This Purpose-Built Pilot’s Watch Was Made for Some of the World’s Most Demanding Cockpits

Bell & Ross debuts a special edition BR-03 chronograph designed for the French Air and Space Force’s elite demonstration pilots.

Close-up of a black aviation-style wristwatch with a round dial featuring white numerals and markings, orange accents on the sub-dial and second hand, and a date window displaying "28" in yellow. The watch face includes the text "RAFALE SOLO DISPLAY" and "SWISS MADE." The watch has a robust black strap and a "RESET" button on the side with yellow lettering, set against an orange background.

By Brad Lanphear

Published August 28, 2025

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Updated August 28, 2025

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France is one of the few countries that domestically produces state-of-the-art fighter jets.

The Rafale is the country’s marquee aerial combat plane, and the French Air and Space Force has an elite unit dedicated to showing off its capabilities.

A black Bell & Ross wristwatch with a square case and a black fabric strap is mounted on a light gray pilot helmet. The watch face features white numerals, orange and yellow accents, and multiple subdials. — The BR-03 Chrono Rafale Solo Display is designed for some of the world’s top fighter jet pilots.

Naturally, Bell & Ross has an official partnership with the aeronautical demonstration program, called Rafale Solo Display. France’s premier tool watch brand created a special-edition BR-03 Chronograph for the program’s pilots, and it is available for public purchase.

Bell & Ross has always modeled its pilot’s watches after cockpit instrument panels, but the BR-03 Rafale Solo Display leans into the theme.

The matte black case, highly legible dial and labeled chronograph pushers give the impression that this watch was ripped out of a plane and attached to a strap.

Black Bell & Ross wristwatch with a square case and round dial featuring white numerals and hands, orange and yellow accents, two subdials, a date display at 4 o'clock, and a black perforated rubber strap. The dial includes the text "Bell & Ross," "RAFALE," "SOLO DISPLAY," and "SWISS MADE. — The case and dial give the impression that this watch was pulled from a cockpit instrument panel.

Despite its commitment to the theme, this 500-piece limited-edition military pilot’s watch is aesthetically pleasing enough for daily wear. It’s big and tactical, but the mid-century design elements and well-balanced dial are far tamer than most modern mil-spec watches.

Ready for takeoff

Modern fighter jets like the Rafale have mostly digital instrument panels, so this special edition BR-03 chronograph is inspired more by planes from the 1970s.

Black Bell & Ross wristwatch with a square case and a black perforated rubber strap. The watch face features white numerals, orange and yellow accents on the subdials, and a date window at the 6 o'clock position. The dial includes the text "Bell & Ross," "Rafale," and "Swiss Made," with a tachymeter scale around the outer edge. — The BR-03 Chrono Rafale Solo Display comes on a perforated rubber strap.

The dial is entirely matte black with white numerals and tracks, highlighted by splashes of orange and yellow. The chapter ring has a printed tachymeter scale, and an unmarked 60-second scale runs along its inner border.

A small seconds dial at three o’clock has a 15-second segment highlighted in yellow, which seems purely decorative. However, orange segments on the 30-minute totalizer enhance legibility.

The hour markers are large Arabic numerals with cutouts for the sub-dials. A date window at six o’clock, exposing a yellow-on-black date wheel, is framed with the yellow and black stripes used to highlight important areas in aviation.

Square black Bell & Ross wristwatch with luminous green Arabic numerals and hands. The watch face features two subdials with orange and yellow accents, a date window at the 6 o'clock position displaying "28," and the text "RAFALE SOLO DISPLAY" above the date. The bezel has a tachymeter scale, and the watch has a black crown and pushers on the right side. — The minute hand, hour hand and hour markers are filled with green-glowing Super-LumiNova.

The hour and minute hands are traditional flieger style, and the chronograph seconds hand is tipped with an orange triangle. Green-glowing Super-LumiNova covers the hour hand, minute hand and hour markers.

Just above the hour window is the Rafale Solo Display team logo printed in white.

Serious hardware

Bell & Ross’s signature BR-03 case is square with rounded corners and beveled edges, topped with four exposed screws and a round fixed bezel.

Black Bell & Ross wristwatch with a square case and round dial featuring white numerals and hands, orange and yellow accents, and a tachymeter scale. The dial includes subdials, a date display at 6 o'clock, and the text "RAFALE SOLO DISPLAY" with a small jet graphic. The watch has two black buttons on the side labeled "START" and "RESET" in orange and yellow, and a textured black rubber strap. The background is a gradient of orange shades. — Labeled pushers add a tactical touch to the chronograph.

The BR-03 Chrono Rafale Solo Display is cased in microblasted black ceramic, ideal for the extreme pressure and temperature swings experienced by fighter jet pilots.

The labeled pushers are the most intriguing feature of this specialized pilot’s watch. The upper pusher has “START” engraved and filled with red lacquer, and the lower pusher has “RESET” in yellow.

This automatic chronograph is powered by Bell & Ross’s in-house caliber 301 movement with a 42-hour power reserve.

Black Bell & Ross wristwatch with a square case and round dial, featuring white numerals and hands, orange and yellow accents, and a black rubber strap, worn on a person's wrist. — The BR-03 Chronograph is 42mm wide.

Bell & Ross approaches tactical and mil-spec watch design with more grace and refinement than perhaps any other brand. The BR-03 Chrono Rafale Solo Display is as military-issue as a pilot’s watch gets, and it is still a great-looking chronograph.

Availability and price

The BR-03 Chrono Rafale Solo Display is available for preorder from Bell & Ross for $6,000, and orders will ship out in September.

The watch comes on a perforated black rubber strap with a PVD-coated pin buckle, and is accompanied by a black single-piece nylon strap with a velcro loop-back fastener and the Rafale Solo Display logo printed on it.

It is a limited edition of 500 pieces.

Black Bell & Ross wristwatch with a square case and round dial featuring white numerals and hands, orange and yellow accents, two subdials, a date window at 6 o'clock, and a black perforated rubber strap. The dial includes the text "Bell & Ross," "RAFALE SOLO DISPLAY," and "SWISS MADE.

Bell & Ross BR-03 Chrono Rafale Solo Display

Specs

Case Size	42mm
Movement	Bell & Ross caliber 301 automatic
Water Resistance	100m

$6,000 at Bell & Ross

About the Author: Brad Lanphear is an associate editor at Gear Patrol covering watches and style. Before joining the publication, he previously wrote for Heddels and Men’s Health. Now, he’s on a never-ending quest to find the perfect pair of Japanese denim.