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Christopher Ward, a British maker of affordable watches, launches their unlicensed tribute to James Bond’s 50th Annviersary and new movie, Skyfall. We all know that this right belongs to Omega, but that didn’t stop Christopher Ward from jumping on the gravy train!

The watch is dubbed the C60 Trident-PRO Automatic SKBRG22, and looks like a Rolex Submariner Homage. The watch features an automatic Selitta SW200-1 movement and is mounted on a Striped nato strap. Watch is Swiss made and will be priced at £350.

From:The Breitling Watch Blog

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At HODINKEE we all really like Christopher Ward. We like them because they make really nice, classical watches at a very fair price. We also like them because of their refreshing and transparent approach to after sales service.

The watch I’ve had the pleasure of wearing for the last week marks something of a departure from the traditional Christopher Ward formula. It’s a bit different for two reasons; it’s a fair bit more expensive than the rest of the range, coming in at just north of $ 1500, and also because this watch has something a little unusual under the hood.

From:HODINKEE

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New watch from Christopher ward! Hints of a bell and Ross watch due to the aero plane dial detailing! Swiss movement , British watch maker!
Video Rating: 5 / 5

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Christopher Ward has been consistently doing great work lately, and today we’re pleased to review for you the C60 Trident GMT, model number C60-GMT-SOKKO. Let’s get started with the basic specs.

• Automatic, ETA 2893-2 with GMT hand.  42hour power reserve, 28,800 vph.
• Hacking, handwinding, quickset date, independantly settable GMT hand
• 42mm 316L stainless steel case, 42.9 at the bezel, 12.5mm thick and 50.2mm lug to lug. 110g on the included 22mm leather strap with deployant clasp.
• Unusually water resistant at 300m (1000ft), with a 4mm sapphire crystal
• Screw down crown and screwed case back
• Superluminova on hands and indices
• List price 458 UKP for non-EC, about $ 720

The C60 model is available in a bunch of configurations – different colored bezels, with or without bracelet. This version has a low-key orange color that nicely matches the stitches on the strap. Since it’s 300m-rated, I’d recommend considering the bracelet, as that can get wet and thus increases the versatility of the watch. Leather doesn’t last long if you soak it. That said, it’s a nice dress watch on the strap, very light and comfortable.

The crown is 7.4mm, signed and screwdown, with elegantly shaped guards around it. If you look closely you can see a bit of the wave texture on the dial, which adds understated visual appeal. The bezel is unidirectional, which I doubt is super useful for the intended use of tracking a third timezone.

The luminosity is excellent. No problem at all reading it at night, though the 24-hour hand vanishes, having only a small triangle of lume at the end.

The dial looks quite different as the incident lighting changes. Enjoying the play of light, shadow and reflection is one of the pleasures of a nice watch, and the C60 is strong here. There’s lots of detail to see, and it’s well made.

For completeness, a shot of the case back, strap and double deployant clasp. They used curved ends on the strap, a nice bit of attention to detail that adds to the clean look of the watch. Even if you get the bracelet, it’s worth buying the strap as well for variation; it’s a nice change of pace and very comfortable.

From:WatchReport.com

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I’ve been a fan of Christopher Ward for a long time. They were one of the first high-value brands I discovered, and a wonderful introduction to fine watches. It has been a pleasure to watch their style develop and evolve, which is to say that I had a lot of anticipation going when I opened the box for their newest model, the C11 automatic.

According to their catalog, the design team went through 30 to 40 iterations, trying to create a watch with the look and clarity of an aircraft altimeter in a wearable form. The result, a squared-off complex shape with decorative screws and some subtle details, is a real eye-catcher.

Let’s start with a real altimeter. Here’s one from a plane I used to fly:

You can see the aspects they were shooting for: the shape of the hands, the high contrast, and more subtly, the ‘bug’ marker at 3 o’clock and the shape of the crown. Look closely, and you’ll see they used diagonal-cut knurling on the 7.4mm crown, which combine for suburb ease of adjustment.

Also immediately noticeable is the anti-reflective coating used. In a first for Christopher Ward, the C11 has it applied to the outside of the flat sapphire crystal, which is more effective at stopping glare. The off-axis blue tint implies a single-layer magnesium fluoride treatment, which should be fairly durable to abrasion and wear. Inner A/R is immune to wear, but much less effective so I applaud their choice here. On-axis the crystal just vanishes:

Interestingly, the dial itself, quite large at 35.2mm, lacks minute markers. It makes for a dressier, less fussy look. You can read this one from across the room!

