Every watch brand has a signature, and it’s fair to say that Bell & Ross literally has a whole cockpit’s worth. But, none of its instrument-panel experiments feel quite like the Radar. For the uninitiated, it’s a recurring oddball timepiece that ditches hands entirely in favor of rotating discs mimicking an air traffic controller’s screen.
After years of red-tinted iterations, the concept has returned wearing a new color, and it’s the one actual radar screens come in. Meet the BR-03 Green Radar Ceramic.
Fifteen Years of Blips and Sweeps
The brand’s first Radar watch hit the scene back in 2010 (the BR-01 Radar), which traded hands for concentric rotating discs. The following year’s Red Radar utilized a crimson-tinted crystal over the display, and it was the 2021 BR 03-92 Red Radar Ceramic brought aircraft silhouettes into the mix as time indicators.
Each of those versions nailed one idea – and it did it really well. But, this new release is the first to combine them all. This version pairs the aircraft markers with the luminous sweep trails they’d paint across a real surveillance screen. And the whole dial setup sits beneath a matching green sapphire crystal.
A Stealth Drone on Seconds Duty
Three stacked rotating discs do the timekeeping here, and each one carries a different aircraft rendered in Dark Green Super-LumiNova. A Falcon jet circles the outermost track for the hours and a Rafale fighter handles the minutes. Seconds-hand duty falls to the Neuron, which is an experimental stealth combat drone that rips a full lap every minute.
All three are Dassault aircraft (the brand even engraves the trio on the caseback), and that was a very intentional choice by the brand.
Fixed markers at 3, 6, 9, and 12 plus a target-style graticule printed under the crystal keep the whole thing surprisingly legible.
The Most Wearable Radar Yet
Housing the display is a 41mm micro-blasted black ceramic case measuring just 10.6mm thick, making this the smallest ceramic Radar to date and a far cry from the 46mm BR-01 originals. Water resistance sits at 100 meters.
Spinning three independent discs takes more muscle than swinging a set of hands, so Bell & Ross taps its automatic BR-CAL.327, which is a Sellita SW300-1-based caliber with a 54-hour power reserve. A black rubber strap comes standard, with a second hook-and-loop fabric strap included to round out the affair.
Spec Sheet
Model: Bell & Ross BR-03 Green Radar Ceramic
Reference: BR03A-GRDR-CE/SRB
Case Size: 41mm
Case Thickness: 10.6mm
Case Material: Micro-blasted black ceramic
Crystal: Green-tinted sapphire with anti-reflective coating
Movement: Automatic BR-CAL.327 (Sellita SW300-1 base)
Power Reserve: 54 hours
Water Resistance: 100m
Band: Black rubber + additional synthetic fabric strap
Limited Edition?: Yes, 999
Pricing & Availability
Limited to 999 pieces, the BR-03 Green Radar Ceramic is up for pre-order now with deliveries starting at the end of October, priced at €4,900 (about $5,100 stateside through authorized dealers).
Recap
Bell & Ross BR-03 Green Radar Ceramic
Limited to 999 pieces, Bell & Ross’s latest hands-free Radar watch sends three glowing Dassault aircraft, including a stealth drone, sweeping across a green sapphire crystal.
