Introducing the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver Red Bronze

Bell & Ross shook up the dive-watch category in 2017 with the introduction of its revolutionary square-cased BR 03-92 Diver, and has been expanding that model’s market footprint ever since, unveiling colorways in black, blue and orange in subsequent years. This year, the brand pairs a deep red dial and bezel with a maritime-inspired bronze case for the latest iteration. Here’s what you should know about this week’s Watch to Watch, the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver Red Bronze.

The BR 03-92 Diver is the first divers’ watch designed in the “circle in a square” case structure for which Bell & Ross has become renowned, following up the round-cased Hydromax in 1997 and the tonneau-cased BR-02 in 2007. The new model’s ergonomically shaped, satin-brushed case, measuring 42 mm in diameter and water-resistant to 300 meters, is made of the bronze alloy CuSn8, which combines 92% copper and 8% tin. This material evokes the history of diving, as it was used for deep-sea helmets and naval construction. The screwed crown that helps ensure the case’s impressive water-resistance is protected by an impact-resistant guard and fitted with a rubber insert for easy handling.

The calibrated bezel for setting dive times, also made of the bronze alloy, rotates in one direction and has an inset ring made of anodized red aluminum; its 60-minute scale features a luminescent dot at at 12 o’clock for orientation. The red aluminum bezel echoes the color of the red-lacquered dial, whose gilded, applied hour markers and hands are finished with Super-LumiNova inserts. Covering that dial is an unusually thick sapphire crystal (2.85 mm) with a nonreflective coating. Nearly matching that thickness, at 2.8 mm, is the sapphire pane in the caseback, which is made of steel rather than bronze to prevent discoloring of the wearer’s skin as the bronze case develops its unique patina over time and exposure to the elements.

The BR 03-92 Diver’s caseback is made of steel rather than bronze to prevent discoloring of the wearer’s skin as the bronze case develops its unique patina over time and exposure to the elements. Engraved on its surface is a deep sea diver’s helmet, a nod to the watch’s preferred environment. Inside, an inner cage made of soft iron protects the watch’s movement, Bell & Ross’s automatic BR-Cal.302, from the effects of magnetic fields. Based on the reliable Sellita SW 300.1 base movement, it beats at a frequency of 28,800 vph and amasses a power reserve of 38 hours.

Limited to 999 pieces, the BR 03-92 Diver Red Bronze comes on a reddish-brown calf leather strap that resonates nicely with the dial and bezel and fastens to the wrist with a pin buckle in brushed bronze. A more dive-ready black rubber strap is also included. It is priced at $4,600.