We all dream of Rolex's, but in reality most of us cannot afford to drop the $10,000+ for a new Submariner. This was a problem realized by Mike France, Chris Ward, and Peter Ellis. In 2004 they set out to create what we know today as Christopher Ward London, a luxury watch company that puts elegant Swiss-made watches within reach.
Their design HQ is based out of England, but all of their watches are made in Switzerland. The workshop where their watches are constructed neighbors the workshops of companies such as Rolex, and Omega. So knowing this, you might ask why their watches are not more similarly priced to a Rolex? Well it's really quite simple, they do not advertise by using costly celebrity endorsements, F1 cars, or advertisements placed on premiership soccer jerseys. They eliminated these expensive overhead costs so that they can keep the costs down for you, the consumer.
Fair margins, and honest pricing are at the heart of this company. They are incredibly transparent about their pricing method. Quoting from their website "it’s a simple philosophy that informs our approach to pricing our Swiss watches. Whatever the cost price of the watch, we multiply this up to 3 times and that is the selling price, including VAT. This gives us just enough to make a fair margin after covering the running costs of the business".
So now that you have some background on the company, let's talk about the watch. I received the C60 Trident Pro 600. The 600 is in reference to the 600 meter diving capability. In wearing this watch I have really come to love it. I opted for the 38mm version, and love the size and simplicity of the face. The second hand has an incredibly smooth movement to it that I like a lot. It boasts a beautiful ceramic bezel which looks, and feels of the finest quality. I chose the black bezel/white face version because of how easy it is to match with a wardrobe. It was is a very versatile watch that can go with pretty much anything. Whether you are suiting up for work, or headed down to the lake for the weekend this watch will go anywhere. With an automatic movement you never have to worry about changing it's batteries. It comes in a gorgeous leather box, that makes a great place to safely store your watch.
So what are my final thoughts on this watch? Well, your next best option is a Tag Heuer Aquaracer, which when similarly configured comes out to around $2,800-$3,400. After that you are looking at a Tudor Pelegos which on average will sell for around $4,000. Both of these options only have a 500 meter rating, as opposed to the C60 which is rated for 600 meters. The watch feels rock solid, and is something you can wear everyday without worrying constantly about knocking it about. The clasp feels strong, and secure and has a very firm clicking noise when closing it. Overall it really is a great watch, the materials and movement are a good value. In my personal opinion the watch isn't for me, as I am a big fan of vintage watches and could pick up a Rolex Datejust 1601 for around $2,500-3,000. For me the brand recognition and design heritage is worth the extra money, but make not mistake the C60 is a great watch.
Checkout this watch, and the wide selection of styles they have on their website here: christoperward.com
