Bell & Ross Looks to the Motorcycle World for their Latest, the BR 03-94 Blacktrack

One of my favorite episodes of Seinfeld is “The Chicken Roaster,” the eighth episode of season 8. You probably remember this one: it involves a Kenny Rogers Roasters restaurant opening across the street from Kramer’s apartment, and eventually he switches apartments with Jerry to get some sleep (because obviously the big neon sign is keeping him up all night) which leads to some of the funniest moments in the history of the show (Jerry’s recollection of a late night phone call with Bob Sacamano will always stay with me). But the B-plot is great, too. It follows George and his saga with a Russian hat, intentionally left behind in the apartment of the woman who sold it to him, who of course he tries to date. This is a trick, he explains, to keep her interested. Like a jingle you can’t get out of your head.

And that’s kind of how I feel about Bell & Ross. They have worked their way into my brain like a catchy pop song. They’re a mainstream brand that is capable of doing some truly weird stuff, and as someone who spends a lot of time observing and thinking about industry trends, I just find that fascinating. Their latest, the BR 03-94 Blacktrack, is squarely in the weird category, and a rare collaboration with an outside designer, Sacha Lakic. 

Lakic is known primarily for being the founder of Blacktrack, a Luxembourg based maker of custom cafe racers and other motorcycles. The new BR 03-94 takes specific inspiration from his BT-06 motorcycle, which can be seen primarily in the gauge inspired dial that features red accents at the date and chronograph hands. This type of design is a dramatically different look for a Bell & Ross chrono. It looks almost like an imagined future version of their BR 03 platform, and clearly suggests speed and stealth, which is to be expected given the combined focus of aeronautics and motorcycles behind the teams that made this watch happen. 

The case is 42mm wide and made of matte black ceramic. Unlike most square Bell & Ross case designs, this one has dramatic flares at the corners that impart a sleekness to the package, and were inspired by stealth aircraft. It’s a much more dynamic look than a typical Bell & Ross case of this type, which is defined by an inherent flatness. These facets give the watch shape while also fitting into a larger theme that combines the speed of aeronautics and motorsport. 

The watch is powered by the BR-CAL.301 movement, an automatic caliber with 42 hours of power reserve and a 30 minute totalizer at the 9:00 position. The watch has 100 meters of water resistance and is mounted to a black leather strap with red stitching that matches the dial accents. 

The BR 03-94 Blacktrack is a limited edition of 500 pieces. The retail price is $6,900.