Bell & Ross Takes Flight With BR-X3 Patrouille de France Limited-Edition Watch
The luxury watchmaker partners with the French Air and Space Force aerobatic team to launch a high-performance, aviation-inspired timepiece.
Bell & Ross, the famously squared-off French watchmaker that seeks design inspiration from aircraft cockpit indicators, is expanding its partnership with the French Air Force by unveiling its most technically advanced collaboration to date, the BR-X3 Patrouille de France.
The release marks the sixth year of the partnership between the luxury watchmaker and France’s elite aerial aerobatic team, which originally launched in 1953. The new model succeeds the previous BR-05 Chrono iteration released last year. The new timepiece represents a stylized evolution of the classic BR-03 circle-within-a-square design. It features a multi-layer case construction crafted from polished-satin steel, accented by blue anodized aluminum on the structural columns and the bezel ring.
The three-plate dial architecture integrates shades of blue modeled after the squadron’s Alpha Jets, pilot helmets, and flight suits. Aesthetic details include a central seconds hand counterweight shaped like an Alpha Jet, a power reserve indicator at 9 o’clock styled after the French tricolor flag, and the official Patrouille de France diamond formation insignia at 6 o’clock. The hands and indices are coated with Super-LumiNova for low-light visibility.
Internally, the watch is powered by the BR-CAL.323, a self-winding mechanical movement developed by Kenissi. The movement is officially chronometer-certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute and offers a 70-hour power reserve. The 41 mm case has a thickness of 13.30 mm and boasts a water resistance of up to 100 meters. Each watch is delivered with two strap options: an open-worked black rubber strap and a sky-blue synthetic fabric strap.
Production of the BR-X3 Patrouille de France is limited to just 250 pieces worldwide priced at $8,100, with availability through authorized boutiques and the official online store.