Tap the image to enlarge
Bell & Ross Heritage 42mm Ceramic
Ref. BR0394
The square case format Bell & Ross adopted from aviation instrument panels has always been the point of the BR 03 family — legibility drawn from cockpit logic, with pushers and crown placed where a pilot's gloved hand can find them without looking. The BR0394 extends that lineage into chronograph territory, adding a tachymeter-scaled bezel and a small seconds subdial that keep the layout disciplined rather than cluttered. The BR-CAL.301 running beneath the dial is an automatic movement with a 42-hour reserve, which means a watch worn most days will rarely need winding. At 42mm the case is wide but the square format distributes it differently from a round watch of the same diameter — it sits flatter against the wrist and reads more like an instrument than most chronographs at this size.
- Reference
- BR0394
- Brand
- Bell & Ross
- Case size
- 42mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Square
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- BR-CAL.301
- Functions
- Chronograph, Date, Small seconds, Tachymeter
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Rubber strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Condition
- Pre-owned
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Learn more about Bell & Ross
Bruno Belamich, a designer, and Carlos Rosillo, a business graduate, founded Bell & Ross in 1992 as school friends with a shared interest in professional instruments. The early watches were made in partnership with the German manufacturer Sinn, which shaped the brand's technical bias.
Its identity crystallised in 2005 with the BR 01. The design takes an aircraft cockpit instrument — a round dial in a square bezel, secured by four visible screws, with oversized luminous numerals — and puts it on a wrist at 46mm. It is one of the few genuinely new watch shapes of the last thirty years, and it remains the brand's entire visual signature.
The functional argument holds up: legibility, water resistance, and anti-magnetic construction to specifications drawn from aviation requirements. Bell & Ross watches have been issued to French bomb disposal units, air force pilots, and special forces divers.
The range has since expanded in both directions — the smaller BR 03, the vintage-styled BR V line drawing on 1940s military chronographs, and the BR-X experimental series with tourbillons and skeletonised movements.
The company is based in Paris for design and Switzerland for production, and has partnered with Renault's Formula One team and the Alpine marque. Chanel took a significant stake in 2004.
- 1992
- Bruno Belamich and Carlos Rosillo found Bell & Ross.
- 1994
- Early production runs in partnership with Sinn.
- 2005
- The BR 01 brings the cockpit instrument to the wrist.
- 2011
- The vintage-inspired BR V line launches.
Also in 6 collections
This watch appears in Back in Stock (4,847), Stainless Steel Watches (3,197), Automatic Watches (1,736), Chronograph Watches (1,234), Rectangular & Square Watches (460) and Pre-Owned, Ex-Display & Vintage Watches (344).
Best of 2 retailers
Bell & Ross Heritage alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | BR0394 | CBN201D.FC6543 | ALT1-C/WH-BK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £3,660 | £3,815 | £3,750 |
| Case size | 42mm | 42mm | 43mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Rubber strap | Leather strap | Leather strap |
| Power reserve | — | 80 hours | 42 hours |
| This watch | Closely matched | Closely matched |
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 100m it is rated for swimming and snorkelling, though not for diving.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedIs it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
Both Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths list it at £3,660, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
More Bell & Ross watches like the Heritage
In stock, and close on style and price
