ReviewThe Bell & Ross ‘Rafale’ Limited edition

Passion for aviation is what drives Bell & Ross and Dassault towards their innovations. The two houses of excellence have united to celebrate the most powerful and popular fighter jet in the market: The Rafale. The BR 03 Rafale by Bell & Ross is honoring the exceptional aero plane by releasing limited edition watches as a tribute to France’s most successful aircraft.

Rafale is of great significance to India as well. After a decade long stringent evaluation process, it has now been inducted in the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) squadron of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

The Rafale Project:

“Rafale (fr) = a sudden strong rush of wind.”

The Brainchild of Dassault Aviation, Rafale is considered ‘One of a kind’ around the world with its moderate size, extreme power, superb agility and high stealth capabilities. The aircraft is equivalent and at times even more capable than its counterpart, the Eurofighter Typhoon or the F22 Raptor. What distinguishes the Rafale from any other combat aircraft is its ability to“multi-role” i.e. capability of performing various tasks during a single mission. Equipped with an active radar, the Rafale can multitask whist being in a dogfight, something not every fighter jet can boast about. It can execute several missions with varied profiles simultaneously.

Bell & Ross has decided to bring all the exceptional characteristics of the Rafale to your wrist, developed to master all situations and designed to compliment any occasion.

Innovative fighter, exceptional Chronograph:

Engineers, skilled watchmakers, designers and professional pilots have combined their skills to design the ideal “instrument watch” –  a practical watch perfectly adapted to professional use. The design of the watch adopts the same fundamental design principles as visible in a cockpit panel and is also heavily inspired by the look of the Rafale.

High Tech Ceramic Case:

The case of the BR 03-94 Rafale watch was designed using Ceramic, a material that holds an important position in the aerospace sector. Ceramic is used in the design of heat shields and noses for rockets and is deemed almost as tough as a diamond according to experts. Extremely hardwearing and has an unchanging color, Ceramic is also lighter than steel, hypoallergenic and has thermal control properties, capable of withstanding extreme conditions which makes the watch even more comfortable to wear.  A unique yet innovative addition towards materials used in regular wrist watches.

The Rafale DNA, on your wrist:

The Rafale’s characteristic color adorns the dial: a monochrome camouflage grey. The stealthy matte black ceramic case is a reference to the anti-reflective tints of instrument panels in airplane cockpits. The dial is protected with sapphire glass and an anti reflective coating. The hands used for the chronograph functions have orange tips for extra legibility. Everything about the design of the watch is as close to the Rafale jet as it gets.

The sophisticated Ceramic case houses a mechanical chronograph movement BR – CAL.301 with automatic winding, which offers tried-and-tested reliability. The BR 03-94 watch is equipped with a black natural rubber strap and bears the “Rafale” name proudly on its dial.

Designed for any combat:

Given the features, the watch is extremely durable for men in action. Built with high-performance material, an extremely legible dial and a highly accurate movement, the BR 03-94 Rafale is the amalgamation of  the military and professional world, brought to your wrist.

The BR 03-94 Rafale will be presented in Le Bourget, at the International Paris Air Show, which will take place in France in June 2015.

Only 500 of these are available to the world and the watch exclusively available in India at Ethos Watch Boutiques.