its not-too- Longer means more leverage and less chance you’ll incinerate your cardigan sweet but super-fresh-tasting contents while you lean across the grill. Now, go get your tux on. We’re taking you to the touch your lips. pictures.

FOUR PEOPLE YOU SHOULD NEVER INVITE TO A BBQ

The veggie teetotaler Mr Man Vs Food Bear Oliver Any child under eight Don’t drink? Fine, whatever. This greedy trough-pig views This shitbird thinks he’s the years old Don’t meat? Each to their own. a barbecue as a competitive lovechild of Bear Grylls and “Don’t like burgers!” “Can But if you do neither then you eating competition: you’ll Jamie Oliver, despite the fact I have a go doing cooking?” have no place at a murder- clock him goal-hanging around he couldn’t get his tent up at “Onions are yacky!” “Waaah!” flavoured liver-destruction the barbie in his elasticated V festival last year and can’t “I dropped my lolly!” “I burned party. We’re all going to be over trackie bottoms, eyeing up even do scrambled eggs. my hand on the hot!” “Don’t here, staggering around and every freshly cooked item Nevertheless, he chuckles like sausages!” “Waaaaah!” swearing, covered head to toe and patting his pork-warped wryly at your attempts to “I dropped my lolly again!” “Can in blood and grease, and you’re belly as he blurps, “Seriously, get the coals glowing; he I have McNuggets?” “Pickles going to be over there, tsk-ing I couldn’t – although, maybe tut-tut-tuts nervously as you are yacky!” “Waaaaaaaah!” at everyone through a grilled just a couple of those wings, rearrange your grill; he sighs “I burned myself again!” Piss pepper. Booo to you. eh?” He’ll cost you a small derisively as you turn your off, mate. Just fuck the piss off. fortune in Taste The Difference steaks over; he falls to the burgers alone. floor screaming as you jam your tongs into his dickhead eyes.

AUGUST 2018 67 ZING YOUR THING

“My grandfather used to put salt on everything,” says DJ BBQ. “Especially grapefruits and watermelon. This is special salt: SEASON we used dehydrated lime, mixed with chilli powder and sea salt.” UP Dust your meat and veg in some of this…

Sprinkle some Sous Chef Cajun Santa Maria BBQ Sous Chef Lime Spice Blend on Grill & Mesquite Fleur De Sel on a fishy dishy is smells like True tomatoes and you’re just fintastic Detective. Don’t in flavour town ask why, it just does

DON’T DRESS LIKE A DICK

Look at this apron. Probably better

than the apron you were gonna wear, right? You know the one that has stains on stains on stains. The one that even the neighbourhood foxes are scared of. The one that makes your four-year-old nephew cry. Yeah, it’s probably better than that one. Meat Cuts apron

DO NOT ABIDE INFERIOR MEAT

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THE EMOTIONAL 3pm Unfettered 3.15pm Outrage! 7pm Midway booze Midnight You are ROLLERCOASTER optimism. This is Steak has to marinate lull sluggishness. the Pork Prince THAT IS BBQ going to be the for 24 hours? What of Meat Mountain. How your barbecue will best meal ever. a ridiculous rate Chase the scavengers probably – nay, definitely – go of osmosis. from your home.

68 AUGUST 2018 BBQ BADASS YOUR LIFE BRILLIANT TIKKA BREAM Ingredients: Two whole MACHINE sea bream We want you to meditate not on the Finely grated idea of a delicious grilled fish that tastes fresh root of curry. Stop meditating. This fish can be ginger more than an idea. It can be a real thing. Garlic cloves, Think about that: the only thing stopping finely grated your from eating said fish is your inactive or crushed hands and arms. Let’s get moving! Plain yoghurt Olive oil Turmeric Mild chilli powder Cumin seeds Fresh parsley Beer (for drinking)

Step one: Slash open the skin of the whole Step two: Mix the yogurt with the oil, Step three: Cook straight on the rack six fish on each side with a sharp knife. Mix the spices and seasoning. Coat the fish with to eight minutes on each side of the fish. ginger and garlic, season with salt, then rub it it inside and out, then chill the damned thing all over the fish. until you’re ready to cook.

AUGUST 2018 69 THE LEGENDARY TEST OF TIME Bell & Ross Timepieces

70 AUGUST 2018 THE TIMELINE

espite its relatively novel of his lifelong entrepreneurial friend presence in the industry, Bell Carlos A. Rosillo (Bell and Ross, re- D& Ross has become a sought- spectively) for a university project. after brand among timepiece afi- This interaction was the catalyst cionados and collectors worldwide. upon which Bell & Ross was con- Historical aviation and military en- ceived, bridging the gap between deavours inspired the company to a conventional tool watch and a develop ingenious masterpieces masculine military gadget. Hence, that represent these thrilling pro- an illustrious wristwatch brand was fessions. Its captivating creations born. and emphasis on function, has re- sulted in an iconic and distinctive Their debut design, the “Bell & independence from Sinn with the timepiece that will, no doubt, leave Ross by Sinn,” was one of many first major success of its very own a lasting legacy. of their earlier creations produced line, the Bell & Ross Bomb Disposal by Sinn watches, rebranded un- Type – a timepiece specially craft- Bell & Ross was established in the der the Bell & Ross logo. Gaining ed for use by bomb squad mem- realm of horology in 1992 when substantial traction in the market- bers of France’s elite GIGN special Bruno Belamich solicited the help place, Bell & Ross welcomed its operations division.

AUGUST 2018 71 72 AUGUST 2018 HERITAGE

Operating under the guiding princi- of expert designers, engineers and watchmakers employ their unique ple of “function drives design”, the leading watchmakers collaborate artistry to envision, construct and company’s sole aspiration is to cre- to create ergonomically-designed perfect each Bell & Ross piece un- ate timepieces where every detail timepieces of technical precision. der only the strictest of quality con- is created with a subsequent pur- These masterpieces are not, how- trol measures and professional re- pose, its function. These timepieces ever, limited to those bound by the quirements. Supported by prompt are capable of withstanding severe exhilarating aquatic or aeronauti- responses to customer enquiries, conditions presented by extreme cal domains. Anyone with an ap- speedy repairs and parts delivery, professions in the marine, aviation preciation for the exceptional will trustworthy warranties along with and bomb disposal spheres. Such find themselves more than merely extensive services ranging from watches are able to endure severe content owning a timepiece of this maintenance, polishing and battery temperatures, intense accelera- distinction. replacements, Bell & Ross ensure tions or resist hazardous levels of their esteemed habitués are kept pressure - all whilst capturing the It is in the Swiss production facility contented and made to feel as re- essence of luxury timepieces: func- at La Chaux-de-Fonds that expert vered as they are by the brand. tion, quality and beauty.

To bring such a concept to fruition, Bell & Ross enlist the relevant com- petencies of pilots, astronauts, di- vers and bomb disposal specialists to design watches with superior functionality, serving as the ideal ally to complement a profession of the extreme. Moreover, a panel