The day Bell & Ross dropped the new BR 03-92 Diver Military Limited Edition we knew we had to own one and work on a hands-on review. Since we have a soft spot for diving watches here at WCL, the Diver Military had to go on the chopping block. First of all, we have to say that we like the fact that this is a true diving watch in all its form as it complies with the Standard NIHS 92611/ISO 6425 for Diver Watches. The ISO specifies that diving watches should be water-resistant to 300 meters, legible in the dark at a minimum of 25 centimeters, and reliable by being anti-magnetic and shock-resistant. Well, this Bell & Ross is fully compliant with all those requirements.
Things to Know About the Watch
Many of you might wonder why Bell & Ross decided to launch a collection of diving watches in 2017 and now has decided to keep expanding it? Well, even though most of their watches are inspired by flying instruments and closely linked to aviation, back in the early days of the brand, specifically in 1997, Bell & Ross released the Hydromax, The Hydromax was a quartz diving watch that held the world record for water resistance up to 11,100 meters deep thanks to the use of an innovative fluid named Hydroil that filled the case and would help compensate for changes in pressure. Then in the mid-2000s tBell & Ross presented the BR 02-92 Diving models that were phased out a few years later.
In addition to meeting the ISO 6425, the Diver Military is equipped with a very robust matte black ceramic case measuring 42 mm in diameter. The case is very nicely finished and fitted with a very thick case back also in black ceramic in order to meet the ISO standards and withstand the rigors of a depth of 300 meters. The watch is also equipped with a soft-iron cage to increase its resistance to magnetic fields.
Additionally, the sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating is 2.85 mm thick, compared to the 1.50 mm on the classic BR03-92. Now, even though ceramic tends to be somewhat on the lighter side, the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver Military is solid and heavy as expected from a tool watch with a total weight of 157.8 grams —as a reference a stainless steel and ceramic Seiko Prospex PADI SRPA83 on rubber strap has a total weight of 157 grams.
The Bell & Ross BR03-92 Diver Military sports a beautiful dial that is very military inspired in a hue that lies right in between khaki and olive green. The luminescent applied markers feature black surrounds and the flange features a black hour and minute track that is extremely legible. The hands are matte black and filled with very bright superluminova. A convenient round date aperture is located between 4 and 5 o’clock but unfortunately it is so small that is really hard to read the date. Not a deal breaker though.
The BR 03-92 Diver Military is a professional diving instrument, powered by a Swiss automatic mechanical movement —not in-house— with a power reserve of 48 hours. In order to keep track of immersion times, the watch is equipped with a 60-minute graduated uni-directional rotating bezel in matte black ceramic with luminescent material on all markers and numbers —the lume is extremely bright and long-lasting.
The BR 03-92 Diver Military is available in a limited edition of 999 pieces and delivered in a water-resistant Pelican case with two straps. The watch is delivered on a black rubber strap with PVD coated stainless steel pin buckle. A second additional olive green nylon fabric strap with a velcro closure system is included in the Pelican case along with two Bell & Ross hex key tools.
To guarantee optimal water resistance and compliance with the ISO 6425 standard, the crown is of the screw-down type to withstand the pressure at great depths and equipped with a guard that guarantees complete protection against impacts. The crown is fitted with a hard rubber o-ring for improved grip.
On the Wrist & Price
On the wrist, the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver Military Limited Edition wears true to its size and very nicely. Its military look makes you feel that you are about to go on some sort of underwater specs op mission. In sum, this is a very well made watch for those that like stealth looking watches with a military flair. Robust, solid and very comfortable on the wrist thanks to its strap of high-grade natural rubber. And for the price, it doesn’t get much better considering that this is a limited edition almost sold out and already selling above retail in the secondary market.
Sticker Price $4,500 USD. For more info on Bell & Ross click here.
