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It’s a common refrain here at Worn & Wound: every year is an anniversary. Like death, taxes, and Photoshop renders of what collectors predict the new Rolex will look like, the celebration of anniversaries in the watch industry is a certainty. We’re not complaining. An anniversary of an important watch or collection is a great time to take stock, and there have certainly been plenty of desirable releases over the years centered around big anniversaries. This year, Bell & Ross is celebrating 20 years of the BR-03 collection, their iconic square watch that has become the “face” of the brand over the past two decades.
The celebration begins with the new BR-03 Skeleton, a collection of three watches that capitalizes on a big trend across all sectors of watchmaking while removing the BR-03 from its aviation themed roots, at least a little bit. Bell & Ross has been making skeletonized watches for years (often as part of their Skull series), and these watches highlight their proficiency in that area, and also take advantage of their creativity with lume.
The new BR-03 Skeleton is available in three variants: Black Ceramic, Grey Steel, and Lum Ceramic. All three feature 41mm cases and a new movement, the BR-CAL.328, designed specifically for these watches. While the specs of the caliber are in line with previous time only movements used in recent BR-03 releases (like those, it has a 54 hour power reserve) its architecture has been adjusted, highlighting an “X” motif formed by the upper bridges. A focus on movement aesthetics is of course paramount for a skeletonized watch, so it shouldn’t be surprising that Bell & Ross is touting a new caliber here, and reinforces the idea that these watches are design objects first and foremost.
Each of the three BR-03 Skeleton watches is intended to leave a very different impression. According to Bell & Ross, the BR-03 Skeleton Black Ceramic pulls directly from the brand’s pilot watch heritage and is “heavily inspired by the technical purity and functionality of aviation.” I’ll be honest, I’m not quite sure what that means. The watch evokes aviation if you’re a Bell & Ross fan (I consider myself one, for sure) and connect the case shape and oversized numerals with their twenty year history of making watches inspired by instrument panels and aviation’s most tactile qualities. But this is also just a square cased, skeletonized watch.
The BR-03 Skeleton Grey Steel is perhaps a bit flashier, with mixed brushed and polished finishing and faceting that highlights the architecture of the skeletonized movement. It was conceived as a more luxurious option, and the word “sculpture” is used through the Bell & Ross press materials. This variant is limited to 250 pieces.
My favorite of the three is certainly the BR-03 Skeleton Lum Ceramic. In recent years, many of the most successful Bell & Ross releases have been in their ongoing “Lum” series of watches, which push their use of luminescent material to the edge of what it’s capable of. While this watch isn’t quite as avant-garde as a fully lumed case, it offers a little taste of that science-fiction aesthetic in what for most will likely be an easier to digest package. This one is also a limited edition of 250 pieces.
Pricing for the BR-03 Skeleton watches starts at $5,600 for the Grey Steel, and tops out at $6,600 for the Lum Ceramic. Bell & Ross
