Ikarusbusse » New Bell & Ross BR 03-94 Blacktrack

New Bell & Ross BR 03-94 Blacktrack We often see collaborations between motorcycle manufacturers and watch brands. From Triumph and Breitling to Bulgari and Ducati. This time around, Bell & Ross decided to collaborate with the Luxembourg-based company helmed and founded by designer Sacha Lakic.

First impression/case
Like the Blacktrack BT06 that this watch is paired with, our editor-in-chief gave this watch to me along with his black horse (what a coincidence!). What immediately caught our attention after taking the watch out of the bag were the chamfered edges, which are different from the usual Bell & Ross watches. The black ceramic shell immediately gives off a sexy stealth vibe, similar to the bike in the same black color.

The buttons on the side of the 42mm case are designed to be larger and easier to access on the BR03-94. In this case (no pun intended), being able to use the timing function while wearing gloves is a welcome move for motorcyclists.

On the back of the case, we see a closed case back engraved with the intricate pattern of the BT-06 and the Blacktrack name, which will constantly remind you that this is a watch designed in conjunction with Bell and Ross. If you are a Blacktrack owner or another dreamer who aspires to own an amazing motorcycle, the back of the watch is sure to make you smile during your crazy work day!

dial
Turning to the dial, the vertical lines on the dial are reminiscent of the hollowed-out cooling grid on the BT06 engine and the grooves on the bike’s special bracket used to house Bell & Ross watches. The red central seconds hand and minute track in the chronograph subdials are reminiscent of the red details on a bicycle’s digital speedometer.

An Easter egg on the dial is the superposition of the off-centre chronograph seconds and minutes hands to form the Blacktrack “B”.

The counter of this chronograph adopts the unique design of the dial on the motorcycle handlebar. All of the above are neat little details that are sure to complement the BT06, reminding the wearer and ideal bike owner that the design language of the watch and the bike go hand in hand.

With all that said, here are the author’s thoughts on the dial. Sure, the fun details carried over from the bike are great, but when it comes to viewing the watch in low-light conditions... it can be a little imperfect. The hour markers and skeletonized hands are treated with Super-LumiNova®, but the glow is somewhat faint in real-life situations. One night during the week-long review, the author took it to the "Naughty Corner" at 67 Pall Mall, and trying to tell time with the watch seemed like a daunting task... (Or blame it on the author's poor eyesight? You decide. )

sports
The Blacktrack BT-06 was equipped with a 1,200cc engine to power the café racer, while the BR 03-94 Blacktrack was powered by a BR-Cal 301 based on the ETA 2894-2. The watch’s “engine” spins at 28,800vph and also has a “fuel tank” that lasts for 42 hours. BR-Cal 301 is known to have stood the test of time and is highly resilient. Blacktrack’s previous watches in this series confirm this statement. However, there is a problem. Why hasn’t Bell & Ross launched a new Blacktrack watch based on the new BR 05 Chrono with a weekend power reserve? Of course, this will increase the retail price. This is one of this writer's biggest pet peeves. Although only you can decide if it matters to you.

watch strap
The strap is black motor-inspired calfskin with red edges and lined with high-strength technical material. The calfskin strap is soft and reminds one of the beautiful seats on the café racers that we are so familiar with. We noticed that the Blacktrack BT-06 Café Racer also has red trim; what a subtle but beautiful touch! A black PVD pin buckle secures the calfskin strap to the wearer's wrist. It's worth noting that during a week on the wrist, the buckle seemed a bit cumbersome to insert into the hole of the strap due to the slightly wider width.

Compare
As we started with the article, the cooperation between motorcycles and watchmakers is undoubtedly a popular method of cooperation in recent years. Perhaps they drew inspiration from the love between F1 and their respective watch brands. Here are two contenders for the BR 03-94 Blacktrack.

The first competing watch was the discontinued Tudor Fastrider Blackshield, which was designed in collaboration with its then-partner Ducati. The Italian superbike maker then launched a one-off Diavel Carbon model to coincide with the launch of the Tudor Fastrider Blackshield.

The second competitor to the BR 03-94 Blacktrack on the track is the Breitling Top Time B01 Triumph. The Top Time B01 Triumph was designed in collaboration with traditional British motorcycle brand Triumph. Just like the Blacktrack, Triumph is known for building beautiful Cafe Racers. The Top Time Triumph's ice blue dial accurately matches the color of the 1951 Triumph Thunderbird 6T motorcycle and the rare blue dial Breitling Top Time watches from the 1970s.

The Breitling watch is powered by Breitling’s in-house Caliber 01 movement, which only runs out after 70 hours and is COSC certified. Full cost at launch is S$11,200 including GST.

This time Bell & Ross sent us two watches, the other one is BR03-92 Tara Ocean, which is more attractive to the author because it is clearer and more suitable for daily use. Understandably, the BR03-92 is a completely different animal than the BR03-94.

So, if we were to compare, the Bell & Ross chronograph that we highly recommend is the BR 05 A523 Alpine. It has a weekend-ready movement and a legible dial with intricate details that will captivate the wearer for a long time to come.
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