In early summer 2024, Bell & Ross introduced its latest underwater watch collection with the updated BR 03 Diver. Available (initially) in at least five variants, the BR 03 Diver uses Bell & Ross’ updated BR 03 case design, making it one of the most beautiful square dive watches ever. Today I’m reviewing the matte black ceramic Bell & Ross BR 03 Diver reference BR03A-D-BL-CE/SRB.
Bell & Ross started making diving watches with the BR 02 family, which has been out of production for some time. The BR 02 debuted a few years after the release of the famous BR 01 Cockpit Instrument family, around 2004. The BR 03 case family came after the BR 02 as a narrower version of the larger BR 01. Since then, the BR 03 (BR03) family of 41-42mm wide square watches has been a bestseller for the Parisian brand. Bell & Ross has had a BR 03 Diver in the collection for some time, the main visual difference in the 2024 collection being the hands. There are other differences as well, such as the movement and the typography on the bezel insert, although admittedly the updated BR 03 Diver is an evolution and not a revolution. Aside from the different hands, most people probably wouldn’t realize at first glance that the 2024 BR03 Diver family is significantly different from its predecessors. However, I have to say that I like the new handset (for a diver’s watch dial) much better than the previous BR 03 Divers design.
Currently, Bell & Ross produces two versions of the matte black ceramic BR 03 Diver, including this black dial reference BR03A-D-BL-CE/SRB, as well as the blue “full lume” dial reference BR03A-D-LM-CE/SRB, which costs a few hundred dollars more. The $410 price difference seems a lot for a dial with extra lume and a pale blue color. However, Bell & Ross has been on a “lume trip” lately and has produced some pretty elaborate watches with fully lined dials or even cases. To me, most of this is just gimmicky, and what I appreciate about the Bell & Ross BR 03 Diver is how instrumental it feels. As a dive watch, the BR 03 Diver is water resistant to 300 meters and ISO 6425 compliant (which many luxury dive watches are not).
In many ways, a watch like the BR 03 Diver is what Bell & Ross does best. That is, they take the archetype of a tool watch and execute it in an attractive, sexy way. That’s how I define Bell & Ross in my head – the company is built more like a Parisian fashion company than a traditional watchmaker. Accordingly, this completely understated watch is meant to evoke the serious sobriety of tools specifically designed for extreme conditions. But it succeeds in doing so in terms of elegance, symmetry, materials and ergonomics. The appeal of Bell & Ross’s square case has not diminished at all for me over the years, and it looks just as good for a dive watch as it does for an aircraft cockpit instrument-style wristwatch (which is what the case style was originally intended for).
As a dive watch, the BR 03 Diver is 42mm wide and about 13mm thick, and is water resistant to 300 meters. With the short lugs, it’s about 53mm long, which is good for medium to large wrists. It’s much more wearable than the BR 01, which is why the BR 03 has proven so popular. For this new generation, the brand adds ceramic bezel inserts to the BR 03 Diver – previous models used aluminum bezel inserts. If you look closely, you’ll also notice a new, more modern font for the numerals on the bezel. Additionally, the markers and numerals are painted with SuperLuminova.
Another update for 2024 is the movement used in the watch. I believe it is a Swiss Made Sellita but Bell & Ross calls it the BR-CAL.302-1. This is an update of the BR-CAL.302. What is different is the power reserve, which is up to 54 hours on the BR-CAL.302-1. I don’t know if this is achieved by using a larger barrel or by creating more efficient pivot/movement points in the movement or both. The movement operates at 4Hz and features the time and a small date display window discreetly placed on the dial between the hour markers at 4 and 5 o’clock.
I really like the dial design of the BR 03 Diver, which features nicely rounded hour and minute markers on the beveled flange ring. The lack of shiny or polished surfaces greatly increases legibility and also helps maintain the sleek instrument look that Bell & Ross was going for. The case features a crown protection structure with reminder text to keep the screw-down crown safe and watertight. While this reminder may be a bit redundant for watch enthusiasts, it is true that for laypeople, not screwing down the crown can be a common route for water to enter a case (and thus cause expensive damage to the watch).
Bell & Ross supplies two straps with the BR 03 Diver, including this excellent black rubber strap and a high-quality black textile strap. Swapping them isn’t easy as it requires tools (a quick-adjust system would have been great – although perhaps not as secure), but at least Bell & Ross includes these tools in the kit. How comfortable is the watch overall? If you don’t wear it tight enough, the slightly heavy case can slip on your wrist. That said, if you wear it tight enough, I found it very comfortable and not too bulky. I like the look of the square case on the wrist – it’s worth experimenting with the look.
Although Bell & Ross has never been a price leader, its prices today seem quite reasonable compared to some other brands that have raised their prices significantly. I don’t think Bell & Ross plans to do so, and right now these watches are well priced considering the quality of design and manufacturing. Prices for the steel case versions of the Bell & Ross BR 03 Diver currently start at $4,400. The ceramic versions are a bit more expensive, but also offer a completely different look that I think deserves special attention. The price of the Bell & Ross BR 03 Diver Black Matte Ceramic watch with the reference number BR03A-D-BL-CE/SRB is 4,990 USD. For more information, visit the Bell & Ross website.
Necessary information:
>Brand: Bell & Ross
>Model: BR 03 Diver (reference BR03A-D-BL-CE/SRB BR 03 Diver Black Matte Ceramic as tested)
>Price: 4,990 USD
>Size: 42 mm wide, ~13 mm thick, ~53 mm lug to lug distance
>When Reviewer would wear it personally: When you want to be fashionable and still wear a tool style watch. Also suitable for swimming or diving.
>Friend we would recommend it to first: Lovers of matte black sports watches who like the size and boldness of a square case.
>Best feature of the watch: Nice overall design and very legible. Comfortable considering the case weight and even the small model updates make it a better product.
>Worst feature of the watch: In a crowded market, a watch on paper does not easily sell itself in terms of features or price. Instrument watch that requires instruments to change the strap.
