Tom Austin
Bell & Ross has released BR-03, three skeletonized versions of the Cornerstone Square Collection. Available in ceramic or steel are three versions: black ceramic, steel and the ceramic rum version in Brightroom. This collection celebrates 20 years of the BR-03 and houses a Sellita SW300-based BR-Cal.328.
Pilot watches are practically present as long as the plane has. The Wright brothers flew by plane in 1903, and Louis Cartier developed the Cartier Santos in 1904 for his aviator friend, Alberto Santos Dumont. Since then, we have seen countless brands produce watches specifically designed to support the concept of air travel. However, one brand turned pilot watch ideas to their heads in the early 2000s and instead of generating something to support aviation, they took inspiration from cockpit dials and instruments to transform them into a unique and distinctive wristwatch.
In 2005, the Bell & Ross BR-01 was introduced. Despite being in front of social media, the bold, cockpit-inspired design has almost gone viral. This was followed by the smaller, more wearable BR-03 in 2006. Twenty years later, Bell & Ross released the latest interpretation of the BR-03, celebrating 20 years of square watches with the BR-03 skeleton collection.
Capturing the appeal of its cockpit instruments has long been a feature of the BR-03, and this new collection is completely true to the concept of a square watch. The BR-03 skeleton comes in three variations and two materials, each with its own character based on the 41mm size. The first one is BR-03 black ceramic. This is found in microbloated black ceramic, as the name suggests. This is the most traditional of the three, with an overall look that follows the original. At 10.6mm thick, it’s the middle child of this collection, but for a large 41mm watch, it’s not too big. The next piece is BR-03 skeleton gray steel. This is slightly thinner at 9.65mm. This is probably because there is less material needed to maintain a water resistance of 100 meters. Finally, the final piece is another ceramic, BR-03 skeleton lamb ceramic, again 41mm, but this time it’s 11.25mm thick thanks to the faceted 3D dial.
Each case shows the aesthetics we know from the BR-03. Rounded corners are heavy bevels around, with four screws on each corner bolting everything together. A short, square rug finishes the case. It is not noticeable in the square design and is excavated to turn the strap into a cake.
Opening the dial on the watch can be a challenging task. It’s not as easy as introducing a strategically placed series of holes to expose interesting parts of the movement. This often leads to a clock dial that looks messy and is pretty lazy at best. Bell & Ross took a more specific route for the BR-03 and announced three options throughout the series. The first of the BR-03 black ceramic is a colored semi-transparent panel that allows you to see the entire movement underneath, giving the dial text a cool, floating look. Large applique numbers and indexes filled with white Super Luminova finish the dial with signatures, giant 12, 6, 9 and 3 markers.
The BR-03 skeleton gray steel adopts a more modern turn and offers a steel dial in the same material as the case. This time, it features skeletonized features in the style of X, the theme that runs the collection. An interesting part of the gray steel model is how the dial is reassuring with its 3D facets, giving it a depth of the dial and an eye-catching dramatic look. The stepped chapter rings catch your eye towards the center, with a cleaner, more modern design, especially without oversized numbers. There are also changes to the finishing touches from the brushed steel to the case to the center of the microblove blast, adding textures without oversaturating the design with the brush.
Finally, the collection’s halo dial will be featured in the BR-03 Skeleton Ram Ceramic, combining the other two elements to introduce a considerable amount of luminescent material. I have to say that this setup is hindering readability, but I don’t think it’s very important for a watch like this. The black ceramic dial plate features a series of cutaways, again laid out in an X shape, placed on panels in the same shade as the black ceramic. When you turn off the lights, this watch is really lively and it looks very cool, Bell & Ross is getting pretty good.
For the BR-03 ceramic, Bell & Ross has introduced a new movement specifically designed for this series. This Br-Cal.328 is constructed to be perfectly suited to frame the dial. The upper bridge forms an X shape that can be seen through the open work of the dial. Built by Sellita for Bell & Ross, based on the manufacturer’s SW300-1 automatic movement. It is known as a clone of ETA 2892. It is a solid, reliable caliber, beating at 28,800Vph with a 54-hour power reserve. There are no complicated decorations here, but that’s not really in Bell & Ross style.
All three watches feature the same strap system. The black rubber combined with black rubber is designed to be super sensitive and comfortable to wear. The straps are finished with stainless steel pin buckles either in brushed steel finish for grey steel models or in matte black PVD coating for black ceramic models. The straps are easily replaced for other options thanks to the excavated lug. The military appearance of most of the watches also looks great on the black woven straps.
The BR-03 Skeleton Collection is an excellent implementation of how to run open dials. The brand takes significant risks when revealing the movement, especially when it comes to ready-made calibers, but Bell & Ross took the time to commission this new collection with a variant of the movement, especially in particular. It’s important details and shows effort, so if it’s due then you’re creditable. Are clocks perfect as tools for jet setters and military aviators? Compared to things like IWC’s major pilots, they are not accurate, but they are not designed. The BR-03 is inspired by the cockpit of the aircraft and is intended to create responses and emotions for the wearer and those who view them, making them look good.
If I had to criticise, I feel that at the price, if you’re not used to French brands, it’s a challenging buy. The BR-03 skeleton buyers are stubborn Bell & Ross fans, but starting at 4,990 pounds on steel models and rising just for others, the BR-03 skeleton faces serious competition with the excellent on-paper spec. Overall, this collection is a wonderful celebration of 20 years of this current signature model. Let’s take a look at what 20 more years will bring.
Bell & Ross BR-03 Skeleton Pricing and Availability
The Bell & Ross BR-03 Skeleton is available from Bell & Ross retailers. Skeleton rum and grey steel models are limited to 250 units. Price: $9,300, £4,900 (Gray Steel), $9,900, £5,500 (Black Ceramic), $10,800, £5,900 (Lum Ceramic)
Brand Bell & Ross Model BR-03 Skeleton Black Ceramic
BR-03 Skeleton Grey Steel
BR-03 Skeleton LUM Ceramic Reference BR03A-BL-SKCE/SRB
BR03A-GR-SKST/SRB
BR03A-LM-SKCE/SRB Case Dimensions 41mm(d) x 10.6mm
