French brand Bell & Ross returns to a fan favourite, resurrecting the Radar series with a new ceramic rendition.
The pilot’s watch aesthetic, much like that of divers’ and dress watches, is rather stringent and singular in identity. Clear, lumed numerals, sword hands and big crowns are constants of the aviation-inspired philosophy. While that is undoubtedly part of the pilot’s watch heritage, it does beg the question: if you’ve seen one pilot’s watch, have you seen them all?
If you ask French brand Bell & Ross, the answer you’ll get is an emphatic “No”. Instead of taking cues from what was practically required of pilots and other aviators, the brand instead focused on bringing its instruments to the wrist. That’s where you get the big, blocky cases, fat numerals, and minimalist yet bold legibility of its catalogue. But sometimes, the brand wants to do more than just translate a flight instrument to the wrist. It wants to transpose it. Thus, it has produced a wide range of avant-garde designs inspired by the modern world of flight.
Released in 2010, the BR-01 Radar was one of the Bell & Ross’s definitive conceptions. Inspired by aviation radar screens, its unique disc-based system would go on to inform one of Bell & Ross’ most iconic limited editions, the Red Radar trilogy. This year, the Bell & Ross welcomes back the Radar lineup with a new interpretation, working closely with Dassault Aviation to produce its most modern Radar watch yet.
Zulu Romeo Oscar Oscar
The Bell & Ross BR-03 Green Radar Ceramic is, for starters, the most conservatively sized watch in the entire Radar series to date. Although it’s not 46mm or 42mm like its predecessors, the watch remains as robust as ever.
Measuring 41mm wide, 50.4mm lug-to-lug and 10.6mm thick, the watch envelops the wrist with its square case profile. The bold silhouette is largely offset by its relative thinness, allowing it to sit low and flat on the wrist. Furthermore, the matte black ceramic case not only adds lightness and shock resistance but also makes the watch appear to shrink on the wrist.
Despite the dark colourway, the Green Radar Ceramic’s case has plenty of dimensionality. The bezel slopes gently upwards, swelling just beyond the square case, while a continuous chamfer runs around the entirety of the frame, passing the four exposed screws at each corner. For a blocky watch, it flows surprisingly well, further enhanced by the integrated look of the black rubber strap.
Terminating in a black PVD-coated steel buckle, the watch should wear as comfortably as other BR-03 models. Should that get old, however, the Green Radar Ceramic also comes with a black fabric strap featuring a hook-and-loop fastening system. With 100 metres of water resistance, the new watch continues the BR-03’s commitment to sporty specifications, ensuring that even a design this ambitious can still venture out into the world.
Plane & Simple
But the black ceramic case, for all its intrigue, isn’t what we’re here to talk about today. Even without the context of the Radar series’ history, anyone familiar with Bell & Ross will know that the company has always reinterpreted modern aviation in unconventional and exciting ways. Just look at the BR-03 Helipad, for example, which uses the Bell & Ross’s disc system to depict a helicopter landing on a pad.
For this reference, several changes have been introduced since the previous Red Radar model, released in 2021. For starters, of course, it’s green, which feels more accessible in a way, as the red-dial renditions implied a greater sense of urgency and danger. Also new are the indicators, which, like those of previous references, are depicted atop a set of rotating sapphire discs. Unlike earlier models, however, the aircraft silhouettes are based on real planes made by French aerospace company Dassault Aviation.
Working from the outside in, the hours are displayed by the luxury business Falcon jet, the minutes by the omnirole Rafale fighter jet, and the seconds by the tight-turning circle of the nEUROn, an experimental unmanned stealth drone. Even more interesting are the trails each plane leaves in its wake, combining elements of the 2011 and 2021 Red Radar models into a single, cohesive design. Only one question remains, and the answer is yes: set against a deep green backdrop, the entire arrangement is lumed.
Positive Readings
As is the case with most Bell & Ross models, barring the X-series and other haute horlogerie pieces, the caseback is closed. Alongside the usual serial engravings, this time it features the silhouettes of the Falcon, Rafale and nEUROn as seen on the dial. Inside beats the familiar BR-CAL.327, operating at a standard 4Hz (28,800VpH) beat rate and offering a steady 54-hour power reserve. The automatic movement is based on the architecture of the Sellita SW300-1, albeit modified to tell the time through the sapphire discs.
One thing I’m interested in knowing is whether the base movement’s power reserve, often cited at 56 hours, has been slightly affected by the additional weight of the sapphire discs. It’s something I raised in my article about the BR-03 Helipad, and we may never know the answer, but it’s always worth asking. Regardless, the involvement of such a reliable movement manufacturer should indicate that the BR-CAL.327 isn’t going to let you down any time soon.
Initial Thoughts
I’ve always been a huge fan of Bell & Ross from the jump, and especially the Radar line. It’s difficult to stand out within the stringent rules of the pilot’s watch aesthetic, but rather than trying to find new answers to the same old questions, the French brand changed the questions entirely. Why focus solely on improving what’s already been done? Why not master something entirely new, like completely reinterpreting flight instruments for time-telling?
I suppose the risk is a factor. Such an ambitious design gambles on conventional market appeal. Yet the existence of the BR-03 Green Radar Ceramic proves that the concept remains one of Bell & Ross’ most beloved and sought-after designs. Limited to 999 pieces, I’m almost certain this will be more than just a blip on the radar. After all, judging by the previous releases, it’ll fly off the shelves like one.
Reference & Specifications
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Reference | BR03A-GRDR-CE/SRB |
| Dimensions | 41mm case diameter x 50.4mm lug-to-lug x 10.6mm thickness |
| Case | Black ceramic |
| Dial | Green with radar display depicting Falcon, Rafale, & nEUROn aircraft from Dassault Aviation |
| Crystal | Sapphire |
| Caseback | Closed, engraved |
| Movement | Automatic BR-CAL.327 |
| Power Reserve | 54h |
| Beat Rate | 4Hz / 28,800VpH |
| Water Resistance | 100m / 10bar |
| Strap/Bracelet | Black integrated rubber strap with black PVD steel pin buckle Complementary black fabric strap with hook-&-loop fastening system |