Luxury Watches: Bell & Ross has done well in its 12 years of operation largely because of their consistent design principles. The young company is committed to building watches that are inspired by and of the same quality as professional instruments. The most obvious embodiment of B&R’s obsession with gauges, valves, and military gadgets is the BR Instruments, which mimic the look of analog, inflight instrumentation. The BR 03-92 Military Ceramic, 2010’s hottest Bell & Ross ticket, clearly represents the company’s vision of using function as the basis for beauty.
Several Bell & Ross watches have used the remarkable material that the company refers to as ceramic. Models like the BR Slim (BR-S) watches, for example, exploit its aesthetic characteristics and fashionable status. The BR 03-92 Military Ceramic takes advantage of the material’s amazing technical qualities as well as the stylistic ones. These are the qualities that make high-tech ceramics useful for manufacturing advanced military and industrial tools that do everything from protecting space shuttles from extreme heat to stopping bullets. They are also responsible for the aforementioned aesthetic qualities. The color, for instance, is ingrained throughout the structure of the material and therefore will never chip or discolor. The ceramic’s extreme hardness gives it renowned scratch resistance, but also has the added effect of allowing for a particularly fine finish. This substance is essential for the BR 03-92 Military Ceramic’s balance of function and beauty.
The 42mm square case is a technical marvel. Bell & Ross believes it to be the first watch case ever to be constructed entirely of ceramic. Its square shape and the unusual color make the manufacturing process very difficult. Only one of every four watch bodies produced are actually certified for use for an a BR 03-92 Military Ceramic. Once the ceramic case passes inspection, it is fitted with a sapphire crystal that is lightly tinted green. This gives the impression that the white photo-luminescent markers and hands are light green. The markings and hands are bold, but simple, reflecting the utilitarian style of the piece.
Bell & Ross provides two straps with the Military Ceramic. One is the basic, black BR rubber strap, but the one that really captures the military camouflage concept of this timepiece is the textile and Velcro band that is pictured in all the company’s communication media. Once on the wrist it makes the watch undeniably cool.
As stipulated by the Bell & Ross credo, it is not enough for a watch to look great. It must also be fit for rigorous, professional use. The two straps provided are impermeable, which reflects the BR 03’s water resistance rating of 100 meters. Inside the tough, technically advanced exterior shell, lies a high-grade mechanical heart. The Military Ceramic is powered by a Swiss made mechanism dubbed the 2892 and manufactured by E.T.A. It is automatic, meaning that it winds itself as it is worn on the wrist. The 2892 has proven itself over many years as a reliable, robust, Swiss-grade mechanism.
The Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Military Ceramic is an homage to the great military watches that were once indispensable tools for pilots and troops. The quality and reliability necessary back then is conserved, but more important to today’s luxury watch enthusiast, is the cool, camouflage styling and high-grade, Swiss construction. It is no wonder that this remarkable timepiece has received such unanimous ovation from Bell & Ross fans and luxury watch connoisseurs.
The BR 03-92 Military Ceramic is available at Matt Baily.
