Sea Savers: Bell & Ross Releases the New Blue Ceramic BR 03-92 Diver Tara Variant

There are times when the elephant in the room must be addressed. We are all aware of the fact that oceans are in trouble and they are calling for help. If strong steps are not taken, there can be a major unavoidable catastrophe. From overfishing to garbage patches to oil leaks and mercury poisoning, we humans have caused more harm than good to nature. 

Watchmakers have realised that something needs to be done. Luxury brands do have the financial means to support oceanic organisations with philanthropic partnerships. Brands, big and small, are indeed forging partnerships with various organisations, which seek to save the oceans or sea life. Prominent among such brands is Bell & Ross. The brand has now joined hands with the France-based Tara Ocean Foundation to introduce the BR 03-92 Diver Tara, a special blue ceramic watch, designed to endure the rigours of maritime exploration, in a limited edition of 999 pieces.

Founded by Agnès Troublé in 2003 and chaired by Etienne Bourgois, the Tara Ocean initiative aims to explore the seas, deepen our understanding of the maritime world, share scientific knowledge, and enhance public awareness. For two decades, the Foundation has pioneered innovative ocean science, collaborating with leading global research centres to delve into marine biodiversity, study the effects of climate change and pollution, and anticipate their impact. The Tara Ocean Foundation — the first public interest foundation in France to be dedicated to the oceans — has two main missions: exploring the oceans to better understand them and sharing scientific knowledge about the oceans to raise public awareness.

The new Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver Tara Blue Ceramic timepiece is a quintessential BR 03-92 diver’s watch that has enjoyed success over the years. This 42 mm watch comes in a matte blue ceramic case, with a unidirectional rotating blue-and-orange ceramic bezel. The diving bezel is graduated to 60 minutes in five-minute intervals, with an orange sector for the initial 15 minutes in one-minute increments, marked by a distinctive inverted triangle at 12 o’clock.

The screw-down crown at 3 o’clock, the case with four visible screws, and the dial are blue in colour. The dial gets dotted and oval hour markers, and a white minute track on its outer periphery. To maximise low-light visibility, the hour markers and the hour, minute, and orange second hands are coated with Super-LumiNova. The brand’s logo appears in white at 12 o’clock while the Tara Océan Foundation logo is showcased in orange and white below the centre. The 300-metre/1000-ft water resistance indicator is at 6 o’clock while there is a discreet round date aperture at 4:30, with a dial-matching background and a white numeral. 

The BR 03-92 Diver Tara houses the familiar BR-CAL.302 automatic calibre, based on the Sellita SW300, offering approximately 40 hours of power reserve. The solid caseback features an image of the Foundation’s schooner Tara, individual watch number out of 999, the brand logo, and the reference, and highlights the impressive 300-metre water resistance. To ensure a comfortable fit on the wrist, Bell & Ross has provided a flexible blue woven rubber strap that is closed with a steel pin buckle with a blue PVD coating. There is also an option of an ultra-resilient orange synthetic fabric strap.