£3k for a Christopher Ward

£3k for a Christopher Ward

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SVS

Original Poster:

3,824 posts

270 months

Wednesday 30th September 2015
quotequote all
I'm exaggerating. This is only £2,950.

It may be heresy amongst WIS, but I quite like CW. Nonetheless, I think £3k is a bit of a stretch.

TokyoRich

135 posts

180 months

Wednesday 30th September 2015
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I like it.. but they do seem to be gradually getting more and more expensive.. and my £50 voucher expires today... doh!

shakotan

10,679 posts

195 months

Wednesday 30th September 2015
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They seem to be under illusion that they can play with the big boys, I've yet to see one oftheir watches that is up to the task though. They were good for a sub-£500 watch, I can't help but think their success has inflated their ego.

lostkiwi

4,584 posts

123 months

Wednesday 30th September 2015
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I suppose given its a limited run of 40 it may have some cachet but its not COSC so to me it seems pretty steep.

Still its not as expensive as this one:
http://www.christopherward.co.uk/watches/view-all-...

Limited to 75, in house movement and COSC as well it seems better value and not so much a style statement.

This is probably my favourite of his:
http://www.christopherward.co.uk/singlepusherartic...

Snubs

1,166 posts

138 months

Wednesday 30th September 2015
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Surely it's worth every penny for this feature alone:

"Convex museum-grade sapphire crystal"

Forget your aircraft-grade, we're talking museum grade here people hehe

CAPP0

19,532 posts

202 months

Wednesday 30th September 2015
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I seem to recall either a statement from CW, or a general view, when they launched, that they were going to start cheap in order to spread brand awareness and gain "a name" and then start ramping prices up. Certainly in general terms they have done that; I'm wearing my C8 Pilot Mk II today which I bought brand-new, non-sale and direct from CW a few years ago for something like £280, and they want £499 for it today, which is slightly more than an RPI increase, even given the 3 or 4 years I've had it. As for the £3500 C8 posted above.... well, a bit of Spitfire can never be a bad thing but I can't help wondering what other Spit memorabilia you could buy for £2500, notwithstanding the calibre of the movement?




Edited by CAPP0 on Wednesday 30th September 15:55

Xtriple129

1,148 posts

156 months

Wednesday 30th September 2015
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I was a very keen supporter of CW watches a few years ago and had quite a few including special editions and forum specials. But, the quality wasn't there then and I sent a couple back under their excellent return scheme and sold a few more. I still have two, but I never wear them.

It was common knowledge that the prices would increase dramatically once people knew about them and so it has proved. I'm not sure they warrant the prices currently asked.

But, having said all that, the two I still are have perfect and nicely made and finished, and one, being a quartz, has been left in my watch box for the last couple of years and it is still going strong and the time is still correct. Can't say better than that!

Paul Drawmer

4,864 posts

266 months

Wednesday 30th September 2015
quotequote all
I think that the majority of their offerings still are good VFM. The latest Trident is more expensive than the last one, but it has a far better case and is better finished.


The C9 5 day is not cheap at £1375. But I reckon that to get 5 day COSC, hacking seconds, display back and a decent deployant it represents good value.




Their limited run stuff with bits of something historic in are not meant to be cheap. To a collector of such things it is more of an opportunity than a bargain, so the price point is less sensitive.

Yep, I'm a CW fan boy.

Revs_Addiction

2,090 posts

230 months

Wednesday 30th September 2015
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VERY strange tactic to establish yourself and build your brand with a clearly defined, low-priced, value-for-money, "internet only to cut out the middle man" strategy, then suddenly ramp up prices to swiss brand levels.

When you're selling high-end, luxury goods, the old adage of them being "reassuringly expensive" is an absolute truism. Problem for CW is that it feels like they're taking the piss with their regular price increases, as people remember when they were selling watches in the £150-250 range, and are now selling visually similar watches at 10 times that. They don't feel reassuringly expensive, they feel like a rip off. Sadly any quality improvements that have been made won't be seen, as most people won't actually ever get to handle the watches.

