The Bell & Ross BR-X3 Patrouille de France

Bell & Ross and the Patrouille de France partnership has already given us a few watches over the years, with the French aerobatic team bringing its blue colours and insignia to models like the BR-03 and BR-05 Chrono. This partnership reaches the brand’s latest collection, so now we have the new BR-X3 Patrouille de France. Based on the recently launched BR-X3 platform, the watch brings the aerobatic squadron’s signature blue tones, aviation-inspired details, and French tricolour accents into Bell & Ross’s sandwich-style case construction. With its mix of black, steel, and blue, the watch keeps the same sporty and technical feel associated with the BR-X3 line.

The BR-X3 line is where Bell & Ross gets a bit bolder with design. A very recent example of this is the transparent BR-X3 Micro-Rotor, and this bolder direction works rather well for a Patrouille de France edition too. The 41mm case combines satin-finished and polished steel with a blue anodised aluminium bezel ring and matching side pillars, adding a nice dash of blue to its steel pilot-watch look. You will notice that the familiar circle-within-a-square layout remains, but the contrasting materials and exposed elements make the BR-X3 look much more technical overall.

The dial continues the same blue-heavy theme. Bell & Ross uses a three-part construction with a matt black base, blue and white skeletonised appliques, and a black upper insert. Different shades of blue are used throughout the watch to match the Alpha Jets, helmets, and flight suits of the Patrouille de France pilots. There are also small details that tie the watch to the aerobatic squadron. The power reserve display at 9 o’clock uses the colours of the French flag, the Patrouille de France insignia appears at 6 o’clock, and the central seconds hand gets a counterweight shaped like an Alpha Jet aircraft. Super-LumiNova is used on the hands, numerals, and indexes for low-light legibility.

Powering the watch is the BR-CAL.323 automatic movement developed for Bell & Ross by Kenissi. The COSC-certified calibre offers a 70-hour power reserve and is visible through the sapphire caseback featuring a Patrouille de France logo. Water-resistance is rated at 100 metres, and Bell & Ross includes both an openworked black rubber strap and a sky-blue synthetic fabric strap matching the colours of the French aerobatic team’s flight suits. Limited to 250 pieces, the Bell & Ross BR-X3 Patrouille de France is priced at EUR 7,900. 

For more information, please visit bellross.com.