Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver Black & Green Bronze automatic green dial rubber strap 42 mm

The history of bronze in watchmaking

Exploring the deep sea requires appropriate technical equipment. Fascinating, underwater worlds are not natural to man. That's why scientists, engineers and artists have never ceased to imagine ways of diving to discover the secrets of the abyss. From the very beginning, bronze has been closely linked to these technical developments. A resistant alloy of copper and tin, bronze was discovered and used between 3000 and 1000 BC, after the Stone Age and before the Iron Age. In watchmaking, apart from a few attempts for military watches in the 30s and 40s, it really came into its own at the end of the 70s. Unquestionably, bronze has been enjoying a golden age in watchmaking for the past fifteen years. The reason? It's probably less technical than aesthetic. Thanks to the patina that time affixes as it oxidizes, bronze gives watches an extra soul, linked to nature, and an allure evocative of the finest epics.

Bell & Ross, a conqueror of the abyss since 1997

When it comes to nautical matters, Bell & Ross has known its subject in depth since 1997, when its first diver's watch, the Hydromax, set a world record for water resistance to 11,100 meters. This major technical innovation lay in the perfect filling of the case with a patented transparent fluorinated oil.

Ten years later, a second diver appears with the BR 02 collection, water-resistant to 1,000 meters and dedicated specifically to the underwater world. On the technical side, they feature a helium decompression valve and ultra-resistant curved sapphire crystal: essential elements during saturation dives.

Since 2017, with the arrival of the BR 03-92 Diver model to the instrument-watch family, Bell & Ross has taken on a new aesthetic bias: not all divers are round. Faithful to the House's DNA, they retranscribe the functionality of fighter aircraft instrument panels with a case marrying a round in a square.

In 2018, Bell & Ross added a striking new variation by carving the 42 x 42 mm square case in bronze, a noble material of the marine universe. This material, long renowned for its robustness alone, now sees its color and patina celebrated by watch lovers and collectors.

The quintessence of nautical style

Sophisticated, evocative, elegant, the new BR 03-92 DIVER BLACK & GREEN BRONZE assumes its neo-retro allure. The expressive face of this watch, its new green dial makes an immediate statement. It brings a naturalist dimension to the heart of this instrument for divers. Luminous, uncluttered and easy to read. In harmony with the bronze case, its reflections are in harmony with the material, whose natural hue can sometimes tend towards red. Its black rubber strap, or synthetic canvas strap with Velcro fastening, makes it totally versatile.

The complex construction of the case, made by assembling four parts with screws, also attracts the attention of watch enthusiasts. They appreciate its technical specifics, in particular its unidirectional rotating bezel, graduated for 60 minutes, in polished solid bronze and featuring a black anodized aluminum ring and its telescopic screw-down crown.

An instrument watch certified for diving

Like all instrument watches in the BR 03 family from Bell & Ross, the new BR 03-92 DIVER BLACK & GREEN BRONZE is first and foremost conceived and designed as a professional tool for divers. To meet their expectations, it complies with the international ISO 6425 standard, according to which a "diver's watch" is "a watch that must withstand immersion in water to a depth of at least 100 meters and have a time control system". The Swiss certification body specifies that "the device must be protected against unintentional rotation or mishandling. In the case of a rotating bezel, it must be fitted with a minute scale up to 60 minutes. The marks indicating each 5-minute period must be specially highlighted". Underwater, watch indications must remain visible at a distance of 25 cm in the dark.

In addition to this, the watch's operation must be checked underwater, by being submerged to a depth of 30 cm (+/- 2cm) for 50 hours, between 18 and 25°c. After this time, the mechanisms must still function correctly. This is verified by the seconds hand. Watches are also tested to prove that they are not sensitive to thermal shock, that they can withstand excess water pressure, and that they do not form condensation under certain conditions. The winding crown must also pass a test of strength.

The case of the new BR 03-92 DIVER BLACK & GREEN BRONZE is perfectly water-resistant to 300 meters. This watch, presented in a limited edition of 999 pieces, houses a self-winding mechanical movement BR-CAL. 302 (on a Sellita SW300-1 base) with 25 jewels, beating at a rate of 28,800 vibrations/hour (4 Hz) and guaranteeing a 54-hour power reserve for perfect precision and high efficiency.

With its iconic case, this elegant diver's watch combines the emblematic "round in the square with its four screws" shape so dear to Bell & Ross, with bronze, a noble material that makes it unique through its patina.

Bronze, an evolving personality

The alloy used for the BR 03-92 DIVER BLACK & GREEN BRONZE is CuSn8, composed of 92% copper and 8% tin. In tone, it is quite close visually to classic sailboat fittings, while also approximating the bronze varieties prized today by contemporary designers and architects.

To own a bronze watch is to accept to see its appearance transformed. A subtle way of giving it a unique style, in keeping with one's own personality. Indeed, you can let it evolve with the sea air, take on brown or green highlights, or even polish it to shine like gold. It's no coincidence that the iconic scuba diver's helmet, traditionally made of bronze, now appears engraved on the hypoallergenic stainless steel back of BR 03-92 Diver watches.

Invented nearly 2000 years BC, bronze, a non-ferrous metal alloy composed notably of copper, is a classic material in the nautical environment. From the very beginnings of underwater exploration, the equipment used by the first modern divers has been made up of bronze components.