For the previous a number of years, Bell & Ross has targeted closely on its BR 05 fashionable sports activities watch lineup — and for good cause. The BR 05 line captures the traditional Bell & Ross styling however does so in a glossy, toned-down, built-in sports activities watch package deal. But, if you happen to’ve been following the model, it’s seemingly that the aggressive, square-cased instrument watches come first to thoughts when pondering of the Parisian model. Fortunately, Bell & Ross hasn’t deserted its roots. For Watches and Wonders 2023, Bell & Ross is introducing the BR 03-92 Diver White Bronze, a brand new dive watch that juxtaposes fashion, materials, and coloration for a novelty that’s old-school Bell & Ross in the very best means.
Bell & Ross is a model that embraces distinction. Primarily based in Paris, however manufactured in Switzerland (after an early lifetime of German manufacture), the model’s signature fashion was derived from learning the devices present in plane cockpits. This translated into the BR 01 line of square-cased instrument watches, however over time has diversified from pilot’s watches right into a broad array of purpose-driven timepieces, from chronographs to divers to GMT watches, accessible in a broad array of supplies and colours. Utilizing century-old fighter airplane devices as a platform for creating a chic and refined dive watch is splendidly contrarian.
With the brand new BR 03-92 Diver White Bronze, the model retains the contradictions coming. Except for packing a dive watch in a pilot’s watch case, the model has additionally opted for bronze because the case materials with fashionable case design and building. Subsequent, they distinction the blocky and aggressive case design with a delicate opaline silver dial and classic brown bezel insert. However right here’s the factor: It really works. Bell & Ross merely has a knack for taking contrasting kinds and parts and bringing them collectively in a harmonious package deal.
We’ve been utilizing bronze because the historic Sumerians found copper and tin-rich rocks within the Tigris Euphrates valley, however in recent times using the antediluvian materials has taken off within the watch world, due to each its heat luster and ever-changing patina that may be restored with a little bit of elbow grease. For this new launch, Bell & Ross makes use of a CuSn8 bronze that’s manufactured from 92% copper and eight% tin, leading to a bronze harking back to the fittings on outdated sailboats and traditional yachts. Applicable for a dive watch. The case measures in at 42mm, however being a sq. watch, it should have loads of wrist presence, particularly when coupled with Bell & Ross’s extensive lugs and broad straps.
The silver opaline dial is complemented by rose gold-plated utilized indices and a gold-plated handset, all of that are full of Tremendous-LumiNova. The nice and cozy hues of the palms and indices play off the tones of the case and are a beautiful distinction to the brown anodized aluminum bezel insert. Powering the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver White Bronze is the BR-CAL302 automated motion. Primarily based on the Swiss Made Sellita SW300-1, the motion is a lot strong for the 300m diver and can present 38 hours of energy reserve whereas beating at 28.8kbph.
The BR 03-92 Diver White Bronze is nothing if not fashionable in its execution, nevertheless it stays knowledgeable dive watch at its core, complying with ISO-6425 specs. It’s refreshing to see Bell & Ross return to its roots with the BR 03-92 however achieve this in a means that’s recent, colourful, and tough to outline. The Diver White Bronze isn’t aggressively fashionable, neither is it a classic throwback. It’s elegantly sculpted and completed, but undoubtedly falls into the software watch camp. It’s this embrace of contrasting kinds that makes the brand new BR 03-92 so intriguing. Out there as a restricted version of 999 items, the BR 03-92 Diver White Bronze is accessible for 4,800 €. For extra info, please go to the model’s web site.