The case is 42mm by a slim 10.7mm, 53.7mm lug to lug. At 100g on the leather strap, it’s quite light and very wearable. It wears large and thin.

As I checked out the case I slowly realized that, with this watch, Christopher Ward has taken a decisive step up in build quality. Let’s start in an unlikely place, namely the buckle:

Watch buckles usually don’t get much attention; it’s usually not visible and often a place to skimp on build quality. This one is the opposite: Mixed brushed and polished surfaces, machined from solid stainless steel, with two decorative screws that match the case plus deep-etched engraving. It’s beautiful, and really extravagantly so.

Now let’s look closely at the case finishing. When evaluating build quality, keep in mind that simple shapes are the least expensive, as are brushed finishes.

Here we have a curved surface intersecting a straight section, with adjacent brushed and polished finishes. That’s expensive, difficult to make and nearly as well executed as my (much pricier) IWC Aquatimer. It’s a big step up from the cases on the previous Christopher Wards I’ve reviewed, leading me to wonder if they’ve changed case suppliers. Regardless, bravo!

The emphasis on design continues on the case back. Instead of model number, depth rating and the like you have this:

The Latin means “Reach for the Stars.” Not a bad motto, even if there is a double entendre there for armed robbery!

Since they omit the usual case back specs, I’ll tell you them here:

• 316L stainless steel case
• Water resistant to 100m (even with the non-screwdown crown)
• ETA 2824-2 or Sellita SW200 (2824 clone) movement, also available in quartz
• SuperLuminova hands and indices
• List price 332 pounds UK for non-EC buyers, about $ 516 as of today.

They don’t mention it, but the strap is tool-free quick release, 22mm lugs. Super convenient.

The lume is very good:

The second hand is hard to see, both day and night, so about the only design kvetch I have is the paint color there. I like a conspicuous second hand, but maybe that’s just me.

On the wrist, it’s gorgeous. I got a lot of attention, and at least one of my friends has already bought his own after seeing it. Notice how the date window is there when you need it but inconspicuous.

Not flashy at all, note the color-matched stitches and lack of decorative rivets. The size keeps it from being a low-key watch, so it’s kind of hard to describe. Large in appearance, light in weight, and non-bling is my best effort. Goes under shirt cuffs very easily. I have average wrists, 7.25″.

I really, really like what they’ve done with this one. It’s got an aircraft look, reminiscent of Bell & Ross or Sinn, but the case shape is uniquely their own and a win for wearability. And of course the value proposition is miles ahead. The addition of outer anti-reflective coatings and museum-grade sapphire makes for an amazingly legible watch, and the case finishing is astoundingly good. This is an amazing value.

It’s a bit bold for three-piece-suit formal, but I think for anything up to that the C11 would go from work to weekend with aplomb and panache.

Thanks to Christopher Ward for the review unit. Opinions are 100% independent.

Written by Paul Hubbard.

From:aBlogtoRead.com

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Hot on the heels of the new C50 Malvern Auto, Christopher Ward has announced a new limited edition piece that is unlike anything they have made to date. The C9 Harrison Jumping Hour is a beautiful dress watch with a unique jumping hour complication developed for CW as an extension of the ETA 2824 automatic movement. A jump hour has a standard minute hand but the hour hand is replaced by an aperture that shows the hour as a numeral. The jump hour complication allows the C9 to show the current hour until the last possible instant and then leap to the next hour.

Some complications can clutter a watches dial and make the time hard to read at a glance but the jump hour likely makes it easier by keeping the readout as simple as possible. The demand for this elegant timepiece may well outreach the supply as the C9 is a limited edition with only 200 units being produced. This is yet another mature and likely collectable design from Christopher Ward and features a great many interesting elements. The C9 has a 43 x 13 mm stainless steel case, a beautifully textured galvanic guilloche dial, a display case back and comes fitted to a medium brown alligator strap.

All 200 of the series will be assembled by Johannes Jahnke, the same man that developed the jump hour complication for CW. Owners will even receive a signed letter of authenticity along with their new watch. This entire kit is available via pre-order from Christopher Ward for $ 1585.00 which is rather affordable given the added complication, exclusivity and the fact that it has few peers at this price point. We hope that Christopher Ward’s future hold more innovative and creative designs like the C9 Harrison.

