While Bell & Ross produces a fairly wide assortment of models, it is the classic square-shaped BR 03 collection that is most emblematic of the brand’s distinct design language. Last year, this popular silhouette got a significant overall that introduced a slimmed down 41mm case, and for its latest release of 2024, Bell & Ross has introduced a two-tone version of the time-and-date model from the collection. Officially known as the Bell & Ross BR 03 White Steel & Gold, the new timepiece rather appropriately features an opaline white dial paired with stainless steel and rose gold components, and it offers a noticeably more dressy take on the brand’s single most recognizable model.
The TLDR on this release is that the new Bell & Ross BR 03 White Steel & Gold (ref. BR03A-WH-STPG/SCA) is more-or-less the stainless steel and 18k rose-gold version of the updated BR 03 series that we first covered last year. What this means is that you get a square-shaped stainless steel case that measures 41mm in diameter, although it is a quarter of a millimeter thinner than the stainless steel models from the collection at 9.4mm thick, and just like all BR 03 watches, it features a solid caseback with the collection’s signature screws located on either side at the four corners. Just like the rest of the models from the BR 03 Automatic collection, a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment sits above the dial, while water resistance comes in at 100 meters; however, on the new BR 03 White Steel & Gold, the bezel and winding crown are crafted from solid 18k rose gold.
The opaline white dial fitted to the new Bell & Ross BR 03 White Steel & Gold follows the same design and layout as what can be found among the other time-and-date models from the BR 03 collection with large Arabic numeral markers at the cardinal points, sword-shaped hands, and a circular 4:30 date window. The opaline white finish is created by applying a matte silver layer onto the polished dial surface and working it with Levant stone and cream of tartar to create a subtle texture and a milky white/silver hue that plays with the light. To further lean into its two-tone colorway, both the handset and applied hour markers appear in rose gold, and the hour and minute hands are filled with Super-LumiNova inserts to provide access to the time in low-light settings.
Powering the new Bell & Ross BR 03 White Steel & Gold is the brand’s BR-CAL.302-1 automatic movement, which offers a slightly revised caliber number but is functionally identical to the BR-CAL.302 that can be found inside the rest of the three-handed models from the current BR 03 collection. While the Bell & Ross BR-CAL.302-1 is based upon the core architecture of the Sellita SW300 and runs at a frequency of 28,800vph (4 Hz), it provides a longer power reserve of 54 hours. Given that BR-CAL.302-1 offers identical specs to the BR-CAL.302, I can only imagine that Bell & Ross has added the “-1” to the movement number because it has a slightly different height for the placement of its hands, which either might pertain to its reduced case thickness or the need to accommodate the applied hour markers on the dial.
The 24mm lugs of the new Bell & Ross BR 03 White Steel & Gold are fitted with a two-piece strap made from brown calfskin leather that flares out in a cuff-like fashion to meet the edges of the lugs. The strap then tapers back down to 22mm on the bottom of the wrist, where it connects to a chunky tang-style buckle that is made from brushed and polished stainless steel and signed with the brand’s “BR” logo. The strap for the BR 03 White Steel & Gold offers the same overall design and construction as the other leather straps that can be found throughout the greater BR 03 collection, although it features white contrast stitching and is noticeably lighter in color with a hue that could best be described as tan or golden brown to complement its opaline white dial and the warm tones of its rose gold components.
When luxury watches have solid gold components, they are almost always accompanied by fairly significant premiums, and the new Bell & Ross BR 03 White Steel & Gold (ref. BR03A-WH-STPG/SCA) has an official retail price of $6,900 USD, which makes it nearly twice the price of the entry-level stainless steel models from the collection. Given that the updates to the latest BR 03 series were intended to create a more refined rendition of its signature model, a two-tone version is the logical progression for this popular lineup, and the new BR 03 White Steel & Gold offers a unique aesthetic contrast as a dressy expression of an inherently utilitarian design. For more information on the Bell & Ross BR 03 White Steel & Gold, please visit the brand’s website.