The Bell & Ross BR01 Aviation instrument panel watch is my dream watch. Ever since I read about Bell & Ross over a year ago in Watch Time magazine, I’ve been bitten by the bug. There’s only one problem, I don’t have the money for a premium watch. I may never have the money to buy a $4200 Bell & Ross BR01-92 Carbon Model. In fact, ever since the recession of 2008, my household income has been driven no where but down by the economy. We’ve been far more concerned about building an economic survival plan than building up money for luxury items. How can I satisfy my selfish “need” for a Bell & Ross watch? How can I maneuver into a position to comfortably buy a Bell & Ross watch without placing my wife and I in financial jeopardy?
There is no fast fix that will allow me to own a Bell & Ross watch. No watch fairy will steal into my home in the dead of night to leave me the watch of my dreams. There are only a few options to put my mind at ease:
1. Be satisfied with a lesser watch
2. Save and sacrifice
3. Risk and succeed
An examination of these options reveals more about a person than a timepiece.
Be Satisfied. I already have many watches and some of them successfully mimic the Bell & Ross BR01 instrument panel look. For example, I have a $10 watch from Walmart that looks like an instrument panel. One of my Mossimo watches from Target looks identical to the squared off look of a Bell & Ross. The markings and fonts on the face even bear a close resemblance. Even some higher end names are getting in on the instrument panel act. However, in my heart, I know these other watches are merely imitators. Plus, this is America. Our economy depends on us striving and succeeding.
Save and Sacrifice. My forefather’s would have counseled that hard work, saving, and sacrifice would eventually bear fruit. If I saved $35 a month for about 10 years, I could just go out and buy my own original Bell & Ross watch. Of course, in a decade, many things can happen. Right now, we’re always trying to sense impending layoffs. There’s a pretty good chance that $35 per month would be spent on an emergency car repair, a medical expense, or a down payment on a major purchase. Scrimping and saving is certainly important in this economy. But, thrift by its very nature precludes blowing big money on a nice watch. If you’re thrifty, financial security means you can stop eating super cheap foods. Perhaps, for those who wear such high dollar watches, the sacrifice has come in the form of medical school, law school, punishment on the gridiron, or long hours building a business? If I want a high dollar luxury item, what sacrifices am I willing to make? There is no easy answer.
Risk and Succeed. Setting aside the old money trust fund recipients, people who can buy expensive watches and the other trappings of material wealth are successful. They have perfected in demand skills or they’ve taken risks and invested properly. They’ve put themselves out there and taken real risks in order to be successful. They’ve built a business, performed on the big stage, or written that successful book or screenplay. In the world of luxury watches, Bell & Ross watches are relatively reasonably priced. However, the big name fine jewelry watches are certainly for the rich and famous. Any dream requires a plan, a time table, and concrete steps to achieve that plan.
Of course, a watch is merely a watch. It’s just a material possession. As such, it means little. Any quartz watch can provide the time. At its worst, any flashy high dollar possession asserts social status and dominance over the less fortunate. However, at its best, a high dollar watch can be a tangible symbol of personal achievement and success. It’s a well-earned reward for hard work, risk, and perseverance. A fine mechanical watch is also an example of old world craftsmanship, engineering excellence, hard work, and attention to detail. The problem in today’s economy is that hard-work, perseverance, and sacrifice have too often been rewarded with unemployment, foreclosure, and forced sacrifice. When I think about not having a Bell & Ross BR01 Instrument Panel watch, I realize that my longing isn’t just for a watch at all. I really want much more than a watch. I want us all to securely prosper again.
It’s not an unreasonable dream. After all, the Bell & Ross website says that the BR01-92 is only temporarily unavailable. This recession won’t last forever! Dream! Make your plan!
Other articles from this contributor:
How You Can Accomplish Your New Years Resolution
Wristwatch Review: A Tactical-style Watch from Walmart
Be A Man: Don’t Wear Pink Shirts!
