Tom Austin
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Bell & Ross have released three skeletonised versions of its cornerstone square collection, the BR-03.Available in ceramic or steel, there are three versions: a black ceramic, a steel, and a ceramic Lum version with bright lume.The collection celebrates 20 years of the BR-03, and houses the Sellita SW300-based BR-CAL.328.Pilots’ watches have been around for practically as long as aeroplanes have. The Wright brothers took flight in 1903, and Louis Cartier developed the Cartier Santos for his aviator friend Alberto Santos-Dumont in 1904. Since then, we’ve seen countless brands produce watches specifically designed to assist the concept of air travel. One brand, however, managed to turn the idea of a pilot’s watch on its head in the early 2000s, and rather than produce something to assist aviation, took inspiration from cockpit dials and instruments, and turned them into unique and characterful wristwatches.In 2005, the Bell & Ross BR-01 was introduced. Despite being a time before social media, it almost went viral for its bold, cockpit-inspired design. This was followed in 2006 by the smaller and more wearable BR-03. Twenty years later, Bell & Ross has released its latest interpretation of the BR-03, celebrating two decades of the square watch with the BR-03 Skeleton collection.Capturing that cockpit instrument appeal has long been a feature of the BR-03, and this new collection remains true to the concept of perfectly square watches. The BR-03 Skeleton is available in three variations and two materials, each with its own unique character, based around a 41mm size. The first is the BR-03 Black Ceramic, which, as the name suggests, is in microblasted black ceramic. This is the most traditional of the three, with an overall look more in keeping with the original. At 10.6mm thick, it’s the middle child in this collection, but for a large 41mm watch, it’s not too oversized. The next piece is the BR-03 Skeleton Grey Steel, which is slightly thinner at 9.65mm, presumably because it requires less material to maintain its 100-meter water resistance. Finally, the last piece is another ceramic, the BR-03 Skeleton Lum Ceramic, once again at 41mm, but this time at 11.25mm thick, thanks to the faceted, three-dimensional dial.Each case showcases the aesthetic we know from the BR-03: the rounded corners with heavy bevels all around, and the four screws in each corner bolting everything together. Short, squared lugs finish off the case, which are not obtrusive to the square design and are drilled to make changing the straps a piece of cake.Opening up dials on watches can be a challenging task; it’s not as simple as just introducing a series of strategically placed holes to expose interesting parts of the movement. This often just leads to a watch dial looking messy, and is fairly lazy at best. Bell & Ross have taken a more specific route for the BR-03, unveiling three options across the series. The first on the BR-03 Black Ceramic is a tinted, semi-transparent panel that allows you to see the entire movement underneath and gives the dial text that cool, floating look. Large applique numerals and indexes, filled with white Super-LumiNova, finish off the dial with the signature, huge 12, 6, 9, and 3 markers.The BR-03 Skeleton Grey Steel takes a more contemporary turn, offering a steel dial in the same material as the case, this time with skeletonised features in the style of an X, a theme that runs through the collection. The interesting part of the Grey Steel model is the way the dial is relieved with three-dimensional facets, giving the dial depth and an eye-catching, dramatic look. The stepped chapter ring draws your eye in towards the centre, especially without the oversized numerals, and opts for a cleaner, more modern design. There’s also a change in finishes, from brushed steel to match the case, to a microblasted centre section, which adds texture without over-saturating the design with brushing.Finally, the halo dial in the collection is featured on the BR-03 Skeleton Lum Ceramic, combining elements of the other two and introducing a substantial amount of luminescent material. I have to say, this setup does hamper legibility, but I don’t think it matters too much on a watch like this. The black ceramic dial plate features a series of cutaways, again laid out in an X-shape, over the same tinted panel as the Black Ceramic. Turn off the lights, and this watch really comes alive, and it looks damn cool, something Bell & Ross are getting pretty good at.For the BR-03 Ceramic, Bell & Ross has introduced a new movement specifically designed for this series. This BR-CAL.328 is constructed in such a way that it suits the skeletonisation of the dials perfectly. The upper bridges form an X shape, visible through the open workings of the dials. It’s built for Bell & Ross by Sellita, based on the manufacturer’s SW300-1 automatic movement. Known as the clone of the ETA 2892, it is a solid and reliable calibre, beating at 28,800vph with a power reserve of 54 hours. There’s no intricate decoration here, but that sort of thing isn’t really Bell & Ross’ style.All three watches feature the same strap system, a black rubber combined with a black synthetic, designed to be ultra-resilient and comfortable to wear. The straps are finished with a stainless steel pin buckle, either in a brushed steel finish for the Grey Steel model or a matte black PVD coating to match the black ceramic models. The straps can easily be swapped out for other options thanks to drilled lugs, and the almost military-like look of the watches would look awesome on a black textile strap, too.The BR-03 Skeleton Collection is an excellent execution of how an open dial should be done. Brands take significant risks when exposing a movement, especially when it’s just an off-the-shelf calibre, but Bell & Ross took the time to commission a movement variant specifically for this new collection. That’s a significant detail and shows effort, so credit where it’s due. Are the watches perfect as tools for the jet-setters or military aviators? Compared to something like an IWC Big Pilot, not exactly, but they’re not designed to be. The BR-03 is intended just to look awesome, inspired by the cockpits of aircraft, and create reactions and emotions for the wearer and anyone who sees them.If I had to criticise, I feel that at the price point, it’s a challenging buy if you’re new to the French brand. The buyer of a BR-03 Skeleton being a die-hard Bell & Ross fan is fine, but starting at 4,990 for the steel model and only going up for the others, the BR-03 Skeleton faces some serious competition with superior on-paper specs. Overall, the collection is an excellent celebration of two decades of this now-signature model. Let’s see what another two decades bring.Bell & Ross BR-03 Skeleton pricing and availabilityThe Bell & Ross BR-03 Skeleton is available now through Bell & Ross retailers. The Skeleton Lum and Grey Steel models are limited to 250 pieces. Price: A$9,300, 4,900 (Grey Steel), A$9,900, 5,500 (Black Ceramic), A$10,800, 5,900 (Lum Ceramic)?BrandBell & RossModelsBR-03 Skeleton Black CeramicBR-03 Skeleton Grey SteelBR-03 Skeleton Lum CeramicReferenceBR03A-BL-SKCE/SRBBR03A-GR-SKST/SRBBR03A-LM-SKCE/SRBCase Dimensions41mm (D) x 10.6mm (T) (Black Ceramic)41mm (D) x 9.65mm (T) (Grey Steel)41mm (D) x 11.25mm (T) (Lum Ceramic)Case MaterialStainless steel (Grey Steel)Microblasted black ceramic (Black Ceramic, Lum Ceramic)Water Resistance100 metresCrystal(s)Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coatingDialOpenStrapBlack rubber with synthetic, steel pin buckle (PVD coated on ceramic models)MovementBR-CAL.328, Sellita base, automaticPower Reserve54 hoursFunctionsHours, minutes, secondsAvailabilityAvailable now, unrestricted production (Black Ceramic)Limited edition of 250 pieces (Grey Steel, Lum Ceramic)Price4,900 (Grey Steel)5,500 (Black Ceramic)5,900 (Lum Ceramic)
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