My Eastern Watch Collection: Bell & Ross BR V2-94 Military Beige Reference BRV294-BEI-ST/SF - Character and Functionality, A Review (plus Video)

To be honest, I only have one Bell & Ross watch in the collection. The BR02-92 Pro Diver was a watch I bought more than a decade ago. I just cannot appreciate the square shape of typical Bell & Ross design. Back then, the Instrument line was the primary series of watch sold under the brand. The BR02-92 Pro Diver was different as it more of a cushion shaped watch and fits my taste.

When Bell & Ross launched the Vintage line, I started to be intrigued by the brand. The classic and contemporary design is more acceptable to me and the options available are equally good. The bicompax chronograph design is the one I like but the pricing was not enticing enough.

Recently, one of my dealers ended his shop's relationship with Bell & Ross. He still has a number of the brand's timepieces but they were no longer covered by the manufacturers' warranty. In effect, these timepieces are considered NOS (or 'new old stock'). As the warranty is no longer available and there is no watch-box, the dealer gave a 40% discount as well as a special dealership warranty (similar cover as with any Bell & Ross watches).

One of the watches available is the BR V2-94 Military Beige. I like the vintage vibes it gave and I decided to get it.

The Series

The BR V2-94 Military Beige is a model under the Vintage line by Bell & Ross. Under this main series, there are sub-series, such as: the BR V2 AUTO; the BR V2 GMT; the BR V2 CHRONO; and the BR V3 CHRONO. Designed as all-rounders capable of many things, these watches are not exceptional in any specific area, but good in all situations. They are not true dive watches nor are they true sports watches, nor are they true racing-oriented chronographs. Nonetheless, they will be able to engage in most of the action.

The BR V2 AUTO is the basic three-hand watch with seven models. The BR V2 GMT is the GMT version with four models. BR V2 CHRONO is the bicompax chronograph design with 11 models. The BR V3 CHRONO is the tricompax chronograph design with two models.

The BR V2-94 collection is inspired by the vintage BR V2 Chronograph that encapsulates the brand’s old-school pilot codes. It features an automatic mechanical BR-CAL.301 movement, a 41 mm satin-polished round steel case, a steel bezel with an anodized black aluminum ring, a screw-down crown and push buttons, a sapphire case back and an ultra-curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating. It is water-resistant up to 100 meters and functions include hours, minutes, small seconds at 3:00, a date aperture at 4:30 and a chronograph with a 30-minute timer at 9:00 and central chronograph seconds.

AÉRONAVALE RM21,200 Bracelet Fixed timing bezel BRV294-BU-G-ST/SST	AÉRONAVALE RM19,900 Blue calfskin leather Fixed timing bezel BRV294-BU-G-ST/SCA	GARDE-CÔTES RM20,700 Bracelet Pulsometer bezel BRV294-ORA-ST/SST
GARDE-CÔTES RM19,400 Black rubber Pulsometer bezel BRV294-ORA-ST/SRB	MILITARY BEIGE RM20,700 Bracelet Fixed timing bezel BRV294-BEI-ST/SST	MILITARY BEIGE RM19,400 Elastic canvas Fixed timing bezel BRV294-BEI-ST/SF
STEEL HERITAGE RM20,700 Bracelet Fixed timing bezel BRV294-HER-ST/SST	STEEL HERITAGE RM19,400 Black rubber Fixed timing bezel BRV294-HER-ST/SRB	BLACK STEEL RM20,700 Bracelet Tachymeter bezel BRV294-BL-ST/SST
BLACK STEEL RM19,400 Black calfskin leather Tachymeter bezel BRV294-BL-ST/SCA	FULL LUM RM22,000 Luminescent green dial Black rubber Fixed timing bezel BRV294-LUM-ST/SRB	As at 2 August 2024, there are 11 models under this series. Please refer to Bell & Ross website: https://www.bellross.com

THE IMAGE BELOW IS THE LINK TO MY AFFILIATE STORE

The Watch

This is the first time that I got a NOS without a watch-box and a manufacturer warranty. To be honest, this goes against my general policy of buying new watches from ADs. However, the deal was too good to pass-up. Anyway, my AD did give a spare Rado watch-box instead which also comes with a nice traveling pouch. To sweeten the deal further, a aviation notebook from Bell & Ross was also given (was made to understand that the notebook is not given to purchasers but to ADs invited by the brand for product briefings).

