There are a lot of very serious and high minded reasons people love watches. Their place in history and culture, the science and engineering behind the mechanical movements that power them, and of course their existence as fascinating design objects all play a role in our enthusiasm. Bell & Ross?s new release, the BR V2-94 FULL LUM, certainly taps into all three of those areas, but the real appeal of this watch lies in something far more elemental: we like things that glow in the dark. 

Fully lumed dials are nothing new, and Bell & Ross themselves have gone down this path before, but there?s a childlike fascination with these dials that bubbles up to the surface everytime we see one of these, and the new release from B&R appears to be a particularly well executed example. Bell & Ross starts with the BR V2 chronograph, their medium sized, two-register aviation inspired chrono. This is a watch with a 41mm case that sits between the larger BR V3 (reviewed here) and the more classically proportioned BR V1 collections. It?s a simple enough design template, with a running seconds register at 3:00, a thirty minute totalizer at 9:00, and a timing bezel for good measure. Bell & Ross utilizes their trademark oversized 12 and 6 Arabics and stealthy 4:30 date window here as well. It?s a solid steel sports watch that?s the clear flip side to the brand?s square cased, instrument inspired watches. 
In daylight, the dial appears to take on a soft, pas...