Bell & Ross aren’t naturally known for their dive watches, however, over the past 25 years, they’ve dived into the depths of dive watches, and in classic Bell & Ross style, created a dive watch collection as iconic as their aviation styled pieces.
Bell & Ross introduced its first dive watch back in 1997 when it first released the Hydromax, and went head to head with the best by achieving a world record for perfect watertightness to a depth of 11,100 metres. This was made possible by perfectly filling the case with a patented transparent fluorinated oil, a major innovation at the time.
It wasn’t until 2017 that Bell & Ross gave it’s dive watches the “Bell & Ross” treatment by re-designing the cases into their traditional aviation style square cases, giving them the look people know and love, but with the robustness that needs to come with a dive watch. Then in 2018, Bell & Ross ventured into the world of bronze, via a 42mm x 42mm dive watch, and the new BR 03-92 DIVER WHITE BRONZE is the 2023 iteration of this line.
Whilst there are many bronze dive watches now on the market, each have slightly different characteristics based on the mix of metals used to create the Bronze alloy. The alloy used for the BR 03-92 DIVER WHITE BRONZE is composed of 92% copper and 8% tin. Its tone is visually quite close to the classic fittings of old sail boats and classic yachts, while overlapping with the types of bronze so prized today by contemporary designers and architects. Whilst some bronze alloys can look quite yellow, the BR 03-92 DIVER WHITE BRONZE is quite soft, almost muted and with a slight rose gold lustre that brings out it’s colour.
The DIVER WHITE BRONZE is ISO-6425 complied, so you know Bell & Ross mean business. The white indices are large and filled with Super Luminova, as are the hands, so its easily legible at depths, or just some late night desk diving. To add a nice touch of luxury, the indices and hands are also rose gold plated, separating them from the dial for viewability in the day. The uni-directional bezel is fitted with a brown aluminium insert and that all important lume pip at 12 O’clock. This offsets the dial nicely, and whilst this is call the ‘White Diver’, the dial is actually silver opaline, giving it more of an off-white, almost creamy look which complements the aged aesthetics perfectly.
The BR 03-92 DIVER WHITE BRONZE is 300m / 30bar water resistant, equipped with a telescopic screw down crown with crown guards for safety, steel case back to avoid skin discolouration and inner iron case that assists with the anti-magnetism properties of the watch. Bell & Ross have also made the new WHITE DIVER BRONZE a limited edition piece, with 999 being produced.
Whilst I’m not a big fan of square/rectangular watches, the new BR 03-92 is a good looking watch. Its vintage styled brown hues on the bezel, the rose gold hands and indices plus the brown leather strap, paired with the almost rose tinted bronze and creamy dial just work. Bell & Ross call this “Neo-retro allure” and I have to agree, it does have that retro or vintage look…but then it doesn’t at the same time. In the words from Bell & Ross: “It’s no way nostalgic, this elegant, refined diver’s watch is just as much in its element in modern city life as it is deep under the waves.” Don’t believe them? Head to your nearest Bell & Ross Boutique or Authorised Dealer to check it out for yourself.
Reference: R0392-D-WH-BR/SCA
Specification:
- Size: 42mm x 42mm
- Case: Satin-finished and polished bronze. Unidirectional rotating solid bronze bezel with 60-minute scale and brown anodised aluminium ring. Screw-down crown. Crown guard.
- Movement: Automatic mechanical Calibre BR-CAL.302. .
- Power reserve: 54hrs
- Water resistance: 30 bar (300 meters)
- Crystal: Sapphire with Anti-reflective coating
- Case back: Steel case-back.
- Strap/bracelet: Brown calfskin leather and woven black rubber with satin-finished and polished bronze pin buckle.
