Bell & Ross Watch To Accompany Michel Fourtier's Record-Smashing "Big Jump"

Bell & Ross watches have plumbed the depths of the ocean, and conquered the skies, marking significant and demanding moments of human acheivement. It is perhaps no surprise then, that the Swiss watch brand has chosen to equip intrepid French parachutist Michel Fournier in his upcoming stratospheric skydive, which if successful, will smash all existing high altitude sky dives including the pressurized 31,300-meter jump of American Joseph Kittinger, and the 24,483-meter free parachute dive of Russian Evgeny Andreyev. Both of these records have stood since 1960.

In late May 2008, over Saskatchewan, Canada, Michel Fournier will ascend within a pressurized capsule attached to a balloon, to an near-space altitude of 40,000 meters, or nearly 25 miles! Upon completion of his monumental leap, Fournier will be able to claim several world records at once; these include experiencing the longest free-fall, which will have a duration of 6 minutes and 25 seconds, and being the first skydiver to surpass the speed of sound. Not just a colossal milestone for the human spirit, "The Big Jump" promises to be a treasure trove for science and medicine, as it will provide invaluable insight into how the body performs and reacts under exceptional and unusual stresses.

The Bell & Ross BR 02 Instrument watch will accompany Fournier during the course of the historic "Big Jump". Just as intensive conditioning of mind and body are crucial to the success and survival of Michel Fournier himself, no ordinary timepiece can be expected to endure the drastic pressure variations, excruciatingly low temperatures, G-forces, and cosmic radiation that this event will subject it to. In every aspect, both inside and out, this Bell & Ross timepiece has been uncompromisingly designed to handle such stresses and provide absolute reliability.

More information on "The Big Jump" can be obtained at: http://www.legrandsaut.org/