Nocturnal Camouflage – The New Bell & Ross BR03-92 Black Camo

After incursions into the world of sports cars (with the Aero-GT collection) and the Formula 1 field (with the BR-X1 RS16 or the brand new RS17 collection), after skull-inspired watches and even high-end watchmaking, Bell & Ross returns to its beloved roots: military pieces. Stealth, dark, inspired by military-specifications, highly legible but still very much integrated in its environment, here is the new Bell & Ross BR03-92 Black Camo.

Back to basics. No more digressions around cars or complicated movements (no complaints though, there were some pretty cool watches in those collections) but instead a watch that will make the brand’s aficionados happy. The new Bell & Ross BR03-92 Black Camo couldn’t be more B&R. Like it or not, this is what the brand stands for and arguably, this is what B&R is best known for: the instrument watch, the “round within a square“, with stealth looks and dark colors. And to perfectly finish the job, a camo-pattern on the dial, just to be sure the military lineage is clear. This watch might not be the revolution of the year but it is quite cool. Period!

From left to right: the BR03-92 Phantom, the BR03-92 Comando and finally, the one that blends both looks, the BR03-92 Black Camo

In its history, Bell & Ross has developed several watches for professional elite units such as GIGN (Special Operations Unit of the French National Gendarmerie) and RAID (Search, Assistance, Intervention, Deterrence Unit of the French National Police Force), and according to their requirements, they needed / wanted these watches to be perfectly integrated into their uniforms and to be anti-reflective and almost invisible. This was the raison d’être of two previous editions, the BR03-92 Phantom and the BR03-92 Comando, two watches with monochromatic color schemes and entirely matte (to avoid reflections) finishings. The new BR03-92 Black Camo (short for camouflage) is a step further in the Bell & Ross stealth watch series.

Based on the traditional square case with a round bezel and dial (reminiscent of onboard-instruments found in military planes), the Bell & Ross BR03-92 Black Camo is made from matte black ceramic. The case chosen here is the smaller version, meaning 42mm x 42mm. Light, scratch-resistant and generally antireflective, this case befits the camouflage concept. It is secured to the wrist by a matte black rubber strap – an ultra-resilient black synthetic fabric is also included in the box.

The main attraction of this new BR03-92 Black Camo is of course its dial, using an original military-type tricolor style, with a patchwork of matte greys. As usual, it features the traditional codes of the brand, with a “sandwich” architecture – the dial is composed of two plates, one on the lowest level with a black luminescent paint and a second one on top, with 3, 6, 9, 12 cutaway numerals. The hands are also coated with matte black luminescent paint, for a dark and stealth look during the day, without forgetting the need for night-time legibility. A date window is discreetly integrated at 4:30. The pattern on the dial is actually rather discreet when worn and the three types of matte grey blend together – although it’s worth noting that the dial offers some nice texture and contrast, as this camo look is not just the result of a single printing process.

Inside the case is a reliable, robust and precise Swiss automatic movement (calibre BR-CAL.302, based on a Sellita SW200). It provides hours, minutes and seconds on the central axis, with a 4Hz frequency and a 38h power reserve. The new BR03-92 Black Camo is now available at B&R boutiques and retailers, as well as on the official B&R webshop, and priced at EUR 3,400. More details on bellross.com.

Technical Specifications – Bell & Ross BR03-92 Black Camo

• Case: 42mm x 42mm – matte black ceramic – sapphire crystal on top – ceramic caseback – 100m water resistant
• Movement: calibre BR-CAL.302, based on a Sellita SW200 – automatic – 4Hz frequency – 38h power reserve – hours, minutes, seconds, date
• Strap: matte black rubber strap with black PVD-coated pin-buckle – additional black synthetic fabric strap included
• Reference: BR0392-CAMO-CE
• Availability: May 2017
• Price: EUR 3,400