Despite Bell & Ross offering a fairly wide range of models, it is the classic square-shaped BR 03 collection that most vividly showcases the brand's distinctive design language.
Last year, this popular silhouette underwent significant changes, resulting in a thinner case - 41 mm, and for the latest 2024 release, Bell & Ross introduced a two-tone version of the model collection with time and date indication functions. Officially known as the Bell & Ross BR 03 White Steel & Gold, the new watches feature a white opaline dial combined with stainless steel and rose gold components, offering a noticeably dressier approach to the brand's most recognizable model.
In short, the new Bell & Ross BR 03 White Steel & Gold (ref. BR03A-WH-STPG/SCA) is essentially an updated version of the BR 03 series in stainless steel and 18-karat rose gold, which we first introduced last year. This means you get a square-shaped stainless steel case measuring 41 mm, though it is a quarter of a millimeter thinner than the stainless steel collection models at 9.4 mm thick, and like all BR 03 watches, it has a massive case back with the collection's signature screws located on both sides in the four corners.
Like the other models in the BR 03 Automatic collection, the dial is topped with sapphire glass with anti-reflective treatment, and water resistance is 100 meters. However, in the new BR 03 White Steel & Gold, the bezel and crown are made from solid 18-karat rose gold.
The opaline white dial of the new Bell & Ross BR 03 White Steel & Gold mirrors the design and layout of other BR 03 collection models with large Arabic numerals at cardinal points, sword-shaped hands, and a round date window at 4:30.
The opaline white finish is created by applying a matte silver layer to a polished dial surface and treating it with Levantine stone and cream of tartar for a fine texture and a milky white-silver hue that plays with light. To further emphasize the dial's two-tone appearance, the hands and hour indices are crafted from rose gold, with the hour and minute hands featuring Super-LumiNova inserts for time reading in low light conditions.
The new Bell & Ross BR 03 White Steel & Gold is equipped with the automatic BR-CAL.302-1 movement, which has a slightly altered caliber number but is functionally identical to the BR-CAL.302 found in other three-hand models of the current BR 03 collection. Although the Bell & Ross BR-CAL.302-1 is based on the Sellita SW300 architecture and operates at 28,800 per hour (4 Hz), it offers a longer power reserve of 54 hours.
Given that the BR-CAL.302-1 shares identical characteristics with the BR-CAL.302, I can only assume that Bell & Ross added "-1" to the movement number because it has a slightly different height to accommodate the hands, which may relate either to its reduced case thickness or the need to fit applied hour markers on the dial.
The new Bell & Ross BR 03 White Steel & Gold with 24-mm lugs features a two-piece brown calfskin strap, which expands into a cuff shape and transitions into the lug edges. The strap then narrows to 22 mm at the lower part of the wrist, where it connects with a massive tang-style clasp made of matte and polished stainless steel, signed with the brand's "BR" logo.
The strap for the BR 03 White Steel & Gold has the same design and construction as other leather straps found throughout the BR 03 collection, although it is adorned with white contrast stitching and is noticeably lighter in color, which can be described as tan or golden brown, complementing the opaline white dial and the warm tones of the rose gold components.
If luxury watches contain solid gold components, they are almost always accompanied by significant markups. The official retail price of the new Bell & Ross BR 03 White Steel & Gold (ref. BR03A-WH-STPG/SCA) is $6,900 USD, which is almost double the cost of entry-level stainless steel models in this collection. Considering that the update to the latest BR 03 series aimed to create a more refined version of the signature model, the two-tone version is a logical continuation of this popular line, and the new BR 03 White Steel & Gold offers a unique aesthetic contrast, serving as a dressy expression of a fundamentally utilitarian design.
For more information about the Bell & Ross BR 03 White Steel & Gold, visit the brand's website.