The BR V2-94 Military Beige stands out with its vintage-inspired design, featuring a 41.0 mm stainless steel case that combines polished and satin-finished surfaces. With a lug-to-lug length of 46.0 mm and a height 13.5 mm, the case is well-proportioned, catering to a wide range of wrist sizes. The watch sits comfortably on my wrist and can slide under a shirt cuff with ease.

The beige dial, reminiscent of desert military uniforms, provides a warm and distinctive look. There are two sets of timing scales at the peripheral of the dial; a sub-second scale represented by thick and thin lines; and a hour scale represented by Arabic numerals. The scales are all painted in black.

There are two sub-dials on the watch. At 3:00 is the sub-seconds while at 9:00 is the 30-minute timer. The sub-second sub-dial has a simple aiming-reticle-style with just the number '60' painted in black while the timer sub-dial has a minute scale of 30 lines as well as the number '30' also painted in black. Due to the size of the sub-dials, the hour marker numerals of 2, 3, 4, 8, 9 and 10 have to be either completely or partially replaced. Additionally, a small date aperture at 4:30 has been cut to allow one view the date wheel. To minimise clutter, the date wheel has the same background colour as the dial.

There are five lines of texts on the dial. The brand and logo are on the upper quadrant while the rest are located at the bottom quadrant. All are painted in black except for the '100 M' text which is painted in red.

The minutes and hours hands are coated with Super-LumiNova while the central chronograph seconds hand is painted in black with a red tip. The small hands at the timer sub-dial also painted in black with a red tip. Meanwhile, the sub-seconds hand is fully painted in black.

Protecting the dial is a domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating enhances the watch’s vintage appeal while providing modern durability and clarity.

Around the dome sapphire crystal is a fixed stainless steel bezel with aluminum insert.

The BR V2-94 Military Beige is water-resistant up to 100 meters, making it practical for everyday wear, including swimming and light snorkeling. Located on the right side of the casing, the screw-down crown and pushers add to its robustness, ensuring protection against water ingress. Meanwhile, the chronograph functionality is user-friendly, with the start & stop pusher at 2:00 and the reset pusher at 4:00.

The case-back as a screw-down with a sapphire crystal display window. Standard information can be found around the peripheral of the case-back. Through this window is where we can observe the engine that runs the watch. At the heart of the BR V2-94 Military Beige is the BR-CAL.301 movement. This caliber is based on the reliable ETA 2894-2. This automatic chronograph movement offers a power reserve of approximately 40 hours and operates at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (or 4 Hz). The chronograph function is smooth and precise, making it suitable for timing events with military precision.

The watch comes with an elastic canvas strap with signed hook. The straps are based on the Marine Nationale concept made by Erikas Originals. The canvas strap accentuates the military theme, with the beige strip running through the middle. The elasticity of the strap provides a comfortable and snug fit. The strap comes with a very simple hook that does not look secure as first glance. However, due to the elasticity of the strap, the hook does hold securely.

The illumination on the watch in low light is rather pathetic. With only the main hands painted with the Super-LumiNova compound, the practicality of using the watch in the dark is limited.

The Wearing Experience

The BR V2-94 Military Beige is a testament to the brand’s commitment to combining military heritage with modern watchmaking excellence. Its distinctive design, reliable movement, and practical features make it a compelling choice for those who appreciate a watch with both character and functionality. Whether worn as a daily timepiece or as part of a collection, the BR V2-94 Military Beige stands out as a tribute to military precision and style.