BR X3 by Bell & Ross pays tribute to the Patrouille de France with aviation grade materials, an Alpha Jet inspired dial
Aviation enthusiasts, this one is for you: the BR X3 by Bell & Ross pays tribute to the Alpha Jets of the Patrouille de France. Created in 1953, this elite unit of the French Air and Space Force is regarded as one of the world’s most respected aerobatic display teams, known for tight formations, high G manoeuvres and impeccable precision.
Six years into their collaboration, Bell & Ross and the Patrouille de France have built a distinctive watchmaking partnership, with each new timepiece adding another chapter to a story rooted in altitude, discipline and performance.
In this year’s launch, the BR-X3 carries aviation-inspired design within a 41 mm case that retains the brand’s signature “circle within a square” cockpit-instrument silhouette. It is reworked with a multi-layer architecture combining polished satin-finished steel with blue anodised aluminium columns and bezel accents.
The layered dial picks up the blues of the Alpha Jet, pilot helmets, and flight suits, while the power reserve indicator in the colours of the French flag and a seconds hand shaped like an Alpha Jet make the reference explicit without tipping into gimmickry. Around the periphery, a tachymeter scale and clear, high contrast numerals underscore the instrument panel inspiration.
To dress the BR X3 in the squadron’s colours, Bell & Ross turned to materials that would feel at home in the aircraft: steel for strength, anodised aluminium for lightness and rigidity. This blend mirrors the aeronautical world, where every gram and every component has a purpose. A solid caseback engraved with the Patrouille de France badge and the individual number in the 250 piece series reinforces the link to the unit, while water resistance to 100 metres and a screw down crown give the watch everyday robustness.
Inside, the BR CAL.323 manufacture movement developed with Kenissi, COSC certified and offering a 70 hour power reserve, keeps time with the same reliability the pilots demand from their onboard instruments.
What makes the BR X3 compelling is not merely its military association, but how convincingly it channels the spirit of aviation into contemporary watchmaking. Limited to 250 pieces worldwide, the BR X3 Patrouille de France feels like a purpose built flight instrument translated for the wrist.
