Whenever we think of ballroom dancers, Fred Astaire is the first name that springs to mind. And whenever we think of Fred Astaire, we picture his effortless style and rakish charm. After all, the man was famous for wearing a necktie as a belt, proving that a little bit of quirkiness goes a long way when balancing aesthetics and athletics.
Tony Dovolani, from TV’s Dancing with the Stars, has a similar debonair bohemian vibe. As a professional ballroom dancer, it’s Dovolani’s job to make his amateur partners look light on their feet—however challenging that may be. Over the years, this has led to many unusual partnerships with celebrities, including wrestler Stacy Keibler, reality TV personalities NeNe Leakes and Melissa Rycroft and, this season, fashion designer Betsey Johnson.
The BR03 Golden Heritage Chronograph
Likewise, Dovlani and his current watch of choice—the BR03 Golden Heritage Chronograph from Bell & Ross’s Aviation collection—make for an oddly elegant matchup. The French company is best known for producing timepieces that look like instruments ripped from the control panel of an airplane. But the Golden Heritage, which debuted at Baselworld in 2013, tweaks the military appearance of the BR03’s boxy shape by adding dressy touches, like a 42 mm satin-finished steel case, a rich, chocolately brown dial and gold applied markers.
Even the Golden Heritage’s chronograph function feels a little more formalized, with two discrete registers as well as a subtle date window placed just beneath the small seconds dial. The piece has a power reserve of 37 hours and is powered by an ETA 2894 automatic chronograph mechanical movement.
These little details win big points with our judges. They also make The Golden Heritage very versatile: while you couldn’t get away with wearing it with a top hat and tails, it will look terrific while you tango in a suit or lindy hop in jeans.
