Limited to 500 pieces. The new "BR 03-94 PATROUILLE DE FRANCE".

Bell & Ross

A Watch Designed for the French Air Force's Official Aerobatic Team, Now Available as the "BR 03-94 PATROUILLE DE FRANCE" General Model

Bell & Ross, a manufacturer of high-performance, high-precision watches with a primary focus on aircraft, particularly aviation instruments, has been selected as the watchmaking partner for the "Patrouille de France," the official aerobatic demonstration squadron of the Armée de l’Air et de l’Espace (French Air and Space Force). The "BR 03-94 PATROUILLE DE FRANCE," a general model of the professional-specification watch manufactured by Bell & Ross for this mission, will be released in a limited edition of 500 pieces.

Text by OZAKI Sayaka | Edit by TSUCHIDA Takashi

Ensuring High Precision and Readability to Meet the Needs of Pilots on Flight Missions

Bell & Ross has long been dedicated to military history, design, and values, with a passion for excellence in watchmaking that centers on aircraft, particularly aviation instruments. Recognized as a leading brand in aviation watches, the company was chosen as the official watchmaking partner for the "Patrouille de France," the official aerobatic team of the Armée de l’Air et de l’Espace (French Air and Space Force). The general model of the professional instrument designed by Bell & Ross for this flight team will be released as the "BR 03-94 PATROUILLE DE FRANCE" in a limited edition of 500 pieces.

The case of the new model is crafted from high-tech ceramic. This material holds a special place in the aerospace industry, used in the production of components exposed to high temperatures, acids, corrosion, and erosion, and is also employed in the design of heat shields and nose cones for rockets. It possesses a hardness close to that of diamond and is exceptionally durable.

The black color is achieved through mass coloration, ensuring it will not fade or discolor. The case is lighter than steel, hypoallergenic, and offers temperature-regulating properties, while the strap is made of black rubber for wrist protection, providing a more comfortable fit.

Limited to 500 pieces. The new "BR 03-94 PATROUILLE DE FRANCE" | Bell & Ross

This timepiece is equipped with a highly reliable automatic mechanical chronograph movement. The chronograph is an essential tool for aerial navigation, used to measure short intervals of time, and is a primary complication for aviation watches. For pilots, especially during formation changes in groups of two, four, six, or eight, "synchronization" is the most critical element to ensure their safety and the quality of their performance. With multiple aircraft flying at speeds exceeding 600 km/h and subjected to G-forces greater than 6G, accuracy and visibility are conditions that must be absolutely guaranteed.

A bidirectional rotating bezel with a 60-minute scale is fitted to measure time intervals, and the chronograph seconds hand, positioned centrally on the dial, serves as the most important measuring tool.

The tip of the chronograph seconds hand is painted red. This is a significant color in aviation for indicating function and in test flights, signifying direct, clear, and dynamic characteristics. The dark blue dial, contrasting with the red, reflects the color of the sky and the identity of the flight team. The numerals, indices, and hands are finished with white photoluminescence, ensuring perfect visibility day and night.

Furthermore, the "Patrouille de France" logo is elegantly placed on the dial without obstructing readability. It features a silhouette of nine jets against a gold background, a color widely used in military insignia. This evokes the nine Fouga Magister aircraft, predecessors to the Patrouille de France's Alpha Jets, and represents the team's signature formation, also known as "Concorde."

The tricolor banner encircling the logo symbolizes the French national colors of the flight team and the evolving nature of aerobatic flight. This emblem is highly symbolic, representing values such as solidarity, humility, precision, reliability, discipline, and control, embodied by the pilots.

This watch is a chronograph that embodies the shared values between Bell & Ross and the flight team, perfectly meeting the demands of their flight missions.