From:WatchReport.com

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Christopher Ward really does release a lot of new timepieces each year. A few of them are real winners in my opinion. One of those which is interesting is this new C9 Harrison Jumping Hour watch, which is actually the most expensive watch Christopher Ward has every offered at $ 1,585. Not for everyone, this is a great piece for those who have been fascinated by jumping hour complications – one of the first types of watches to experiment with digital displays.

A jumping hour watch basically has a disc with numerals on it for the hour. This disc “jumps” each hour to show the correct hour digitally. The minutes are still indicated via a traditional analog hand. The idea of this watch is to improve legibility by reducing the confusion that can occur from having two hands to read. The primary feature here is the “jumping” disc which does not slowly move from one hour to another (but rather jumps a whole disc position).

For their jumping hour watch Christopher Ward uses a specially modified Swiss ETA 2824-2 automatic with a module they call the JJ001. This means it should work well being based on a reliable work-horse movement. Under the guilloche machine engraved dial sits a large disc that displays the hour indicators using Roman numerals – you usually don’t see that as they are often done with Arabic numerals.

Christopher Ward uses a 43mm wide steel case for the C6 Harrison. The case is brushed with a rounded and polished bezel. The dial design is good, with little to distract you, but enough decorative elements to keep it visually appealing. The interesting mixture of modern and classic design elements on the dial is also a welcome refresh given that most watches of this nature are stuck in the past when it comes to looks. Initially the C9 will be available with the silvered dial matched to a Louisiana alligator strap. The watch will also be a limited edition. Christopher Ward will only produce 200 pieces of the C9 Harrison Jumping Hour initially and again, price will be $ 1,585. Look for availability in October of 2011.

From:aBlogtoRead.com

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Christoper Ward recently opened pre-orders for an updated version of their original watch model, the C5 Auto. This new model, the C50, is a beautiful 39 x 10.8 mm dress watch featuring a day date function which is powered by an ETA 2836-2 movement. CW uses a top grade ETA 2836-2 and the C50 is a COSC certified automatic chronometer, a first for the Christopher Ward brand. Along with assured accuracy the C50 is also limited to 200 pieces; all of which will be fitted with a sapphire crystal, a display back, and an Italian leather strap with a butterfly clasp. The C50 is a gorgeous example of classic and simple styling that should feel at home in both casual and formal environments (we think it might look best on a black strap). The C50 is available for pre-order now and carries a reasonable list price of $ 825.

From:WatchReport.com

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If you need a quick pilot watch fix and don’t want to shell out four digit amounts on an IWC or something like that, then Christopher Ward’s C8 Pilot collection is a good option. Their newest version offers that slick vintage look with a tan strap and tan lume that seems to go equally well with shorts and jeans. This isn’t a new watch per se as the C8 has been in Christopher Ward’s collection for a bit, but this new version is among the most appealing.

The case is sandblasted steel and 44mm wide. I would love to see them offer a PVD black version to offer more of that Bell & Ross BR Vintage 123 look that I find so very sexy. Yea, sexy. Perhaps CW will offer that in the future. The dial of the C8 Pilot Mark II Vintage has both Arabic hour numerals and hour markers. This makes for a very tool-like look and a high degree of legibility. The 12 o’clock hour indicator is applied to keep the dial from looking too flat. This style doesn’t emanate excitement at first glance, but is visually neutral and will not stress the eyes after looking at it for a while.

Note how Christopher Ward offers their own version of the pilot watch “onion” crown. It sorta of has that look while looking modern and neat. The tan leather strap is a necessary touch, but where are my beloved pilot watch strap rivets? The hands on the dial are pretty much the right size, but can look smaller in certain lights. This is due to the black edge of the hands matching the color of the dial. This is a common issue and I have actually thought a lot about how to resolve it. One idea I have had is to have the black color of the hands a slightly different shade (say a bit more gray) than the dial. Alternatively, the hand edges and dial could have a very different texture or finish – those ideas will likely help the hands stand out more, but still preserve that iconic pilot watch look. One brand that does it pretty well is IWC.

Inside of the C8 Pilot Mark II Vintage (a rather unnecessarily long name if you ask me) is a Swiss ETA 2824-2 automatic movement. One design feature that is pretty satisfying is the insertion of the case via a small, round window. Not only does CW properly use a black date disc, but the window does not interfere with the 3 o’clock hour indicator. Price in England is 365 Pounds. The US price won’t be that exactly, but less. Due to UK VAT taxes (I assume) the prices outside the UK are a bit less. Figure in the $ 450 – $ 500 range for this Christopher Ward C8 Pilot Mark II watch when it is available soon.

