It has been ten long years since the inception of the Bell & Ross BR 03 camouflage watch series. Now, the watchmaker is commemorating the occasion with the launch of the third and final timepiece in the stalwart watch family, named the Bell & Ross Black Camo.
The military inspired camouflage series first debut the Phantom concept back in 2007, followed by the Commando concept in the same year. Based on the mandatory standard of matte camouflage colors in the military, the Phantom concept sported full black military coating while its camouflage compadre, the Commando concept, underwent bicolor coating to feature a matte grey dial and matte black numerals.
Very aptly, as the third camouflage watch, the Black Camo steps it up to a tricolor coating scheme; the dial comes in a matte grey military patchwork, set against a matte black ultra-resilient strap to keep the wearer well blended in the shadows. The Superluminova coating and large numerals (3, 6, 9, 12) ensure legibility in the dark.
After all, the Black Camo continues the BR 03 tradition of throwing a nod to military precision and high stakes nature of covert operations.
Powered by a Swiss self-winding mechanical movement, the technology has evidently progressed by leaps and bounds in the last ten years. The cosmetic tweaks alone would not have made the Black Camo the ghost that it is. Yet, the Black Camo leaves little doubt that it is a sleek, broody and rugged creation born of haute horlogerie and military functionality. It is built to be battle tested as much as it would be admired. The 42mm casing is made of mass colored ceramic –favoured over steel—for its lightweight property and resistance to scratches. Under water, it survives up to 100-meters.
That begs the question: wouldn’t these characteristics adapt the Black Camo to daytime adventures in the great outdoors too? Sure it does. Not everyone can put on a raspberry beret (and a Black Camo, of course) and say they stand among elite level men and women in the special forces. But with all the conversation about cloak-and-dagger missions and life-and-death military bravado, it camouflages the underlying versatility of this timepiece.
Because you could just be a passionate Bell & Ross collector, and you would get a kick out of it just the same.
For more details on the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Black Camo, find it here.
