Ahead of this year’s Baselworld, Bell & Ross has launched the BR 03-92 Bi-Compass, following their successful formula of highly legible, square-cased aviation watches. Rather than paying homage to one specific cockpit instrument, the 42mm BR 03-92 Bi-Compass incorporates an amalgamation of analogue displays, and includes a rotating central hour disc.
The dial itself is split into two tiers. There’s the outer minute ring, with eggshell SuperLuminova-painted numerals running up to 60, and a minute track that slopes down to meet the recessed centre of the dial. There, the central hour disc, marked with a green triangle, rotates to point towards the oversize hour numerals.
They’re marked out in blue-green - known as ‘Munsell green’ - in Bell & Ross’ signature font, Isonorm, which is the typography used on analogue aviation counters. The off-white/blue-green colour scheme replicates that used on US Navy aircrafts.
The ultra-light central disc is delicate enough not to compromise the power reserve or affect the precision, but strong enough to not become deformed or cause any friction.
The separation of hour and minute graduations means the time can be read at a glance. The case, too, is designed with legibility in mind - inspired by the colour of an instrumentation panel, it’s made of anti-glare, black matte ceramic.
Inside is the Calibre BR-CAL.302 with a 38-hour power reserve, based on a Sellita SW300-1, which previously featured in Bell & Ross’ Vintage collection, inside the BR V1-92 and the BR V2-92. Limited to 999 editions that will be available at the beginning of April, the watch comes on a black rubber and fabric strap, and is priced at £2,990.