I have a C8 Mk1 that I paid around £250ish for, I like it and it does get some wrist time, but the equivalent is now £599 and I wouldn't pay that for one, let alone £3500 for one with a bit of a Spitfire in it.

I'd hate for any British company to fail, but they're trying to compete with Bremont and their brand simply isn't strong enough.

Paul Drawmer

4,864 posts

266 months

Wednesday 30th September 2015
quotequote all
As a basic Bremont is £2850, how is a CW at £500 in the same market?

Revs_Addiction

2,090 posts

230 months

Wednesday 30th September 2015
quotequote all
Paul Drawmer said:
As a basic Bremont is £2850, how is a CW at £500 in the same market?
How about the CW C9 GT40 at £3k? A complete rip off of the Bremont Jaguar concept and design.

CAPP0

19,532 posts

202 months

Wednesday 30th September 2015
quotequote all
Revs_Addiction said:
How about the CW C9 GT40 at £3k? A complete rip off of the Bremont Jaguar concept and design.
Gawd, I've just looked at those both. That's just taking the p!ss. I know we've had this discussion before, and I know there is only so much you can do to create a completely individual timekeeping device small enough to be worn on the wrist, but CW seem to be heading towards basing their entire collection on (very) thinly-disguised plagiarism. It's not just a similar concept, it's wanton copying with just enough alteration to (perhaps) keep the lawyers at bay. Sure there will be the picky who point out that the subdial is in a different position, the red flash is a little larger, but right down to the missing numerals at the bottom, that's far more than any form of homage. If I was Mr Bremont, I'd be having a chat with Messrs Sue, Grabbit & Runne. Seems to me that Mr Ward needs to have a little more self-respect.




SVS

Original Poster:

3,824 posts

270 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
And yet, apparently, CW has averaged over 40% annual sales growth. Allegedly miles ahead of Bremont.

marcosgt

11,011 posts

175 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
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Seems the general public are less snooty about CW than the watch enthusiasts.

I guess no-one will who thinks £3k for such a watch is too much (include me here) will buy this watch (I wouldn't buy the Bremont either smile ), so if they can find buyers, good luck to them.

On the other hand, their new moonphase watch is pretty nice and not too bad value.

It's probably a little unfair to think that their more expensive models (oddities like this excluded) can be directly compared to the bitsa watches they started out making.

M.

andy tims

5,571 posts

245 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
In the sub £500 range they do some decent value watches.

I'd imagine the more upmarket stuff will suffer very badly from depreciation.

I quite like the single pusher chronograph (aside from the stupid abbreviation in the logo) but there is no way I'd buy brand new.

andy_s

19,397 posts

258 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
lostkiwi said:
This is probably my favourite of his:
http://www.christopherward.co.uk/singlepusherartic...
Ditto - a really interesting watch, whoever the manufacturer.

lostkiwi

4,584 posts

123 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
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That new moon phase does look quite nice but I'd have to leave it a few months and go back to look as it may be just a touch garish for my tastes...

TheJimi

24,861 posts

242 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
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I couldn't bring myself to pay £300, let alone £3000 for a CW watch.

It's irrational as hell, but something sticks in my craw about CW, I've said this before and I still can't come up with a coherent reason.



Zoon

6,654 posts

120 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
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I don't think I could buy a watch that looks like it's called a CHRWARD.
Never mind pay £3k for one.
Absolute ste which will haemorrhage value.

prand

5,910 posts

195 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
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LOL at people getting upset at a watch company with the temerity to sell a watch valued at £3k.

I'd say there are plenty of watch companies that sell watches at many times this value that aren't "good value" by many measures and will suffer the same or worse level of depreciation.

The pricing for "quality" watches seems to be some mad arms race in an upward direction, so why shouldn't they join in. If people buy them and like them, job well done. I like the fact they're british too.