Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Unexpected Bell & Ross BR-03 Astro
Distancing yourself from earthly matters has never been easier; all you need is a look at the Astro dial.
With Bell & Ross‘ creations deeply inspired by the world of aviation, it was only a matter of time before the brand set its sights again beyond the skies – toward the vast expanse of space. Enter the latest addition to the BR-03 series: a timepiece with an animated dial where celestial bodies mark the passing hours and minutes while a satellite orbits an Earth-centric display every 60 seconds. In short, that’s the big news. For more about the BR-03 Astro, keep reading.
The Bell & Ross BR-03 Astro is presented in the brand’s signature square case that defines the collection – and that has been recently revamped and refined. It is 41mm wide and 11.5mm thick and crafted from black ceramic featuring a micro-blasted finish. The screw-down crown is at 3 o’clock, as usual, but the sapphire crystal is hollowed on the inside to accommodate the dial’s central element – a representation of Earth in relief. Still, water resistance is rated at 100m.
The blue aventurine plate on the dial mimics the dark space with its stars; Earth is in the centre and closer to the observer. The satellite is laser-engraved metal that works as a running seconds indicator, while the Moon, with its laser-engraved craters, indicates the minutes, and the red-coloured Mars is drawn on a transparent plate and points to the hours. The movement of the unconventional hands is powered by the self-winding BR-CAL.327 movement (base Sellita SW300-1) with 54 hours of autonomy and 28,800 vibrations/hour operational frequency.
The black rubber or synthetic fabric strap with a steel matte black PVD-treated buckle completes the new Bell & Ross BR-03 Astro, a limited edition of 999 pieces priced at EUR 4,990. While it’s easy to imagine the excitement behind the creation of this Astro timepiece, it seems to drift further from the roots of the BR-03 series. The Horizon, Gyrocompass, Radiocompass, Red Radar and many more models of this kind already pushed those boundaries, but always with a display firmly linked to aviation instruments. This Astro model takes things further away from the classic pilot’s watch codes. So why did B&R do it? Simply because they can. Some will love it for simply being cool and different, some will have to pass…
For more details, please visit BellRoss.com.
5 responses
Why can’t these brands make smaller watches ????(((
We don’t ask for much, we are ok with selitta , why can’t they just make them wearable ((((
Finally, a dial with character. For years I have wanted to see the big brands create interesting picture dials. Maybe this will be the start of a welcome trend in dial design…
I like it! Like the Space One Tellurium, these designs are fun, interesting, outside the “norm”, and great conversation starters. For me, it would be a great addition.
I like it, but I think it’s a bridge too far for B&R.
Killer design, best B&R release by far. But….as usual, way to big for a square watch. This at 39, I’d buy. When will B&R get it, unfortunately not in time before they are not around any longer.