Long famous for their skull and radar watches, Bell and Ross is expanding into something a bit more aeronautical. Their latest creation is the Bell & Ross BR 03 Gyrocompass Watch, a watch that features a representation of an airplane compass complete with a big, bold plane on the dial.
Don’t be fooled, however: this isn’t a real gyrocompass. It’s just supposed to look really cool.
This guiding element on the dashboard is essential: at a single glance, the representation of an aircraft in the sky tells pilots their direction of travel, allowing the position to be realigned on a magnetic compass if necessary. By getting closer to the feeling on board a cockpit, Bell & Ross is staying on course. the Gyrocompass, a visually simple yet technically complex system, with a mechanism that transfers the position of the plane in flight into a vertical graphic representation on the dial.
The BR 03 GYROCOMPASS does not feature a gyrocompass, but a watch movement with proven reliability: the BR-CAL.302 self-winding calibre. Beating at a frequency of 28,800 vph (4Hz), it has a 54-hour power reserve.
Price
Is it kind of goofy? Yes. Does it work well with Bell & Ross’ brand? Absolutely. I’m sure someone out there wants the Bell & Ross BR 03 Gyrocompass watch and it’s great that the company is coming back to its aeronautical roots. As a friend said, “At least it’s not a Bitcoin logo.”
You’ll spend $4,500 on this little beastie, fair for a watch of this unique caliber.
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About the Author / Author Expertise & Authority
John Biggs: I live in Brooklyn, NY and write about technology, security, gadgets, gear, wristwatches, and the Internet. After spending four years as an IT programmer, I switched gears and became a full-time journalist. My work has appeared in the New York Times, Laptop, PC Upgrade, Gizmodo, Men’s Health, InSync, Popular Science, and I’ve written a book called Marie Antoinette’s Watch about the most famous and mysterious watch ever made. I am the former East Coast Editor of TechCrunch.com.
