Wristwatch Journal
While Bell & Ross is mostly known for its relation with military forces and its robust pilot’s watches, we have to keep in mind that diver’s had always been a centre of interest for the brand – remember the oil-filled Hydromax and its 11,000m water-resistance, or the BR02 collection. Not so long ago, the brand revived the aquatic watch concept and merged it with its signature squared case, giving birth to an impressive tool, the BR 03-92 Diver. Today, it’s back in a boutique and e-boutique exclusive limited edition, with a bold orange attire.
A dive watch in a squared case feels unusual at first since this kind of instruments requires a rotating bezel – it is one of the mandatory features to comply with the IS0 6425 standards for dive watches. Still, Bell & Ross is known for more than 10 years for its bold design, explained as a “circle within a square”. Indeed, the original BR01 concept was ready to see some salty waters and just needed some updates, so to comply with the classical features of a diver’s timepiece. The result is the BR 03-92 Diver, a watch that has been very well received by the enthusiasts and has since proven its sub-aquatic capacities.
Since 2017 and the inaugural black dial version, the brand has created multiple iterations, in steel, in bronze or in ceramic. The latest addition to the collection is a limited edition, exclusively available from the brand’s boutiques (off- and online). The Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver Orange retains its signature squared case with 42mm x 42mm dimensions. The surfaces are brushed, radially on top or vertically on the casebands, with polished accents – large bevel on the side and polished screws. The case is topped by a unidirectional bezel with a 60-minute scale printed on a black anodized aluminium insert. A 2.85mm thick sapphire crystal protects the watch.
The Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver isn’t just a design statement, as it complies with the IS0 6425 standards. It is equipped with a screw-down crown, large guard to protect the crown, a screwed caseback and a 300m water-resistance. The crown is covered in rubber, for improved ergonomics. Finally, a soft-iron cage protects the movement against magnetic fields.
Main novelty for this edition is the use of bold, bright orange for the dial – a colour often associated with diving instruments and sea rescue missions. To provide greater contrast, the hands and applied metal indexes are blackened, while largely filled with white Super-LumiNova. The combination of white, black and orange makes dial perfectly legible. The display consists of central H-M-S and date at 4:30, with a tone-on-tone disc.
The watch is powered by a solid automatic movement, the Calibre BR-CAL.302 based on the Sellita SW-300, with 4Hz frequency and 38h power reserve. It remains hidden under a closed stainless steel caseback, engraved with a diver’s motif. The BR 03-92 Diver Orange is delivered in a water-resistant professional box, with 2 straps – one black rubber, one orange fabric – as well as a tool to change the straps.
Price and availability
The Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver Orange is a limited edition of 250 pieces, available from the brand’s own boutiques as well as on the e-boutique here. It is priced at EUR 3,500 and available now.
