• Tired of adverts on RWI? - Subscribe by clicking HERE and PMing Trailboss for instructions and they will magically go away!

BR 03-92 Steel V3 Review

optical

Renowned Member
31/1/10
848
75
28
Hi all,
Had this for over a week now and decided its time for a review. Originally I actually wanted the Black BR03-92 Ceramic, but after ordering and sending payment, the TD said not available :/ .. Pick another watch. I picked another ceramic, same story, anyhow after a few rounds of this I asked if they could get hold of the Steel v3, if not I was just going to throw the towel in and give up. So here we are.

The feel, fit and finish on this watch is actually very very good! Has a very good quality feel to it with a nice weight making it feel very substantial. The finishing is fantastic, the combination of brushed and polished surfaces give this watch a really nice sparkle. It is driven by a reliable Miyota 9015, which is a workhorse. The case is very well put together, fine piece of engineering. Onto some pics:

The crystal is perfect, very clear with a beautiful double anti reflective coating giving it a nice blue hue on some angles, front on the crystal disappears. One of the best out of factory AR coats I have seen. The crazy thing is if you watch the video at the end of this review, the rep crystal looks clearer than the gens!

20210205-112340.jpg


20210205-112358.jpg


The dial is Supposed to have more of a texture on this update, but its very minimal, not as much as gen. But you would have to have them both side by side, and look very closely to notice the difference.

20210205-112543.jpg


Crown is as per gen (still need to get blue sticky stiff of mine) but shape is perfect. Date wheel is slightly sunken, this is not a big deal, and again would need gen next to it to realize the difference.

20210205-112601.jpg

The buckle and strap both feel great, solid and sturdy, feeling very secure on the wrist.

20210205-112702.jpg


Caseback is nice, as per gen, however the engravings would have been nicer if they were deeper. The other issue here is the brushing is a slightly more coarse, and not as fine as the gen, or other parts of the watch.

20210205-112822.jpg


Lume is very good, however it is a flaw because the gen actually has Blue lume rather than green. But it is nice and bright.

20210205-113232.jpg


Few extra shots:

20210205-113041.jpg


20210205-112509.jpg


Conclusion:

This is a fantastic rep, I really love the quality and feel of it! Running a Miyota 9015 gives me even more confidence as its a solid japanese made movement that should run without problems, I love this movement and have never had any problems compared to Asian movements which are put together in god knows what sort of conditions. I like a solid reliable watch, and this really hits the mark for me. People are concerned with the Noise of Miyota's but my watch is actually very quiet.

There are a few flaws that some purists may struggle to accept, but they are very minor, and only someone that s an expert on the brand, or more likely a member of the board her could call out. If you are into the B&R brand I highly recommend this model, it really has a Gen feel and presence to it.

Just to prove my point how close it is, check this video review a watch reviewer from Perth Australia put up, comparing Gen and Rep:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qjj8u6mGzok


Thankyou for reading.
Enjoy your watches
 

Starchen

Horology Curious
6/7/13
5
2
3
Thanks for the review ! Nice watch, I've got the 03-92 heritage and I love it.
How is the datewheel on this version? Is the date slightly misaligned too or has it been fixed ?

Envoyé de mon IN2013 en utilisant Tapatalk
 

optical

Renowned Member
31/1/10
848
75
28
some dates are a little more centered than others, bit its very slight
 

TBK

I'm Pretty Popular
11/3/09
1,332
540
113
EU
The ultimate classic Bell and Ross!
Very nice watch (to bad for the lume though).
​​​​​​Also, so many strap options to play with.
 

flyinhawaiian

You're Saying I Can Sell?
24/12/20
95
26
18
USA
What factory is this from? NWBIG list says ZF makes the 'best' ones of these but I thought ZF got raided..
 

LVonMatterhorn

Horology Curious
19/1/23
12
3
3
Europe
Main giveaway is the SN on the dial, and dial texture (matte), let's hope BR Factory has updated these issues because other than that, these B&R look phenomenal! I like the ceramic versions too

11d358ae.jpg

f8023aee.jpg

19750728.jpg




There's also a SW300 version from OF, which makes total sense as it's the same mov as gen, but of course, more expensive.
 
  • Like
Reactions: optical

kanagawa

You're Saying I Can Sell?
14/8/19
92
14
8
Main giveaway is the SN on the dial, and dial texture (matte), let's hope BR Factory has updated these issues because other than that, these B&R look phenomenal! I like the ceramic versions too

11d358ae.jpg

f8023aee.jpg

19750728.jpg




There's also a SW300 version from OF, which makes total sense as it's the same mov as gen, but of course, more expensive.
Where can I find BR from OF factory?
 

LVonMatterhorn

Horology Curious
19/1/23
12
3
3
Europe
Where can I find BR from OF factory?
You may ask your dealer. They go for about 4500 yuan with sw300.

As for BRF, main tells that I've found include:

1. Text below the hands center is too low and bigger

2. Steel bezel seems wider and downward angle less pronounced

3. Dial texture is usually off (at least the black color is)

4. DW only matches dial color on the black version

Although I like these simple styles better than OF's diver. Those tells are a no for me, hope this helps others!
 
  • Like
Reactions: shyreplover