Bell & Ross Flight Instruments: BR 03-92 HUB

Bell & Ross, the ultimate reference for professional aviation timepieces, goes back to its origins in high performance military instruments with a new interpretation of its iconic watch, the BR 03-92 HUD. The Instrument collection is directly inspired by the aeronautical essential navigation tools of aircraft cockpit and highlights bell & Ross‘ four fundamental requirements: legibility, functionality, precision and water-resistance.
Fully in line with the characteristics of this collection, the new BR 03-92 HUD gets inspiration from the avionics displays of fighter jets equipped with the most cutting-edge technology.
Everything started in 2005 with the BR 01 which was inspired by the cockpit clocks of 1970’s airplanes. Then in 2010 the BR 01 Radar entered the market, followed by other models like the BR 01 Turn Coordinator. And now, ten years later, the watchmakers at Bell & Ross are turning all their attention to the Head Up Display (HUD). This new introduction completes the Flight Instruments Family.

The HUD is a transparent glass screen that displays all information that is essential to fulfill a mission in the pilot’s visual field. For optimal effectiveness, its primary function is to keep the pilot focused on the target ahead without having t take the eyes off their line of sight. The HUD takes on the augmented reality concept; with displaying digital data onto the windshield, pilots can be alerted about everything from the horizon line, altitude or speed to navigation aids. If you think that that sounds vaguely familiar it’s because the HUD is now also frequently used in the automobile industry.

The design of the BR 03-92 HUD embodies the spirit of Bell & Ross’ Instrument watches, as a contemporary style, the black matte ceramic case features the iconic “circle in a square” that evokes the silhouette of an aircraft cockpit clock.

The technical and graphical tools with tips to translate this display type at the much smaller scale of an analog mechanical watch was an innovative exercise at the brand’s creative studio. Arranged in tiers, the BR 03-92 HUD is built around superimposed levels to create an overlay that echoes the real HUD instrument.
The watch hinges on three layers: On the upper level, the green-tinted sapphire crystal gives the illusion of the digital HUD-type display, using the surface of the disc dial and that of the crystal. Here are the four brackets found from HUD line of sight. On the middle level, the black and green hands reveal the minutes and seconds. The hand’s center parts were purposely hidden to further increase the legibility. On the lower level, the hours are indicated by a green triangle marker which appears in the center through an independent concentric disc. The watch also features a small date at 4 o’clock.

And of course, the coatings are worth noting on this timepiece. By using the green color, Bell & Ross recreates the graphic style of this Instrument as closely as possible. The green on the dial mirrors the computer-type display of the HUD, and the cases anti-reflective matte black background provides a striking contrast and the sapphire crystal is tinted.
To provide an intense green light, hour numerals, indices and triangle as well as the minute-circle and hands are coated with green Super-LumiNova.

The BR 03-92 HUD fits perfectly in the Instruments family which guarantee ultra-legibility at all times. The combination of green tinted sapphire crystal on green information emphasizes this.

The watch is powered by the calibre BR-CAL.302, an automatic movement known for its absolute reliability.
The utilitarian approach of this watch is completed with both a black rubber and an ultra-resilient black synthetic fabric strap.

The BR 03-92 HUD is a limited edition of only 999 pieces.