Most dress watch novelties change a dial colour and call it news. The Bell & Ross BR-03 Space Mission does something more fun: it throws out conventional hands. The hours are marked by the Moon and the minutes by a little spaceplane, all floating over a dial made to look like deep space. It is limited to 999 pieces and is open for pre-order now, with delivery listed for mid November.
How you actually read it
It is simpler than it looks. A transparent disc printed with an image of the Earth and the Moon rotates once every twelve hours, and the Moon points to the hour. The spaceplane does a full lap every hour to show the minutes. Bell & Ross says it reads just like a two hand watch, and that tracks: glance at the Moon, glance at the ship, done. The difference is that the picture changes all day, so the dial never looks the same twice.
Case, dial and movement
- Case: 41mm square BR-03 case in micro blasted black ceramic, 10.60mm thick
- Dial: black aventurine, the glittering glass that stands in for a starfield
- Movement: BR-CAL.325 automatic with a 54 hour power reserve
- Crystal and water resistance: anti reflective sapphire, 100 metres
- Straps: black rubber plus an extra ultra resilient black synthetic fabric strap, with a matt black PVD steel pin buckle
The BR-03 case shape comes from aircraft cockpit instruments, the round dial set in a square frame, and here it becomes a porthole. That is the smart bit of the design. The space theme does not fight the brand's aviation roots, it just pushes them past the atmosphere.
Our take
Novelty dials can age badly, but the all black ceramic case keeps this one grounded. With the rubber strap it is a casual weekend piece, and the fabric strap gives it a tactical look that fits the rest of the BR-03 collection. The aventurine adds sparkle without any precious metal flash. The one real limit is size. A 41mm square case wears bigger than a 41mm round, so if you have small wrists, use the brand's sizing guide or try one on in a Bell & Ross boutique first.
Who it is for
This is for the person who already owns a sensible watch and wants a conversation piece, or the space and aviation nerd who would rather wear a story than a logo. It is also an easy pick for a big milestone gift, given the numbered run.
Want something with a similar tool watch attitude? Read our look at the Marathon titanium GSAR, or go architectural with the Lebond and Norman Foster watch. Full specs and the technical notice are on the official product page.