From:aBlogtoRead.com

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For me, one of the most hotly anticipated Christopher Ward watches of this year was the C60 Trident and its brother the C60 Trident GMT. Priced well, this family of watches offered a rich classic style, Swiss automatic movement, and intriguing range of styles. I finally got my hands on one so here is the resulting review.

A diver’s watch in style, the C60 Trident offers the durability of 300 meters of water resistance with a sapphire crystal and nicely made steel case. The case is 42mm wide and feels properly sized in the medium-large class. Additional heft is ensured by the widely spaced lugs. The water resistance rating provides that the AR coated sapphire crystal is 4mm thick and the case itself is 13mm thick. Nevertheless, the C60 Trident feels like a svelte watch on the wrist due to its wide base. Comfort on the wrist is certainly a hallmark of this watch.

For inspiration Christopher Ward called on two other timepieces (mainly). These are the fellow Brit brand Bremont, and Rolex (started as a Brit). The C60 Trident line resembles the Bremont Supermarine (which I reviewed here) on the dial (among other areas), while Rolex’s GMT Master collection of watches helped guide the GMT elements of the piece. You can see a little bit of Omega for example in the wave textured dial. Is it bad that Christopher Ward is mixing and matching ideas and concepts from other brands? It really depends on how you look at it.

For me what is important is the final product. The C60 Trident watches are hardly 1:1 copies of anything. They are merely inspired by some of these other fantastic timepieces. Each of them should be flattered at the attention. At the same time, the Christopher Ward C60 Trident is much less expensive than many of the pieces it borrows influence from. Those seeking an absolutely unique design might take issue, but everyone else should be more than satisfied.

The watch comes with either a metal bracelet or alligator printed leather strap. It looks good on either, though dive watch fans will probably opt for the bracelet. Design of the bracelet feel inspired by the Bremont Supermarine, among other watches. It isn’t the world’s most exciting bracelet in terms of visual design but looks attractive enough. I would have preferred it to be a bit more simple with an entirely polished center link… I think. The bracelet comes with a push-button butterfly clasp. It helps give the bracelet a clean look from the bottom, but I feel that as a more serious dive watch, Christopher Ward should have supplied the C60 Trident GMT with a more traditional fold-over deployment clasp (which would have also potentially allowed for more precise sizing).

The case itself is attractively finished with brushed steel on the sides and polished areas on the tops of the lugs. The bezel is bold, and offers a handsome sense of color contrast to all the steel. For this GMT watch you have a 24 hour scale on the uni-directional bezel, but the lume pip remains at the top. I do however prefer that GMT bezels are bi-directional when they rotate. That little feature simply may have been an unnecessary cost as Christopher Ward needs only to replace the bezel on the GMT version versus the standard C60 Trident that has a diver’s bezel (which is always uni-directional).

Most of the magic is in the dial with those great Supermarine inspired hands and hour markers. Christopher Ward offers its own interpretation on the hands design, and they result in something that is both highly legible and elegant to look at. The icing on the cake is the Christopher Ward trident logo counterweight on the seconds hand. Hands are the right size and for the GMT version there is a GMT hand in red. While the GMT hand is the right length, it is a bit skinny.

For those who really want an easy to read second timezone, this GMT hand may be too small. For those who like having a dual time watch but don’t want to be inundated with a fourth hand on the dial, this GMT design is a good option. I further like the placement of the date window (and the little frame around it). On the dial is a fair amount of SuperLumiNova (in blue) for excellent darkness viewing.

Inside the C60 Trident GMT is a Swiss ETA 2893 automatic GMT movement. For those new to the game, this movement offers an independently adjustable 24 hour hand that allows you either to track your local time in a 24 hour format, or allows you to track a second timezone. Using the rotating bezel, you can technically track a third time zone as well. This is one of the most affordable watches that I know of that contains this movement. By the way, this C60 Trident GMT reference number is C60-GMT-SKWS. When visiting Christopher Ward’s website you’ll find eleven versions of the watch so far. This includes both GMT and non-GMT models, as well as those with straps or bracelets. You can even get one with a red and blue “Pan Am Pepsi” dial.

Prices for this value rich collection start at just $ 430 (for the non GMT versions). Prices go up and are varied, but this specific C60 Trident GMT model retails for a very fair $ 740. A good prices for what you get in terms of quality, movement, and design. You can learn more about the C60 Trident watch collection or get one here.

Thanks to Christopher Ward for the review unit. Opinions are 100% independent.

From:aBlogtoRead.com

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