Celebrity Watch Hunting is a series of columns that takes a snapshot of what kind of watches celebrities around the world are wearing. This time, we will be looking at the Bell & Ross worn by Daisuke Matsuzaka, known as the "Heisei Monster," during his time with the Boston Red Sox.
Text by Yukaco Numamoto
Article published on June 2021, 7
Daisuke Matsuzaka, the "Heisei Monster," finally retires
On July 3, 2021, professional baseball pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, nicknamed the "Heisei Monster," announced his retirement at the end of this season. Matsuzaka had a spectacular career, winning the Sawamura Award in 2001, most wins three times, and seven Golden Glove Awards, the most for a Pacific League pitcher. Let's take a look at the watch he used during his time in the Major Leagues.
Bell & Ross BR 03-94 Carbon
The BR 03-94 series features an iconic design inspired by aviation instruments, with a small seconds hand at 3 o'clock and a 30-minute counter at 9 o'clock. The 42mm BR 03 series was first released in 2006. It was highly praised by Ralph Lauren (a known watch enthusiast), who had not yet fully entered the watch industry at the time, and his devotion to the watch was so great that he even featured it in his company's advertisements.
SS and PVD specifications different from current products
The photo of Matsuzaka wearing the watch is from 2011, so it is likely that he is not wearing the current model, the BR 03-94 Black Matte, but rather its predecessor, the BR 03-94 Carbon. This was a time when the BR 03 series was gaining popularity and the brand's name recognition was spreading to the public.
The current BR 03-94 Black Matte uses a ceramic case, which is highly resistant to wear, deformation, and lighter than stainless steel, but the BR 03-94 Carbon has a stainless steel case with black PVD.
There are two models: black matte and carbon. Not only are the case materials different, but the case structures are also completely different. It is difficult to achieve water resistance in a square case that does not allow for a screw-down case back. For this reason, Bell & Ross, including the carbon model worn by Matsuzaka, previously achieved 100m water resistance by using a two-piece case in which the case back and middle case are integrated.
However, perhaps due to improved case processing precision, the case was changed to a three-piece design. The same goes for the BR 03-94 Black Matte. If the same water resistance was possible, it was only natural to choose a three-piece design, which is easier to maintain. Now that Bell & Ross can even produce a 300m water-resistant diver's watch with a three-piece rectangular case, it's hard not to feel the brand's evolution.
Automatic movement (BR-CAL.301). 37 jewels. 28,800 vph. Power reserve approximately 42 hours. Stainless steel + PVD (diameter 42mm). Water resistant to 100m. Discontinued.
During his time with the Boston Red Sox in Major League Baseball, Matsuzaka was nicknamed "Dice-K," a play on the name "Daisuke" (Daisuke), the Japanese word for dice, and the "K" (K) for strikeout. The BR 03-94, with its square case inspired by aviation instruments, and the fact that it represents speed, are two common themes for a competitive player who once pitched a fastball exceeding 150 km/h in the Major Leagues. While it's unclear whether Matsuzaka himself thought this far when choosing this watch, it's not surprising that he has a subconscious preference for things that evoke images of speed.
